Nathan Sharpe: Australia captain braced for unpredictable Pumas

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Australia captain Nathan Sharpe has warned his team against complacency when they take on Argentina at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

After two defeats to world champions New Zealand to open their campaign, the Wallabies came from behind to beat the Springboks last week - giving under-siege coach Robbie Deans much-needed breathing space.

But the 26-19 win in Perth came at a cost with stand-in skipper Will Genia badly injuring his knee. First-choice captain James Horwill is also sidelined, along with his successor David Pocock.

The Wallabies start as favourites for the Gold Coast clash but will be wary of a Pumas outfit that pushed the All Blacks hard for 60 minutes last weekend before eventually fading to lose 21-5.

Australia insist they will not underestimate the Argentinians, who held the Springboks to a 16-16 draw in Mendoza last month in the inaugural championship.

"The main memory I do have is the unorthodox method in which they play," said Sharpe, who is the only player in the Australian squad to have faced Argentina before, in 2003.

"They're a very passionate team and it's something that's been identified in the first games of the Rugby Championship and one that you look at in every World Cup, they're always competitive due to that spirit.

"The thing about them as a team is they play well as a team.

"They don't generally have a consistent stand-out, they just perform well and put in for each other and that's what makes them a dangerous team.

"You talk about their defence and all the rest of it, it's not always the most structured but it's frenetic."

The tourists, advised by former New Zealand coach Graham Henry, are desperate to score an historic tournament win - which would also be their first triumph on Australian soil in 29 years.

Despite being the underdogs, Argentina believe the injury-plagued Australia are vulnerable without halfback Genia and Perth man-of-the-match Sitaleki Timani.

But Sharpe expects replacements Nick Phipps and Kane Douglas and the rest of his team to respond.

"It's good for the team because people have to step up," he said.

"When you are faced with a situation generally that's when things come to the fore, when there's a need for it then people step up and I'm looking forward to seeing that happen on the weekend.

"It's not just about Phippsy coming in and playing well, it's about everyone else fulfilling an extra one or two per cent of a role that they may not naturally do when Will's there and the result could be surprising."