Argentina aiming to kick doubts into touch

Argentina's hopes of sealing a place in the quarter-finals could be undone by their wayward kicking against a Georgia side keen to wrap up their courageous Pool B efforts with a surprise victory.

Of the 20 teams competing at Rugby World Cup 2011, Argentina have a 33.3 per cent success rate with penalties, landing just six of their 18 attempts for the worst record in the tournament.

Argentina captain Felipe Contepomi, who has shared the kicking with Martín Rodríguez when he has played, will take sole responsibility against Georgia on Sunday as Rodríguez is on the bench.

With Argentina needing to win their final match at Arena Manawatu and hoping England are too good for Scotland on Saturday night at Eden Park to be sure of advancing, another poor night with the boot could be disastrous.

Georgia are the only team to have converted 100 per cent of the tries they have scored at Rugby World Cup since their debut in 2003.

But Merab Kvirikashvili, who contributed 17 points to Georgia's total in their 25-9 win over Romania on Wednesday, is on the bench against the Pumas.

Forwards battle

Georgia coach Richie Dixon has defended the decision, insisting: "We've tried to create a bit more balance to our game."

The former Scotland coach said the kicking duties would be entrusted to Lasha Khmaladze, who previously started as a full-back against Romania.

"If he (Kvirikashvili) has to come on, he will," said Dixon. "He's also suffered a slight strain which is another reason why he's on the bench."

Argentina prop Juan Figallo, who plays for Montpellier in the French Top 14, believes the game will hinge on how how well the forwards perform rather than come down to kicking.

"They’re very tough up front, physically," he said. "We need to beat their forwards, so that we give our backs room to act."

Georgia prop Goderdzi Shvelidze, also a Montpellier front-rower, says the Argentine scrum is a force to be reckoned with, but is confident in the Lelos' ability to counter-attack.

"Of course we have a big respect for the Argentines, they have a good scrum," said Shvelidze. "But I think they need to be worried about facing our scrum, too."

Switching sides

Argentina have made five changes - three of them in the pack - to the team who beat Scotland last weekend.

Rodrigo Roncero and Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, both injured in the 13-12 victory over Scotland, are replaced by Marcos Ayerza and Leonardo Senatore, respectively. The other change is second row Mariano Galarza coming in for Manuel Carizza.

Figallo will start at tighthead prop and said, "I’m here to follow orders," dismissing concerns about switching between tighthead and loosehead.

"I’ll play where needed. I train to play on both sides and, yes, they’re different and things change, but I’ll play wherever the coach tells me to."

Georgia's starting XV have 563 Test caps between them, the most the Lelos have ever fielded in a RWC match. They have made six changes to the side who faced Romania, with three players promoted from the bench. Another three players from outside the 22 who faced Romania will also be called upon.

Georgia may be forced to make a late change if prop David Zirakashvili withdraws due to a slight respiratory infection.

Coach Dixon said: "If we have to withdraw David Zirakashvili and replace him with David Kubriashvili, it will be replacing a good guy with another good guy."

"There is no point for this kind of match to expose players when they are not 100 per cent."