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Pumas wary of Chris Paterson's cannon-like boot

Argentina's Pumas fear the "cannon" boot of Scotland's Chris Paterson and have been told they must keep their discipline and not give away too many penalties in Sunday's World Cup quarter-final in Paris.

Paterson almost single-handedly qualified the Scots for the last eight as he slotted home six out of six penalties in the knife-edge 18-16 pool decider against Italy in St. Etienne last weekend.

And with a 100 percent success rate with his place-kicks at the World Cup (six penalties and five conversions) he looms again as the biggest danger facing the Pumas in their drive to reach the last four for the first time.

"Scotland has a line-out as good as Ireland's and Paterson has a cannon in his leg, so we must not relax for a second," Argentina prop Omar Hasan Jalil said.

To avoid the Paterson punishment the Argentina vice-captain and lock Gonzalo Longo Elia emphasized the need for discipline.

"We have to be disciplined, try to impose our game plan and control the match," he said.

Discipline is a point that Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda has said he will be hammering home to his players.

"Paterson is an excellent kicker, he is 100 percent with his attempts so far and we simply cannot make mistakes or lack discipline, because otherwise we will pay the price," Loffreda said. "But it's very wrong to think that Scotland are just a kicker and 14 players behind him."

Argentina had bad news on Wednesday about their goalkicker, Felipe Contepomi, when team doctor Mario Larrain said their leading points scorer has a flu virus.

Larrain said Contepomi, who has scored 53 points in the tournament so far, would return to full fitness in time to play against the Scots at the Stade de France.

Contepomi has played at flyhalf and center for the Pumas but is likely to lign up alongside brother Manuel against Scotland.
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