Maradona celebrates with the Argentina team after Tonga win

Marcos Ayerza and Argentina celebrated their Rugby World Cup win against Tonga at Welford Road after putting themselves within touching distance of the quarter-finals on Sunday.

“It’s going to be an all-out battle, all-out war”.

Diego Maradona has been leading the celebrations with Argentina leading Tonga 20-13 at halftime in their Rugby World Cup Pool C match at Leicester. “For me he has always been the best of all; it was a very nice surprise”.

Ultimately, however, Argentina fly half Nicolas Sanchez proved the difference.

He also failed to convert both tries.

Tonga contributed to an exciting first test meeting between the two teams and drew first blood with a try from first five-eighth Kurt Morath, but Argentina hit back with a pair of tries to take a lead they would never relinquish.

“He said if we reach the semi-final he will be there”.

Tonga are now second behind the All Blacks with six points.

Argentina, who beat South Africa in August as they claimed a new world-class scalp, need only avoid defeat against Namibia on October 11 to make sure of their quarter-final place.

“I’m really proud of my boys and know we’ve got one more big game up our sleeve against the All Blacks”.

The Tongans will be confident in their ability to take down top-tier nations, cementing their status as giant-killers with a stunning victory over France during the 2011 World Cup.

Tonga’s clash with Namibia brought with it four injury clouds; Winger Vainikolo, number eight Kalamafoni, co-captain Piutau and lock T-Pole are all facing tough challenges to front up against Argentina.

“We are just dying to get out on the field and get our howling on”.

Tries by Joaquin Tuculet, Juan Imhoff, Nicolas Sanchez, Julian Montoya and Santiago Cordero-often with brilliant darting runs-sealed the result to Maradona’s joy. Morath could’t close the gap further with the conversion, but after seven minutes of madness, Tonga were glad to still be in the game.

His try, after a fine shimmy, settled any Argentine nerves and two clinical two late scores sealed the win.

Ireland did not have anyone almost as famous as the football great backing them at London’s Olympic Stadium but their green-clad legion of fans made up in quantity for what they lacked in star quality. “We will look at things and see why they happened”.