Nothing less than perfection will be good enough if Argentina want to win their Rugby World Cup opener against the All Blacks, Pumas skipper Agustin Creevy says.
The 30-year-old hooker acknowledges the odds are stacked against Argentina, who have yet to beat New Zealand in 30 years and 21 matches.
Their best result came in 1985, in Buenos Aires when five-eighth Hugo Porta kicked four penalties and three drop goals in a 21-21 draw.
Creevy accepts the All Blacks go into the pool match on Sunday (Monday AEST) at Wembley Stadium in London as overwhelming favourites, but believes the Pumas can win if everything goes to plan.
"New Zealand are favourites to win the title. They are the best in the world. We know how good they are, but we are going out to play the perfect match and win," he said.
Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade's focus is less bullish, with his focus more on finishing second in Pool C and progressing through to the quarter-finals.
"Even when we have played well against the All Blacks we did not even get close," he said.
"On paper we are not favourites, but we have come here with the idea of having a great World Cup."
Hourcade said wins over Australia and South Africa in the Rugby Championship in recent years showed they were on the right track.
"We are developing and I continue to hope we keep making history."
The All Blacks have already beaten Argentina this year, their emphatic 39-18 win in the Rugby Championship two months ago coming over a Pumas side missing some key players.
The two teams also collided in the quarter-finals of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, a match the All Blacks eventually won 33-10 after Argentina led 7-6 midway through the first half.
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