Pablo Bouza is well tackled. (Getty Images)

By Simon Stone, PA Sport, Gosford

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World Cup minnows Namibia were flattened by awesome Argentinian pack power in Gosford.

The old belief that you cannot win a rugby match if you cannot win the forward battle has never been more in evidence as the Africans' boundless enthusiasm offered no protection against one of the most formidable scrummaging machines in the game.

Namibia were repeatedly shoved back over their own line, conceding two penalty tries in the process as they found no way to halt the rampaging Pumas.

By the end, they were well and truly battered, raising yet more questions about the lop-sided nature of almost all the matches in the tournament so far.

After scraping through the play-offs on tries scored after a two-legged tussle with Tunisia finished level, Namibia would have been regarded as the least likely side in the 20-team tournament to win a match and that was without being drawn in the toughest group of all.

And, after suffering such a mauling on their opening night, there are real fears for what might happen when they face Ireland in Sydney on Sunday and then hosts and holders Australia in Adelaide on October 25.

Even with fly-half Rudi van Vuuren restored to fitness following the calf injury which ruled him out of the one-sided encounter, it is difficult to see how Namibia could be more competitive, other than slipping a couple of extra players onto the pitch.

They did emerge with some positives though and coach Dave Waterston can point to the half hour which followed Federico Mendez's second-minute try - during which time his team conceded only eight points - as evidence of some talent.

Centre Du Preez Grobler and scrum-half Hakkies Husselman also had the satisfaction of bringing the biggest cheers of the night from the 17,000 crowd as they crossed the Argentinian line for two well-received Namibian scores.

It mattered little to the fans that the Pumas were guaranteed a try virtually every time they got close to the Africans' line.

Number eight Pablo Bouza bagged a brace - both from pushovers - with the Fernandez Miranda brothers, Juan and Nicolas, sharing two between them.

But it was left to centre Martin Gaitan to complete the rout, sealing his hat-trick with the Pumas' 10th try two minutes from the end.

Teams

Argentina: Martin Hernandez, Senillosa, Gaitan, J. Fernandez Miranda, Albanese, Quesada, N. Fernandez Miranda, Reggiardo, Mendez, Scelzo, Alvarez, Sporleder, Durand, Ostiglia, Bouza.

Replacements: F. Contepomi for J. Fernandez Miranda (41), Ledesma for Mendez (47), Roncero for Scelzo (57), Fernandez Lobbe for Sporleder (71).

Not Used: Albacete, Pichot, Corleto.

Tries: Mendez, Bouza 2, J. Fernandez Miranda, Penalty 2, Gaitan 3, N. Fernandez Miranda.

Cons: Quesada 7.

Pens: Quesada.

Namibia: Booysen, Mouton, Grobler, Powell, Afrika, Wessels, Husselman, Lensing, Meyer, du Toit, Senekal, Isaacs, van der Merwe, Lintvelt, Furter.

Replacements: Pedro for Husselman (71), Blaauw for du Toit (63), Van Lill for Lintvelt (65).

Not Used: Van Tonder, Duvenhage, Dreyer, Swanepoel.

Tries: Grobler, Husselman.

Cons: Wessels 2.

Att: 19,000

Ref: Nigel Williams (Wales).