Scotland scored six tries to thrash Argentina 44-15 in Resistencia on Saturday, writes MARIETTE ADAMS.
While a Scottish backlash was to be expected following their humiliating 30-29 defeat against minnows the USA last week, this rout still came as a surprise. Scotland raced into the 20s points-wise inside the opening 13 minutes and ran in a fourth try by the 21st.
However, for all Scotland’s sustained brilliance, Argentina were equally appalling. Despite a multi-talented lineup, the hosts have been at a low ebb throughout the June Test window, suffering two defeats against Wales. Their defence was pierced at will by the Scots, while they were motionless in attack and second best at the set pieces. Their scrum, in particular, which is a traditional strength, was obliterated by Scotland’s pack.
In a blistering start that set the pace of the rest of the match, Scotland centre Pete Horne scored a fantastic try in the second minute of the game. The rain then poured down but that didn’t discourage or restrict Scotland as the tries continued to pour in.
Argentina’s defenders were chasing shadows as wing Blair Kinghorn and hooker Stuart McInally scored next. Nicolás Sánchez did get the hosts on the scoresheet with a penalty, but two more tries gave Scotland a comfortable 33-point lead at the interval.
Scotland lost a bit of their lethal edge in the second half and had a few lapses in concentration, allowing Argentina to score a pair of tries, but it didn’t make much of a difference to the result.
Tomas Lezana and Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias touched down for Los Pumas, while wing Dougie Fife dotted down in-between those two efforts following a ridiculously easy run-in; all before the 60th minute.
There was a lot of running in the final quarter, but the points dried up despite Argentina’s very late effort to employ their usual attacking game. In the end, even that approach didn’t have the desired outcome.
Argentina – Tries: Tomas Lezana, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias. Conversion: Nicolás Sánchez. Penalty: Sanchez.
Scotland – Tries: Pete Horne, Blair Kinghorn, Stuart McInally, Magnus Bradbury, George Horne, Dougie Fife. Conversions: Horne (4). Penalties: Horne (2).
Argentina – 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Sebastian Cancelliere, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Tomas Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 1 Javier Diaz.
Subs: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Tomas Lavanini, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Juan Cruz Mallia.
Scotland – 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Nick Grigg, 12 Pete Horne, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 George Horne, 8 David Denton, 7 Fraser Brown, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Simon Berghan, 2 Stuart McInally (c), 1 Allan Dell.
Subs: 16 George Turner, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Ben Toolis, 20 Jamie Ritchie, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 James Lang, 23 Chris Harris.
Photo: @Scotlandteam/Instagram
