Pichot: Hoping the Pumas can spring a surprise

But his heart says different and the heart of a Puma can be a powerful thing - as France, Ireland and Scotland discovered to their cost at the last tournament.

Argentina, with Pichot as captain and scrum-half, beat Les Bleus in the opening game of France 2007 and went on to claim an unprecedented third place.

"We are playing England, who won the Six Nations and have played so many more games. Let's be rational. England should win by 30 points," said the former Richmond and Bristol scrum-half.

"If we go with the heart Argentina can win.''

England have been studying the Pumas' 2007 World Cup campaign closely and they are acutely aware of the need to match their passion and ferocity.

Pichot retired after that tournament. From striving to gatecrash the established world order on the field, he then set about doing so in rugby's corridors of power.

Argentina needed a professional structure and regular international competition to ensure they are never again hamstrung on the global stage by their lack of experience.

Pichot has helped to deliver both, with the impact of his work due to hit home next year.

Rugby will be a professional sport in Argentina from January 1 and the Pumas will join the new Four Nations tournament next year.

"After the 2007 World Cup, rugby has really taken off in Argentina. If we could finish third in the world in 2007, that means we have the potential to achieve that level,'' said Pichot.

"It is a hard thing to come to a World Cup having played only random games.

"In the last four years we have had only 22 games. In the last 11 months only one Test match. If that had carried on it would have been a disaster for Argentinian rugby.

"I had this challenge I couldn't fulfil as a player, which was for Argentina to be structured and competitive off the field, for us to be part of something special.

"That is why after 2007 I decided to really go for Argentina to be accepted into a championship.

"We tried for the Six Nations and they said we belonged in a southern hemisphere competition.

"We went all around the world to convince the Tri Nations that we were capable of having a high performance structure in Argentina.

"We started one and went from 10 employees to 80. We have five centres of high performance, and we have 400 players from 18-21 in our system.

"(Our entry) was agreed two years ago but with a lot of conditions - player release, TV rights, money and a commercial agreement.

"The IRB also had to invest 10 million (£6.2million) over four years because Australia said they would lose money if we came in.

"This was finalised three months ago. It means we are guaranteed 12 internationals a year.

"We will be professional in Argentina on January 1. Now we have something to look forward to.

"I am here now to be with the guys and to encourage them - but for us the real challenge starts after this World Cup."

Argentina boast many of the world's leading players and Pichot's next challenge is to slowly persuade them to migrate to the Super 15 or even to return home.

In the meantime, the ARU is in a transitional phase, with their leading names contracted to some of Europe's biggest clubs.

"We have met with Top 14 in France and we are meeting Premiership Rugby in October about how to optimise players' club duties with international duties," said Pichot.

"Little by little, players will stay in Argentina and leave England and France.''

"We have started talking to the (Super 15) about placing players and by 2015 we hope to have a professional team in Argentina playing in a Super 16.

"In the next World Cup I hope I can say that if we lose, it's because we had a system and had games, but just weren't good enough.

"I am very happy that everybody has helped. The IRB has helped in the creation of the Four Nations. We have always been a strong team, we just need a platform to show we can be consistent.''