Auckland - Argentina are waiting on a last minute fitness test for ironman Rodrigo Roncero before announcing their team to play New Zealand in a World Cup quarter-final here on Sunday.
The fearsome scrummager has not been able to train with the team since limping from the field with a groin injury nearly two weeks when Argentina upset Scotland 13-12 in a match pivotal in securing their play-off berth.
The immense prop's presence is central to the Argentinian forwards and he has been given until the naming of the team on Friday to prove his fitness.
"Roncero is getting better and the technical staff will wait until testing him in the training on Friday to decide", team spokesman Rafael Laria told AFP.
The team to play the All Blacks is to be named at the end of the training run.
Roncero, who plays for Stade Francais in the French Top 14 competition has played 47 Tests since making his debut in 1998, including two against the All Blacks when Argentina lost 41-7 in 2004 and lost again 25-19 two years later.
With his power in the tight and turn of pace, Roncero was required for service in every game Argentina played in their march to the semi-finals at the 2007 World Cup in France.