Late winner: Manuel Montero
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Argentina came from behind to snatch a dramatic 23-20 win over France in the first game of their two-Test series at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba on Saturday.
The visitors looked to have their first victory on Argentine soil since 1998 wrapped up until Pumas wing Manuel Montero burst clear in the 77th minute to score the winning try.
France led 14-13 at the end of a scrappy first half thanks to a try from Louis Picamoles but their advantage should have been a lot larger after the visitors left eleven points by wayside with some below-par kicking.
Indeed, les Bleus will harbour a number of regrets as they produced far more on attack than their hosts and were never seriously threatened on defence. But the tourists were their own worst enemies, committing a plethora of unforced errors and failing to close out a game that was well within their reach.
In typical fashion, Argentina used their tried-and-tested spoiling tactics to frustrate the French while Felipe Contepomi kept the scoreboard ticking with his trusty boot.
It wasn't pretty and penalties were in abundance. It took just three minutes for the first three points to be scored via France scrum-half Morgan Parra.
Los Pumas struck back immediately when wing Belisario Agulla intercepted a careless pass from Francois Trinh-Duc to race home untouched.
Contepomi added the extras but another Parra penalty left the scores at 7-6. The French were happy to keep kicking at goal - despite the jeers from the raucous crowd - but Parra's third shot from the tee drifted wide, as did a drop from Florian Fritz.
The French were looking dangerous with ball in hand. The current trend in French rugby to continually look for sucker-punch three-pointers instead to pushing for tries is a source of immense frustration.
Contepomi missed from inside his own half but Parra had no such problems when the Pumas failed to roll away (again) and the scrum-half gave France a two-point lead in the 22nd minute.
The stop-start nature of the clash saw the hosts move straight back in front though as Contepomi found the mark two minutes later.
Les Bleus replied with a fantastic try. Full-back Brice Dulin bust clear only to be stopped two metres short. Trinh-Duc's cross-field kick found Yoann Huget, who flipped it back to Picamoles volleyball-style and no one was going to stop the charging number eight from scoring.
Parra missed the conversion and another relatively easy penalty, meaning Contepomi was able to cut the gap to just a single point on the stroke of half time.
The French opened a seven-point gap as Parra found the mark soon after the restart before adding another three pointer when Pumas flank Tomas Leonardi was sent to the sin bin for a blatant offside when France were in full flight.
Les Bleus were unable to make their numerical advantage count however and Contepomi was again on target to leave the scores at 20-16 going into the final quarter.
Frederic Michalak had came on for Trinh-Duc as the French went in search of the killer blow. Indeed the winning score would come from a move initiated by Michalak, but for the wrong team.
The Toulon-bound playmaker made a darting run into the Pumas 22 but Fulgence Ouedraogo was unable to hang onto the offload. The ball was snapped up by the men in white and quickly sent out to Montero, who turned on the afterburners and sprinted 70m to score.
France had a late tilt at the Pumas defence but the game ended - appropriately - with yet another French knock-on.
The rematch is next Saturday in Tucaman.
Man of the match: What would Argentina do without Felipe Contepomi?
Moment of the match: Huget's pass inside to set up Picamoles was classic but it was outdone by Montero's try which sent the Córdoba crowd wild.
The scorers:
For Argentina:
Tries: Agulla, Montero
Cons: Contepomi 2
Pens: Contepomi 3
For France:
Try: Picamoles
Pens: Parra 5
Yellow cards: Leonardi (Argentina - 53rd min - cynical offside)
Argentina: 15 Roman Miralles, 14 Belisario Agulla, 13 Joaquin Tuculet, 12 Felipe Contepomi (c), 11 Manuel Montero, 10 Ignacio Mieres, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Tomas Leonardi, 7 Tomas De la Vega, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Esteban Lozada, 4 Benjamin Macome, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Bruno Postiglioni, 1 Eusebio Guinazu.
Replacements: 16 Andres Bordoy, 17 Pablo Henn, 18 Rodrigo Bruno, 19 Rodrigo Baez, 20 Tomas Cubelli, 21 Benjamin Urdapilleta, 22 Facundo Barrea.
France: 15 Brice Dulin, 14 Jean Marcellin Buttin, 13 Wesley Fofana, 12 Florian Fritz, 11 Yoann Huget , 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Morgan Parra , 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 5 Yoan Maestri, 4 Pascal Pape (c), 3 David Attoub, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Yvan Watremez.
Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Romain Taofifenua, 19 Alexandre Lapandry, 20 Maxime Machenaud, 21 Frederic Michalak, 22 Maxime Mermoz.
Venue: Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Christie du Preez (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Comments
chocol8thunda says...
