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Doctor Death: Contepomi is preparing to pull the plug on the ailing Irish
Argentina and Leinster star Felipe Contepomi has warned his fellow Pumas of the dangers of complacency as they limber up for Sunday's monumental clash with Ireland at Parc des Princes in Paris.
Eddie O'Sullivan's troops, needed big bonus-point win to progress to the quarter-finals, are clinging to life.
Now, with a fine disregard of his Hippocratic Oath, Doctor Contepomi is preparing to pull the plug on the ailing Irish.
The 30-year-old, who qualified as a surgeon from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin this May, has become a real favourite in Ireland since he joined Leinster in 2003.
He achieved folk-hero status in 2006 by turning out for the Dubliners just hours after his wife Paula gave birth to their daughter Catalina.
Duly, and come what may on Sunday, Contepomi believes the atmosphere will be no different when he returns for to Ireland next month.
"Before this week, I was friends with the boys and I have been in contact with them, mostly with Darce [Gordon D'Arcy] and the other Leinster players although not this week because I have to wear my country colours," said the playmaker.
"But one thing rugby gives you is friendship and in a few weeks I will be back at Leinster, training with these players.
"My friendship with these men goes beyond rugby and I would not lose that, not even for one game."
Although stopping understandably short of backing the men in green, Contepomi believes that the Irish will not be lacking in mental strength on Sunday, especially as for almost all the team it is their last crack at landing the Webb Ellis trophy.
"With any crisis in life, you can sink or swim," he said.
"They have to do a 'miracle' to score those four tries and don't let us score a bonus point, then they will be through and we will be out of the competition.
"So, when you are in that sort of situation, you can turn it positive if you have the mental strength.
"You have to see why they are in this situation, if there is a problem within the players or a problem on the outside.
"I doubt there is a problem between them [the players]. The guys I know at Leinster are very easy going, very united and so I can't imagine that there is a problem.
"Twenty days ago they were a team people said could win the World Cup and that's the team we'll prepare for.
"We're not thinking about the team that lost to France, we know it will be a very tough game."
But Contepomi remains adamant that the Argentine defence will remain resolute - they have yet to concede a try - and stop the Irish short of their target.
"The French played into our hands by playing it tight," he said. "We can be vulnerable if our opponents play it wide, but it is very difficult given our defence."
