A brilliant Lionel Messi helped defeat England and guided Argentina into consecutive World Cup finals.

Argentina's Pumas have performed strongly at Rugby World Cups too, reaching three semi-finals in the past five tournaments.

They host England this week and aim to match their football teammates.

Pumas head coach Felipe Contepomi featured in the 2007 World Cup when Argentina reached the semi-finals for the first time, with wins over France, Ireland and Scotland.

That run, plus semi-final appearances in 2015 and 2023, raised rugby's profile in a nation gripped by football and Messi.

"Amateur rugby here in Argentina is thriving," Contepomi told BBC Sport.

"It is very community-based and the clubs keep growing. Participation rises each year.

"It cannot match football because rugby is a sport while football is a religion for Argentinians.

"The scale is entirely different. Even I live for rugby, yet football stays in my skin."

Most Argentina internationals have traditionally come from private schools in rugby strongholds.

Buenos Aires, birthplace of Contepomi and captain Julian Montoya, stays the main hub, while Tucuman, near Saturday's venue in Santiago del Estero, is the sole area where rugby outranks football, according to Contepomi.

"Rugby began among the middle and upper-middle classes but now reaches every social level," said the former Leinster fly-half.

"It is played across the whole country, not only in Buenos Aires but in every province."

Argentina's World Cup results stand out because the nation lacks any professional club side.

The Jaguares played in Super Rugby from 2016 to 2020 before folding due to financial issues.

Since 2019 the semi-professional Super Rugby Americas has offered a route for new talent.

One example is Leicester Tigers back-row Joaquin Moro, who arrived from Pampas XV and started last season's Premiership semi-final in his first year.

"Super Rugby Americas grows each year and offers a solid path to build professional habits," Contepomi said.

"In the last two years around 20 players have moved from those teams into the Pumas squad."

"Excellence, consistency and resilience." Those words describe how Messi's example inspires the team, Contepomi said.

Consistency remains the key.

Argentina sit seventh in the world rankings and were beaten by Scotland in their opening Nations Championship match, despite a November win over the same side.

A stronger showing against Wales sets up their final fixture against Steve Borthwick's England.

The Pumas, who defeated New Zealand and Australia in last year's Rugby Championship, had only three training sessions before losing to Scotland because players are spread across both hemispheres.

"Those are our challenges and our reality," the head coach added.

"We do not treat them as excuses. We simply face them and make the most of the situation.

"We want to stay in the world's top four and work towards that through our habits and team unity.

"We have reached recent World Cup semi-finals. To become a true top-four side we must finish each year inside the top four of the rankings."

Borthwick's team, missing their British and Irish Lions players, won twice in Argentina last summer to claim the series and extend their run over the Pumas to five matches.

Argentina's record of one win in the past 16 meetings with England must improve if they seek regular top-four status.

They welcome England to Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades, a 30,000-capacity venue opened in 2021 where they have already beaten Scotland and South Africa.

"It lies close to Tucuman, a major rugby province. I expect a strong rugby crowd," the 48-year-old said.

"If we give them cause to cheer, Argentinians will make noise and support their team. Hopefully the atmosphere will be lively."

The sides last met in November and the match ended with tension after Contepomi labelled England flanker Tom Curry, named on the bench for Saturday, a bully who swore and pushed him in the tunnel.

The former 87-cap fly-half called the fixture one of his side's big rivalries, yet not because of off-field incidents.

"Tom Curry is a world-class player. That is all I can say," Contepomi added.

"If my words hurt or offended him I apologise publicly. I hold nothing against him.

"The incident happened in the heat of the moment. I do not take it personally and I do not wish to make anything personal with Tom because he is surely a fine person too."

With Argentina pushing a bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, national interest in the sport could surge further.

Additional wins over England would help that growth.