Argentina can leave New Zealand with their heads held high, said captain Felipe Contepomi on Sunday night after his Pumas side was beaten by the All Blacks.
Contepomi said there had been little more his team mates could have done in going down 33-10. The All Blacks led 12-7 at half-time.
''The game was very hard ... we performed on a par with them for 60 minutes, and in those 60 minutes we managed to control them.
''But they kept coming at us - and that is the difference in the quality between the teams,'' he said.
''Right now it is hard to say (if there is anything else we could have done) ... a penalty here, a penalty there ... but we were okay for 60 minutes and we will continue to grow.
''We were coming here to grow as a team. We had highs and lows in the tournament and right now, after a game, it is hard to make an assessment. But I think this young team has a great future.''
Argentina finished third at the last World Cup.
