Argentina restores wounded pride by beating France for the first time in 8 years

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina beat France 33-25 for the first time in eight years with a powerful pride-restoring performance in their second rugby test on Saturday.

A Pumas side stocked with Rugby World Cup players surprisingly lost to the third-string French last weekend in Mendoza. The French XV had less than 100 caps.

The Pumas were far more aggressive in Buenos Aires and the forwards were responsible for four of their five tries. They blew a 21-10 halftime lead and fell behind 25-21, but while France prop Georges-Henri Colombe was in the sin-bin, the pack engineered two tries finished by replacement prop Thomas Gallo.

France was consumed by controversy in the past week as two of its players were arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault and Melvyn Jaminet, a first test try-scorer, was sent home after making a racist comment on a social media video.

France’s tour continued under a dark cloud which it hoped to alleviate with a first series win in Argentina since 1998. It put itself in a winning position with its energetic start to the second half which saw tries to center Emilien Gailleton and winger Theo Attissogbe.

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But Argentina rallied to seize back the lead and give Felipe Contempomi his first win as head coach.

“We played better than last week. There were a lot of things to improve and I’m proud of the character we showed,” said Pumas captain Julian Montoya, who was forced from the field injured after 20 minutes.

France scored first from an Argentina knock-on on halfway. In the counterattack, Mickael Guillard broke and Attissogbe was in support to put in captain Baptiste Serin.

In the 17th minute, the Pumas won a penalty and pumped the ball into the right corner. After seven phases, prop Eduardo Bello drove the ball over to level.

Antoine Hastoy’s penalty nudged France ahead but Argentina claimed the lead for the first time after 30 minutes when it was awarded a penalty try from a pushover scrum. Loosehead prop Mayco Vivas popped France opposite Demba Bamba and the visitors’ scrum disintegrated.

Santiago Carreras’ own converted try, when the flyhalf barged through two defenders at the line, increased the Pumas’ lead to 21-10 at halftime.

France was re-energized in the second half and cut Argentina’s lead to a single point within six minutes.

Another Hastoy penalty was followed by Gailleton’s try from his own chargedown. Saturday was Gailleton’s 21st birthday.

Three minutes later, France reclaimed the lead when fullback Leo Barre’s grubber kick bounced kindly for Attisogbe to snatch and score his second try of the series. Hastoy missed the conversion after four successive goalkicks.

Argentina steeled itself, helped when Colombe received a yellow card for a high tackle.

Gallo scored the next two tries in similar circumstances: Lineout mauls and pick-and-goes that France couldn’t stop. Argentina earned a first home win in two years.

“For me,” Serin said, “it was very proud to prepare the last week and I’m very proud of the guys.”

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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby