Double delight: Pumas overtake France
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A late try for Manuel Montero maintained Argentina's proud home record over the French and helped them claw back the advantage in the IRB World Rankings.
The French seemed in control with full-time looming but Montero's score, converted by Felipe Contepomi, snatched a 23-20 victory.
The result leaves France without a win in Argentina since 1998 and lifts the Pumas to sixth in the standings; France drop to seventh.
Argentina's first home game of the forthcoming Rugby Championship will be against South Africa in Mendoza, in the heart of the country's wine-making industry. France, who play the Pumas again in Tucuman on Saturday, can vouch for the quality of this Argentine vintage.
The thrilling conclusion in Cordoba was mirrored in the Antipodes, with the All Blacks winning 22-19 against Ireland in Christchurch and Australia beating Wales in Melbourne with the final kick of the match.
The results, plus England's 36-27 defeat by the Springboks in Johannesburg, mean the top three - New Zealand, Australia, South Africa - stay as they are.
However, there was some consolation for the Welsh as their two-point defeat let them seize fourth spot from England by virtue of losing to a higher-ranked team.
Wales thus become the highest-placed European side, while Argentina's ascent leaves the southern hemisphere with four of the top six in the world.
The weekend pitted eight of the top 10 sides against one another, which is particularly relevant with Rugby World Cup 2015 seeding due at the end of the year. Of the automatic qualifiers, the top four sides are guaranteed separate pools.
Samoa squeaked past Japan 27-26 in Tokyo on Sunday to seal the Pacific Nations Cup and consolidate ninth in the world.
Samoa's opponents in Apia this Saturday, Scotland, are rewarded for their 37-25 defeat of Fiji with 10th place.
Georgia drop one place to 15 after their 36-20 reverse against USA, who stay 17th in the IRB World Rankings.
Uruguay started the week with defeat by Russia - which lifts the Russians from 21st to 19th - but finished on a high note with a convincing 35-7 victory over Portugal. While that result does not alter their 22nd position, the Uruguayans are within half a ranking point of a top-20 spot.
After defeat the previous week by Argentina, Italy got its tour of the Americas back on track with a win over Canada to strengthen its 12th place by more than one ranking point.
Top 20 on the IRB rankings (last week's position in brackets):
1(1) New Zealand 91.43
2(2) Australia 86.77
3(3) South Africa 85.47
4(5) Wales 82.54
5(4) England 82.49
6(7) Argentina 81.22
7(6) France 81.06
8(8) Ireland 79.85
9(9) Samoa 77.64
10(11) Scotland 76.56
11(10) Tonga 76.19
12(12) Italy 75.26
13(13) Canada 71.74
14(15) Fiji 69.21
15(14) Georgia 68.52
16(16) Japan 67.93
17(17) United States 67.38
18(18) Romania 64.54
19(21) Russia 62.05
20(19) Spain 61.63
Comments
lawynd says...
@Capedcrusader - I think that's a little unfair; where's the middle ground? I personally thought the Kiwis showed great character and nerve to win it when they were frankly getting pumelled up front by France, a bit like last weekend's game against Ireland. I'll take nothing away from that win. That doesn't however mean I'm not terribly disappointed by the standard of refereeing in that final, which appeared to hamstring the French at crucial moments. Sometimes teams are lucky with the bounce of the ball, a player losing their footing or a gust of wind; they shouldn't be lucky that the referee bottles key decisions.
Posted 13:17 21st June 2012
Capedcrusader says...
Nope
If it was anyone but NZ playing in the final it would have been a ground out professional win with some luck. Little mention of the ref or players. Why because un rugby educated trollers are so obsessed with berating the most successful team in the history of the game & the only team that ensures its lucky recipients put the jersey above their own ambitions and achieves such success as a result because they insist on venting their fury upon us for their teams failings and inadequecies to ease the burden of the inferiority complex they carry constantly on their shoulders. If you want to dish it out take it
Posted 10:40 21st June 2012
jonesy2 says...
jeez the pumas are already coming for england. they will be there by the end of the year at the lastest.
JayStarr, JayStarr, JayStarr what ridiculousness you speak
Posted 07:13 21st June 2012
Trader2 says...
@JayStarr another conspiracy theory you Bokkes have more of these doing the rounds than the JFK assassination. I agree (1st time for everything) with the first part of @trinats post. Good to see trinats is still delusional enough to think France should have won the WC though.
Posted 00:53 21st June 2012
Oceansnz says...
ah alas, Japan should be trying to hit the top 12 by now, but are behind Georgia. Not good progress me thinks.
@ Planet Rugby; could you post the IRB rankings criteria at the bottom of these articles as time and time again, many people are not sure about why team x are in their position vs team y. Cheers!
Posted 14:03 20th June 2012
Trinats2 says...
JayStarr;
Maybe it's because SA haven't beaten Australia (in how many years) Or maybe because Australia won the tri nations last year ??
Wait until the Arggies beat you ! there will be that may leapfrogging you that you'll be named kermit !!!
PS the tours were decided prior to the 6 nations, so SA could have played NO1 if England were good enough, but they are not..
Capedcrusader:
regardless of where France are in the rankings or how they played throughout the WC, they were the better team in the final and were robbed of the victory.
Posted 13:47 20th June 2012
Capedcrusader says...
So France come second in the RWC & should have been handed the trophy in a lot of eyes even though they had a poor tournament & are now 7th in the rankings. Thats why Les Bleus don't deserve to be champions they wouls simply cheapen the cup
Posted 10:29 20th June 2012
kiwikev says...
@ JayStarr
Google is your friend...
http://www.irb.com/rankings/explain/index.html
Not sure what scheduling tours and the rankings have to do with each other but perhaps we get you fitted for a tin-foil hat?
Posted 05:10 20th June 2012
JayStarr says...
Wow... France in 7th place! Tut tut tut...
Also, how do these rankings work? Is Australia scoring more points because they're beating Wales than SA is scoring for beating England? Because Wales is ranked higher than England?
If so, do you think it's a pure co-incidence that NZ (ranked 1st) is playing the lowest ranked team of the three... and Australia is playing the highest ranked? Or do you think newly IRB appointed John O'Neil is behind that one? Seems like everything in rugby these days is set up to favour Australia.
Posted 15:25 19th June 2012
LondonWasp says...
@admack
playing a tri-nation side and playing samoa are two very different kettle of fish...
but your question i suppose is a just one.
Posted 14:42 19th June 2012
APV1 says...
Let's hope we do better on Saturday and in the Autumn. We want to be in 4th (or above) for the seedings.
That said, I think they're about right at the moment and reflect where most teams are. 6, 7 and 8 will be contentious, but considering the last RWC, the recent 6N and this SH tour, I think it's about fair.
Posted 12:53 19th June 2012
admack says...
@PR Which side stands the best chance of winning their last Test on tour?
Ireland
Wales
England
None
Have you forgotten about Scotland?
Posted 12:26 19th June 2012