Sawt Falasteen - Argentina set up French camp and savour World Cup pressure

"We're starting to get the World Cup gear, the hat, the little medal, the pressure's starting to build and that's what a player likes," said French-based Imhoff at a one-and-half-hour welcome ceremony in the up-market seaside resort of Le Baule.

Former Ireland skipper Brian O'Driscoll welcomed Argentina acting as a World Cup ambassador.

"One thing I know about Argentina is that they're a nation built for the World Cup... sometimes at my expense," said O'Driscoll, who captained the Ireland team that lost 30-15 to Argentina in Paris in the group stage in 2007.

The Argentinians, who spent part of their preparations in the south of Portugal, have lost prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and back row Santiago Grondona to injury.

They are in Pool D with Japan, Samoa, debutants Chile and England, who they face in their opening game in Marseille on September 9.

"In the World Cup it's the group favourites who start and we've got a big clash ahead of us," said Imhoff. "The best team is going to win."

mas/pb/dj

I.Matar--SF-PST