"There is no pressure on us. This is not a tour, it's not a Six Nations match and it's not the Rugby World Cup. Wales will hope to beat us because they need to bounce back from their match against England - I am sure they will come out fighting.

"We expect that because Wales are a proud rugby nation and the players will be playing for position in the starting XV for the World Cup," said Pichot, who has won 63 Test caps for the Pumas.

"We will be looking more so at our performance than the result against Wales. The World Cup is so close and game time is running out. We are treating Saturday's game as an important preparation for the big competition.

"It's our first tough game as a whole team for ten months since our narrow defeat against France because some of our players could not play in the friendly matches this summer against Ireland and Italy due to the calendar.

"So, the most important thing for us to take out of this game is to find solutions to any problems which may come up."

Argentina, ranked fifth in the world standings and tipped by many to be the outside bet for next month's finals in France, have been training together since July but only began work on the rugby field in the last ten days.

But, the 32-year-old Stade Francais scrum half believes this is the best Puma side he has played in.

Pichot said: "This is the best and most balanced side I have played in. It has a good blend of youth and experience. Every single player hopes, dreams and expects to win.

"I don't like to compare our team against teams from the 70s and 80s because rugby has evolved. It has become more simple. Rugby is more aggressive and one dimensional. Just look at the All Blacks, they have a very direct style. We do not have the pace of them but we have a strong side up front.

"The next stage in our development is to involve the backs who have performed so well in the Heineken Cup. Our hope is we can build this up in the next 20 days and arrive at the World Cup against France on September 7th with the right combination. We want to produce a complete game."

Wales's first home Rugby World Cup warm-up will see Pichot go head to head with Llanelli Scarlets' Dwayne Peel and is relishing the prospect of re-igniting his battle with the British Lion.

"I respect Dwayne a lot and he is a great scrum half. He has got a bit of everything; combined speed and good thinking. He's a really talented player with great experience, having played a lot of European and International rugby."

Argentina: Federico Serra (San Isidro); Lucas Borges (Stade Français Paris), Martin Gaitan (Biarritz Olympique), Felipe Contepomi (Leinster), Ignacio Corleto (Stade Français Paris); Federico Todeschini (Montpellier), Agustin Pichot (Stade Français Paris, captain); Rodrigo Roncero (Stade Français Paris), Mario Ledesma (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Martin Scelzo (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe (Sale Sharks), Patricio Albacete (Toulouse), Juan Manuel Leguizamon (London Irish), Juan Fernandez Lobbe (Sale Sharks), Gonzalo Longo (ASM Clermont Auvergne)

Replacements: Alberto Vernet Basualdo (Asociacion Alumni), Santiago Gonzalez Bonorino (Capitolina), Rimas Alvarez (Perpignan), Martin Durand (Montpellier), Nicolas Vergallo (Jockey Club), Manuel Contepomi (Newman), Horacio Agulla (Hindu)

Wales: Kevin Morgan (Dragons): Dafydd James (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues), Gareth Thomas (Blues, Captain), Mark Jones (Scarlets); James Hook (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Scarlets); Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Blues), Alix Popham (Scarlets)

Replacements: T Rhys Thomas (Blues), Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Colin Charvis (Dragons), Mike Phillips (Ospreys), Ceri Sweeney (Dragons), Jamie Robinson (Blues)