Argentina have never beaten South Africa and most bets will still be on the Springboks when the teams meet in their World Cup semi-final at the Stade de France on Sunday.

Such have been Argentina's remarkable performances so far, though, that the Pumas believe they can create more history after winning the opening match against hosts France, topping their pool and reaching the last four.

Argentina beat Scotland 19-13 in last Sunday's Stade de France quarter-final to reach the last four for the first time with their fifth successive win in the tournament.

"We have never beaten South Africa, but before the 2003 World Cup we lost by one point and we were close. At some point it's going to happen, hopefully next Sunday," said number eight Gonzalo Longo, man-of-the-match against Scotland as he had been in the pool-deciding win over Ireland.

"The important thing will be to have a good week's preparation. We'll work on all the details that didn't go well for us against Scotland, conscientiously as this group always does," he told reporters.

"We're not going to say, it's done, we've got up to here. It is a virtue of this team that we are never satisfied, we made history and want to carry on. I think we can."

"Argentina in the semi-finals of the World Cup, that's huge," said hooker Mario Ledesma, who with captain Agustin Picot and lock Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe made a Pumas record 12th World Cup appearance against the Scots.

"We said we are here to dream of being world champions and we're not going to stop," said Ledesma, who with Pichot, Longo and Fernandez Lobbe was in the side who reached the 1999 quarter-finals, Argentina's previous best finish.

"There's a huge obstacle called South Africa...the history of this team is not at all bad, it could become exceptional."

For Argentina to beat South Africa they will have to dedicate their week's preparation once again to building up the mental strength that has helped them upset hosts France on the opening day a month back before winning their pool with victory over Ireland.

The Pumas' style is not usually pretty, they play to the strengths of a very good pack of forwards, brilliant in the loose and on the ground, including candidates for a tournament best XV such as Longo and flanker Juan Fernandez Lobbe.

In the backs too, tactical discipline is the key with flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez kicking deep into opponents' territory to keep them pinned back before trying to run the ball, something that seldom happened against the resilient Scots.

Isolated moments of class have usually made the difference, though, in a side with several brilliant players despite the strength of the team ethic, such as the three drop goals from Hernandez against Ireland followed by another against the Scots.

The two wings, who have both scored tries in the tournament, were confined to defensive duties on Sunday but for amateur Horacio Agulla helping the Pumas reach the semi-finals was like touching the sky.

"This can't be bought for any money in the world, to live this moment is tremendous," he told reporters.

"(The victory) is for all the people at Hindu (his home club)."

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