French Baa-baas respond in Resistencia

The French Barbarians exacted revenge over Argentina for last week's narrow defeat by claiming a scrappy 21-18 win in Resistencia.

The French Barbarians got revenge over Argentina for last week's narrow loss by inflicting one of their own on Saturday, a 21-18 win in Resistencia.

It was not a pretty spectacle by any stretch of the imagination as cool kicking from Romain Teulet, coupled by two well-taken tries from Benjamin Lapeyre, succeeded in defeating the hosts.

One positive that los Pumas head coach Santiago Phelan can take from their home defeat was the faultless kicking display from fly-half Nicolas Sanchez, who had earned a start in the absence of experienced playmaker Felipe Contepomi.

And he got his side's first points of the game by levelling the arrears following Castres full-back Teulet's opener early in the game. But then a slick move allowed Toulon finisher Lapeyre to record the first of his two scores, with the extras from the man affectionately known as 'Robocop' moving the visitors out to a 10-3 lead.

Sanchez then began to show his kicking quality by sending over another three penalty shots that put his team 10-12 to the good at the half-time interval.

Upon their return, Teulet and Sanchez soon traded penalties before Lapeyre struck again wide on the left. However, the conversion was missed to leave the visitors just 18-15 up.

Another three points were then subsequently exchanged by the pair but when replacement Marcelo Bosch missed with a chance to level from distance, the feeling was that the French Barbarians would hold on. That they did which cued the celebrations of the whole squad.

The scorers:

For Argentina:
Pen: Sanchez 6

For French Barbarians:
Tries: Lapeyre 2
Con: Teulet
Pen: Teulet 3