Scotland run riot to set record against 14-man Argentina
Darcy Graham scored a hat-trick of tries as Scotland capitalised on Argentina’s indiscipline to round off their autumn series with a 52-29 victory at BT Murrayfield.
The Pumas had Marcos Kremer red-carded in the first half and then received three yellow cards after the break, leaving them with 12 men at one point, while Scotland also had two players sin-binned in the closing quarter.
Despite having at least a one-man advantage for almost three-quarters of the match, it was only in the closing stages that Scotland – inspired by the outstanding Finn Russell – were able to pull away and put the outcome beyond doubt.
The hosts got off to a bad start when they conceded a penalty within 20 seconds, after Jonny Gray entered the first ruck of the match illegally. Edinburgh wing Emiliano Boffelli duly put the first points on the board for Argentina when he sent his kick between the posts.
Scotland responded with a brilliant try in the 11th minute, when Sione Tuipulotu received a perfectly-timed offload from Russell and darted his way beyond a cluster of Pumas to score. Russell converted.
The home support were silenced five minutes later, however, when Jeronimo De La Fuente bounded over on the left despite the close attentions of Ali Price. Boffelli was wide with his conversion attempt.
Argentina’s hopes of a result were dealt a major blow in the 23rd minute when they were reduced to 14 men after back-rower Kremer was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle on Jamie Ritchie following a TMO review.
Scotland made the extra man count almost immediately as Russell offloaded to Duhan Van Der Merwe just in front of the line and the wing juggled the ball between his hands before forcing it down in the 25th minute. Russell was successful with the conversion.
Just three minutes later, the Scots scored again when Graham bolted his way over on the right after an excellent flowing move, with Russell the architect in chief – but this time Russell’s kick was inaccurate.
Argentina refused to capitulate and in the last action of the half, Matias Alemanno barged his way over to score following a sustained period of pressure in front of the Scottish line. Boffelli converted to ensure the Scots went in only 19-15 ahead at the interval.
Scotland reasserted their authority just a minute into the second half, however, when Graham was released on the right following good play by Russell and Stuart Hogg. Russell hooked his kick wide of the posts.
Gregor Townsend’s side – at this point leading 24-15 – were presented with a great opportunity to turn the screw on their opponents going into the closing half-hour when the Pumas were temporarily reduced to 12 men after Alemanno and Tomas Lavanini were both sent to the sin-bin within a minute of each other.
Incredibly, despite having three men less than their hosts, Argentina scored a breakaway try when Boffelli raced beneath the posts in the 52nd minute and added the extras himself.
Three minutes later, Tuipulotu went over on the right for his second try of the afternoon, with Russell kicking the conversion.
Almost as soon as Argentina had welcomed their two players back from the sin-bin, a mass brawl erupted just after the hour mark which resulted in Scotland captain Ritchie and Pumas prop Thomas Gallo being yellow-carded.
The Scots eventually started to pull away from their bedraggled visitors in the closing 11 minutes when Cam Redpath, Hogg and Graham all helped themselves to tries, with Russell converting all three.
Tuipulotu was sin-binned right at the death, before Argentina replacement Ignacio Ruiz scored a try – converted by Nicolas Sanchez – in the last action of an eventful match featuring 12 tries and six cards.
Comments on RugbyPass
This sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
12 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
12 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
12 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
12 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
12 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
12 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to comments