Argentina fume over disallowed try

Argentina were left frustrated by a disallowed try which they believe could have change the course of their Rugby Championship Test, won by the All Blacks 28-9 on Saturday.

Although the All Blacks were never headed and scored four tries to nil, Argentina felt harshly treated when a crucial call by referee Pascal Gauzere went against them.

Nearing the threequarter stage in the match, and with the All Blacks ahead 18-6, Leonardo Senatore charged down a Ma'a Nonu clearing kick, regathered the ball and ran over the line.

But Gauzere ruled he knocked the ball on, although replays proved otherwise, leaving Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade to wonder what might have been.

Had the try been awarded and converted "there would have been five points difference and anything could have happened", he said.

Captain Agustín Creevy, asked if the disallowed try changed the outcome of the game, said "yes", before diplomatically adding: "There are things that happen in a game, unfortunately."

But Creevy said his side were also guilty of not taking advantage of potential try-scoring situations "and that was the difference".

Argentina are yet to win a match in the Rugby Championship after 15 attempts since joining the southern hemisphere competition in 2012.

However, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen believes their breakthrough victory will not be long coming.

"You saw a very good Argentina side. They not far away from getting over the hump and actually beating teams," he said.

"They're very, very physical up front and they've got some tidy backs and it took a very good defensive effort throughout the game to keep them tryless."

Source: AFP