Los Pumas are a good side. They deserve respect. Will they win any games in the 4N this year; doubt it. They will push teams and playing in Argentina is never easy. If the Argies could have all their players in the S15, the gap would be closed a lot quicker. The team they fielded in the Currie Cup cleaned up. As for foreigners in the T14, who cares? Shouldn't matter. The French teams can choose to pick local talent, they choose not to. So really, it's not the players, it's the clubs. Make a Euro league based on the NFL model and all would be good. In fact, it would help close the gap between the north and south.
Posted 01:11 20th June 2012
Dingbat32 says...
Saint_Andre91
Stupid drop goal attempts - that is all Beauxis can do, so obviously Toulouse go for them.
Generally the drop goals are due to the overseas players in 10 jersey. It is not really the French way of playing.
To start with I think the foreign influx helped improve France, certainly in terms of professionalism and fitness. Now I think it has swung the other way.
If France recognised their talent then there would be a regular "Top 4" in the World Rankings rather than "Top 3".
Posted 11:14 19th June 2012
Rosbif says...
@Dingbat32, Saint_Andre91 and bambo: I kind of agree with all of you!! I guess I feel a little schizophrenic. In negative moments I think the T14 is structurally flawed, FFR doesn't have enough control over players/academies/youth performance, RWC runners up was a statistical fluke that masks a longer term under-achievement problem, etc. Then my positive side persuades me that PSA has only just got started (the 6N was a more of a transitional period with older players), the French U20s have some great talent, the newcomers in the 1st team have made great contributions (maestri, fofana etc), T14 is full of ambitious/rich clubs able to attract top players, ie they will inevitably get themselves sorted in the end....
Who knows if PSA is the right man? I read an article suggesting the Toulon players all said they had learned more from Bernard Laporte is 3 training sessions than they had from PSA in 6 months........urrrrggggghhh....
Putting long-term issues to one side, for next week, I'd love to see:
Domingo, Tolofua, Guillamon, Maestri, Taofifenua, Lapandry, Lauret, Picamoles, Machenaud, Michalak, Fritz, Fofana, Dulin, Huget, Buttin
(but I wonder if the likes of samson, fall, martial, doumayrou, mermoz etc might be given a start - otherwise, seems a long way to have travelled for a few training sessions)
Posted 17:38 18th June 2012
Dingbat32 says...
France need to sack St Andre, appoint Nick Mallett, then trim their leagues of some overseas players. Then they can maybe realise their potential.
Posted 13:39 18th June 2012
Saint_Andre91 says...
@Bambo
The number of tries scored during this season's Top14 is down 15% from last year I believe (more or less 550 tries as opposed to 650).
And regardind the semis and final, even though the weather was not good, it's still a disgrace not a have a single try scored. Toulouse and Toulon had something like 42 jull internationals with over 1400 caps between them and not once did they complete more than three passes in a row. Neither team seemed interested in scoring tries, they spent 80mins looking for stupid drop goals opportunities (which they couldn't even convert). Very depressing from a supporter standpoint.
Posted 10:09 18th June 2012
FTM89 says...
@everybody
I realise my mistake as soon as I post the message...I just hoped your math and history was as bad as mine...It`s just strange that the wooden spoon off the six nations can beat the tri nations winners...
I do acknowledge the NH improving performance. Ireland almost beating NZ, Wales just missing victory again against AUS. And last but not least, the England showing great character in the 2nd half against SA. Its just seems that the French can`t shake their boogieman (Arg)...
Posted 01:38 18th June 2012
Rosbif says...
@safehands. I'll leave you to reply to the others on this thread, but ironically, last night, Fra lost the game in large part because of French flair. A kicker with better than 50% success rate, and not throwing crazy 20 metre passes when attacking from behind your own posts, and Fra would have won. But then again, where's the fun in that, eh?
As Buzz Lightyear might have said, there's a fine line between "flying" and "falling with style", but the first step is throwing yourself off the ledge mon ami :-)
Posted 20:09 17th June 2012
melkdave says...
Watched the game late last night ,and boy do the Pumas look good atm.Ok it was an experimental french side ,but also so where the pumas.Whos priority is preparing for the RC later this year.On present form ect ill have to say they ,will give the SH teams a scare ,and maybe even nick the odd win .As they are improving by leaps and bounds atm .Well done Pumas definatly proving their tier 1 status was not a gimme ,and deserve their place at the top table imo
Posted 15:51 17th June 2012
suilven says...
@FTM89 10 - 0 SH to NH??
I know Scotland only beat Fiji, and er, Australia, but I think that still counts as wins!
Posted 14:55 17th June 2012
Rosbif says...
@FTM89, a few Scotsmen might disagree with your stats hehehe :-)
Posted 14:05 17th June 2012
Bambo says...
PR - Regarding 'The current trend in French rugby to continually look for sucker-punch three-pointers instead to pushing for tries'. Is there any evidence that try scoring is down in comparison to previous seasons? I know the last rounds of T14 saw no tries scored but this seems to have been largely put down to the poor weather by most French posters (which appears valid) and is not spoken of as a trend. Which is it really? Are there stats that can be compared for a better picture?
