Pumas pounce on brave Scots
A late try clinched a dramatic 13-12 victory for Argentina in their crucial World Cup Pool B clash with a determined Scottish team in wet conditions in Wellington on Sunday.
What a thriller! Only one try but all that went before it in wet and windy Wellington was worth it for those last 16 minutes. Isn't the variety of rugby's possibilities wonderful. A ten-try match in the sunshine can be so enjoyable and so can a one-try match in ghastly conditions like this one. In the end the one-try team won, which seems fair, but they had to bleed for the moment of genius that won it.
When Marcelo Bosch kicked out and the final whistle went, there was an emotional gulf between the two teams - the exuberant glee of the Pumas as they danced around hugging, kissing and waving and the deep disappointment of the Scots as they sank down in near despair.
One thing was certain - both teams had given their all.
In those last 16 minutes the score went from 6-6 to 12-6 to 13-12 and still it was not the end as Scotland laid siege to the Argentinian line and a drop-goal attempt went just awry. In the second half, with the wind and the rain in their faces, the Pumas outscored the Scots 10-6.
There was so much courage by both sides and so much pain. Felipe Contepomi, playing inside centre, ignored his damaged ribs as he took and made tackles. Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe tried to soldier on with a sore knee. Juan Manuel Leguizamón did soldier on with a sore ankle. Rodrigo Roncero was forced out of the contest when a scrum collapsed - penalised and injured. Brave Kelly Brown was helped off on wobbly legs and Richie Gray, injured leg, was also off. And there was old man Mario Ledesma battling to the sweet end. That was apart form all the buffets all the other players received.
Into the wind in the first half, the Scots ran the ball, often effectively, especially the elusive Max Evans and the more direct Sean Lamont. But much of the half belonged to the wind-assisted Pumas. Scotland had control of the second half and the Pumas were mainly defensive, battling to against the Scots and the elements till that spark of glory eight minutes from the end.
The southerly blew and the rain came and the Scots were first to attack, but that resolute 'no passeron' defence of the Pumas kept them out. Fullback Martín Rodríguez missed a simple drop from slap in front with time to do it.
Flyhalf Santiago Fernández chipped and collected, and then the Pumas scored. Prop Geoff Cross was penalised at a tackle and Contepomi, who had missed one, goaled. 3-0 after 18 minutes.
There was a lot of spectator support for both sides. This was gaily obvious in the colourful garb and flags but also sadly obvious when the kickers of both sides were booed.
In what was clearly an accident Fernández Lobbe twisted his knee and was in agony, attended to while battle raged around him but he went on for nine minutes, to be replaced by Genaro Fessia. It was tough for the Pumas to lose their most influential forward.
A scrum collapsed and Rodrigo Roncero was penalised. Roncero was hurt and replaced by Martín Scelzo but Chris Paterson goaled the penalty. 3-3 after 35 minutes. Bosch and Patricio Albacete were penalised at a tackle and Ruaridh Jackson just got the ball over the crossbar from a long way out. That gave the Scots a 6-3 lead at half-time, with the prospect of rain and a freshening southerly at their second-half service. The wind announced its presence when Rodríguez dropped and the ball went only half way into the 22.
Evans chipped and gathered and captain Rory Lawson got within five metres but the Pumas won a vital turnover.
At this stage Leguizamón was limping, and there were still 33 minutes to play. Then Nathan Hines replaced Gray.
Sean Lamont had a break, Paterson missed with a straightforward drop and then Contepomi, into the wind, goaled a penalty when Cross was penalised at a scrum. 6-6 after 63 minutes.
The tension was mounting. All the possibilities in the match and in the rest of the tournament were obvious and whirling about with increasing delirium.
Just after Contepomi's penalty, only a minute after it, Jackson dropped a goal. 9-6.
The Pumas went on pick-'n-drive and John Barclay was penalised at a tackle straight in front of his posts, but Contepomi missed.
Dan Parks replaced Jackson and a brilliant penalty by him gave the Scots a five-metre line-out. From the ensuing bashing, Parks dropped a goal. 12-6 with just 9 minutes to play.
Vitally, crucially, the Scots lost the kick-off. The referee played advantage and Contepomi went right and there, out on the wing, was replacement fullback Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, just in from touch. Fractionally in from touch, the long striding speedster beat Paterson on the outside. Then he cut inside Mike Blair and then inside Jim Hamilton and then he scored, nearer touch than the posts. 12-11 with the conversion to come.
Contepomi who had a 50% record on the day and had missed a penalty from in front steeled himself and kicked the conversion. 13-12 with 8 minutes to play.
The tension was at breaking point, and it got worse.
Gonzalo Camacho was penalised for sealing off. What he did happened several times in the game without punishment but this time it was a penalty and again Parks magnificently kicked out for was a line-out five metres from the Argentinian line. It seemed the perfect recipe for what had happened before but this time as Parks prepared to drop Contepomi raced at him. Parks was forced to use his left foot instead and was well wide.
There were still three seconds to play and Contepomi dropped out far into Scottish territory. Time was up but the Scots went through phase after phase without making progress against the Pumas who defended imaginary lines in the Scottish half as if they were on their goalline till they won a turnover and Bosch kicked the ball into glee.
Man of the Match: Felipe Contepomi for bravery, skill and that deciding conversion.
Moment of the Match: Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino's try - a brilliant try in any match, worth gold in this match.
Villain of the Match: Nobody but somebody should discourage Jim Hamilton from the mocking patting of penalised opponents. After all bad sportsmanship is a part of foul play.
The scorers:
For Argentina:
Try: Amorosino
Con: Contepomi
Pens: Contepomi 2
For Scotland:
Pens: Paterson, Jackson
DG: Jackson, Parks
The teams:
Argentina: 15 Martin Rodriguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Felipe Contepomi (captain), 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Santiago Fernandez, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Martin Scelzo, 18 Mariano Galarza, 19 Genaro Fessia, 20 Alfredo Lalanne, 21 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 22 Juan Jose Imhoff.
Scotland: 15 Chris Paterson, 14 Max Evans, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Graeme Morrison, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Rory Lawson (captain), 8 Kelly Brown, 7 John Barclay, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Geoff Cross, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Nathan Hines, 19 Richie Vernon, 20 Mike Blair, 21 Dan Parks, 22 Simon Danielli.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)