Payback time? Not even half-way there. Victory in a November friendly scarcely redresses the effects of a World Cup quarter-final play-off defeat, and if there is a grudge match, then October 26th in Adelaide next year is more likely to be it. After all, Ireland beat Argentina in a pre-World Cup game over three years ago, but who remembers that? Gerry Thornley previews today's game.

Still, going into next year's Pool A meeting on the back of three successive defeats to the Pumas wouldn't be ideal, and a win today would also allow Ireland to move on to the Six Nations far more boldly with a record-equalling sixth successive win under their belts.

Memories are short. Hence the cliché about being only as good as your last game. Indeed, if a team pulls away to win by 30 points in the second half, it's generally viewed as a better performance than the team which puts the points on the board in the first-half but then eases up.

Similarly, if Ireland end their three November Tests by losing to Argentina, it would tarnish the memories of the win over Australia and the series will be viewed in a more critical light than if the order of results were reversed.

And that doesn't just apply to spectators and pundits, but to the team as well.

Captain Brian O'Driscoll put it in a nutshell: "It's nice knowing that we have two victories in the November internationals under our belt, but, having said that, it wouldn't be a nice feeling coming away losing at the weekend. I think if we won this it would be a very successful November. But there would be something hanging over us if we didn't win it."

Argentina are also, as O'Driscoll observed yesterday, "on our level", in that the two have been vying for sixth place in the world for the last couple of years, seeking to nudge their way in among the big five.

Part of the excessive fall-out arising from the past two defeats to Argentina is that Irish rugby in general - and perhaps to a degree the players - did not respect the Pumas for the quality international side they had become. But they do now.

"I think we are at the same level," said Argentina coach Marcelo Loffreda, echoing O'Driscoll's words. "It will be very important how both teams arrive to the game. It will be important how the weather is and how the field is, because we know that Ireland are accustomed to playing in these conditions and we are not. The same happened to Australia; Ireland will adapt better if it is wet."

Unlike the Australian game, the weather forecast is very Irish, a bit of everything bar snow. So it depends what hits Lansdowne Road from late afternoon onwards. The poor drainage will probably ensure some aquaplaning on the sodden patches anyway, so adaptability will be the key. The match could be like the weather, with a bit of everything thrown in.

Chris White is a good referee who likes to let it flow, and it might even be a bit looser and wilder than is generally anticipated.

This will be an altogether tougher test of Ireland's scrum and defensive maul than the Wallabies provided, judging by the manner the Puma pack put it up to the Australians a fortnight ago in Buenos Aires. And the Pumas will also attempt a more probing kicking game.

And, despite having largely the same personnel as in Lens, Argentina have added a few cards to their hand. When it comes to counter-attacking they are, agreed coach Eddie O'Sullivan, Declan Kidney and Brian O'Driscoll, one of the best in the world.

"They're very strong, and any turnover ball you have to be careful with, or you could be 70 or 80 metres down the pitch," remarked O'Sullivan.

Three of their five tries against Italy last weekend came off loose kicks or turnovers, the pick being the first when Ignacio Corleto gathered and immediately Diego Albanese, Lisandro Arbizu and Jose Orengo regrouped in a line to work it wide and score from half-way.

Aside from being the interception king, Felipe Contepomi will also attack Ronan O'Gara's channel and look to offload in contact for support runners such as the prolific openside Rolando Martin.

One "ace in the hole" was enough in Lens, but they go wide more often, if selectively, now, like a good poker player who judges when to up the stakes.

Ireland have progressed even more in the last three years, however. Go through the teams and the home side have the better players. It's worth recalling that they had the better of the Puma pack for much of the last two meetings, and even without Denis Hickie and Brian O'Driscoll, Ireland had particular joy when attacking the Argentinian backs in Buenos Aires. They scored four tries and could have had three or four more.

The presence of either Hickie or Geordan Murphy might have given Ireland more of a cutting edge, but even so, a line through Australia entitles them to favouritism. Ireland are also at home, where they've won seven in a row since losing to New Zealand over a year ago, and have won 10 of the last 11.

And grudge match or not, Ireland are the ones with a whiff of revenge in their nostrils.