IRELAND v ARGENTINA:IN A clear sign of the high stakes involved, sore bodies and to provide further explanation of the expected delay in team selection for Saturday's showdown with Argentina, Declan Kidney and team manager Paul McNaughton came to the front of house yesterday to speak with the media.

The result next Saturday has implications stretching to the 2011 World Cup. Again, it is the Pumas, and Ireland's miserable record against them since 2003, that needs addressing this weekend. Presuming Scotland take care of Canada, defeat for Ireland will see them relegated to ninth seeds ahead of the World Cup draw on December 1st. That would mean facing two top-tier sides in the pool stages.

Despite this and a serious doubt about Paul O'Connell, not to mention the utterly conclusive 22-3 loss to New Zealand, Kidney was in upbeat mood yesterday, at the Irish base in Killiney Castle.

"We're fully understanding (Argentina) could have a huge effect on everything we are trying to do here. Not that there is any pressure or anything like that."

Tony Buckley has been rerouted to the Munster bench for this evening's game at Thomond Park against the All Blacks, but the prop will rejoin the international camp thereafter and should feature among the Ireland reserves on Saturday. Ian Dowling, Donnacha Ryan, Peter Stringer, Mick O'Driscoll and, significantly, Denis Leamy are also donning red tonight, but none of this quintet are expected to be recalled.

Even a typically herculean effort from the Cashel man tonight might not be enough for an immediate return to the Ireland backrow.

"I think Tuesday, Saturday (matches) would be extremely difficult," the Ireland coach said. "Sometimes when lads come back in for their first game you go into it somewhat fresh. You could have a good game and hopefully he will, but to ask him to start again three, four days later. . . Like, a lot of lads who started late this season their first game was quite good but the second game wasn't anywhere near as good. But after third, fourth, fifth games, a consistency came back into their game. You certainly wouldn't rule him out but I think it might be unfair on himself. The main thing is he is back playing."

O'Connell's rehabilitation remains the main concern.

"He is recovering," continued Kidney. "He has been very diligent. He took a right thump on the leg. There is a fair bit of swelling on it so it will be a number of days before we'll know if he'll be in or out. He hasn't been ruled out yet. We'll just have to see how it goes."

In terms of impact and leadership, only Brian O'Driscoll and Ronan O'Gara are in the same category as the Munster captain, so a decision will not be made until the eleventh hour.

If O'Connell fails to recover, Malcolm O'Kelly looks favourite to be parachuted back in for a record 92nd cap. Ryan Caldwell and Bob Casey are the other secondrows in the extended squad, while Stephen Ferris has been used as a lock replacement over the past two weekends.

Kidney defended the decision to persist with a clearly lame O'Connell on Saturday, although he was exposed in midfield for Ma'a Nonu's breakthrough try.

"If you take a fella off every time he got a bang in a rugby match there would probably be nobody left on the pitch by the end of the game. When you get a thump like that you try and give it a chance."

Geordan Murphy is another injury worry after shipping a knock playing in the Leicester Tigers 25-21 defeat to Bath.

The Ireland management are aware of the difficulties associated with playing the fourth-ranked side in world rugby; the constant aerial bombardment from Juan Hernandez allied to the blunt force of a menacing set of forwards.

Unfortunately for Argentina, they will be without captain Felipe Contepomi because of an infection. The Leinster centre and outhalf is suffering from an infection as a result of a cut on his right hand, according to the team doctor.

Despite picking up the cut before the first game of Argentina's European tour, Contepomi still started against France and last Saturday against Italy.

CURRENT STATE OF PLAY

THE RUGBY World Cup 2011 pool draw takes place in London on December 1st. It will be shown live on rugbyworldcup.com from 3pm. For the first time the draw will use the IRB world rankings to seed the 12 pre-qualified teams.

As in 2007, there will be four pools of five teams in New Zealand in 2011. The top three positions, or bands, in each pool will be filled by the 12 pre-qualified teams.

These are: Argentina, Australia, England, Fiji, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Tonga and Wales.

Ireland are currently the eighth seeds but defeat to Argentina, currently a band one seed, would see them slip below Scotland, who are expected to beat Canada, and into band three. This would mean facing two top tier teams in the pool stages.

RANKINGS

1 (1) New Zealand 92.41

2 (2) South Africa 88.45

3 (3) Australia 86.70

4 (5) Argentina 82.82

5 (4) England 82.11

6 (6) France 80.13

7 (7) Wales 79.58

8 (8) Ireland 77.18

9 (9) Scotland 76.76

10 (11) Fiji 75.24

Brackets signifies previous ranking.