The mind games started back in August, when Agustin Pichot was in town with Bristol. He took the opportunity to tell the Ireland manager Brian O'Brien that Argentina would this weekend make it three wins in a row over their hosts. O'Brien told the scrum-half he had enough to worry about with his own game. We will all be wiser in Dublin by 6pm tomorrow.

Their last clash, at Lens in the 1999 World Cup, defines the battle. Ireland are on a twin mission: atone for that defeat and finish the autumn with a record of six wins in a row.

The pitch may be a disaster but the tone is positive. "A lot of things in Irish rugby have changed since 1999," the coach Eddie O'Sullivan said yester day. "We've got a different team, a different style.

"And Argentina are different now. They've kept the strengths which are ruggedness and ability to control the ball at close quarters but ... they have wider dimensions. They have some pace out wide and good decision-makers in midfield."

Such is their power up front that Argentina will not fret over losing Roberto Grau. Ireland revert largely to the side that undid Australia a fortnight ago; they will be confident of a repeat performance.

Ireland: Dempsey; Horgan, O'Driscoll (capt; all Leinster), Maggs (Bath), Bishop (London Irish); O'Gara, Stringer (both Munster); Corrigan, Byrne (both Leinster), Hayes (Munster), Longwell (Ulster), O'Kelly, Costello, Gleeson (all Leinster), Foley (Munster).

Argentina: Corletto; Camardon, Orengo, Arbizu (capt), Albanese; Pichot, Contepomi; Reggiardo, Ledesma, Hasan, Fernandez-Lobbe, Alvarez, Phelan, Longo, Martin.

Referee: C White (England).