Posted 13:41 17th June 2012
Bambo says...
I watched the game, unlike, I suspect, some comment makers and agree with the PR report. The French, with many new or relatively new players, looked 'dangerous'. They were looking much more inventive than of recent and were running the ball using the new, younger backs. They still relied too much on kicking for points though this could have paid off if 1. Para slotted more and 2. the Pumas hadn't scored both tries from French errors. Michalak is still perplexing but there is no doubt that he takes play forward and the French looked more dangerous with him on for TD.
safehands - I love your introduction of 2 standard French cliches in 1 post - 'flair' and 'arrogance' used to describe, correctly you believe for the latter but incorrectly for the former, an entire country and team. Please continue cliches but now for, hmmmm, Italians and, hmmmmm, the British. Hilarious and sad all at once.
Posted 13:34 17th June 2012
atg77 says...
I think Argentina are going to be really out of their depth in the Rugby championship. They might have a chance against Australia at home, but apart from that they'll be lucky to keep the scoreline below a 20 point margin, especially away.
Posted 13:06 17th June 2012
atg77 says...
@FTM89 excuse me but Scotland is in the northern hemisphere and have won their first two tests. Just a little bit of respect that we deserve thanks.
Posted 13:03 17th June 2012
lacroix says...
not sure how encouraging that is for the pumas. france gave the game away, outplaying argentina all over the field but making too many unforced errors and missing kicks.
had parra kicked his points i think we'd be asking whether argentina will really compete with SA, Aus and NZ (i suspect not)
france started with 5 nailed on first 15 picks, not half their stars, and importantly some youngsters had excellent games. better performance than most predicted.
Posted 12:39 17th June 2012
sigzegv says...
every south team won ( except against scotland ), but every one are playing home !
Posted 11:08 17th June 2012
J_HDK says...
The French just don't really care about non-competition matches. Look at the games that have an impact in a tournament. 6N or RWC they perfom amazingly. Tours.. they just aren't fussed and won't put their body on the line.
Posted 10:42 17th June 2012
Rosbif says...
@Ramage, @stumpy and @jonesy2. Totally agree! Not to labour the collective point... but players (even I have heard of) that are in Florida with Graham Henry getting prepared for RC are..... Creevy, Bustos, Figallo, Roncero, Scelzo, Albacete, Carizza, Vallejos, Galarza, Campos, Farias Cabello, Fessia, F-Lobbe, Leguizamon, Senatore, Vergallo, Lalanne, Sanchez, Hernandez, Bosch, Camacho, Borges, Amorosino, Gosio, Imhoff, Gurruchaga......
Ouch!
Posted 10:39 17th June 2012
Toulousain says...
@luisetxe... I was able to watch the game on an intermitant internet stream from my laptop here in France. annoyingly, the stream was lost on several occasions including when two of the tries were scored! c'est la vie..... the UAR team, which i guess was something between a Pampas/Jaguares level, was very impressive, as you said they would be. I agree with @donguiyo that Contepomi, although the only recognised player, was not really man of the match, although he had a very good influence on the youngsters. What a joy to see such a young, ambitious team playing for each other!! You must be proud.
For me, I was also proud of the French players. They were solid in the combat, and showed much more ambition in attack. The Dulin break leading to the Picamoles try was special. Also, they did not question too much the ref, although he seemed to be much too involved, and was always breaking the rhythmn for both teams who wanted to just play. I'm sure it was not easy for Clancy surrounded by 30 fiery Latins :-)
See you next Saturday. Allez les Bleus, and Vamos Pumas Carajo!!!
PS @safehands - where are you from? how old are you? do you play rugby? are you a qualified psychiatrist?
Posted 09:39 17th June 2012
gauca says...
Both Arg tries unlike has been suggested by another poster came from poor Fra decisions to pass out of tackles when we should have looke to recycle, TDucs in 1st half was forgivable being so early in the game. Ouedraogo's was not, attempting a miracle ball pass w/out looking in the opp 22 with 2:30mins to go when we should have gone through a few more phases cost us the game.
Arg never really threatened our line, so if we use our brains next week and don't implode after this I can see us picking up the honours next week.
Still, can never be bitter to see Arg win, always good to see them make waves at the international level, and great to see they have a new generation coming through of some quality players. A big worry for me was their admittance into the RC came after what I saw as their 'golden generation' had finally retired (Ledesma. Roncero, Sczello, F Lobbe's etc etc etc).
Safehands, erm ok....?
If you watched the game both sides played with passion, and Fra should have won but didn't, such is life.
Wherever you bitterness is from I wouldn't like to guess but all teams have dip's in form now and again and Fra is no exception. Often what you would see as 'don't give a damn' comes from litteral exhaustion of players who get little to no rest from playing 40 odd games per season, that is also why this touring squad omits alot of 1st choice names so they can have a rest.
Posted 09:31 17th June 2012