Gregor Townsend: 'Now looking back, we’re very grateful for that defeat'

Gregor Townsend hailed Scotland for demonstrating their growth since November after they kicked off their Nations Championship with a scintillating 47-38 victory away to Argentina.

The Scots were heavily criticised after squandering a 21-0 lead in losing 33-24 at home to the Pumas last autumn.

But after an encouraging Six Nations earlier this year, which featured stirring victories over England and France, they continued their resurgence with another statement victory in Cordoba by running in seven tries against an Argentina side ranked two places above them.

“Now looking back, we’re very grateful for that defeat,” head coach Townsend said. “It was really painful at the time, to be in a winning position and then to disappoint your own crowd.

“But the week after I felt that we became a much better team, we had more honest conversations and then during the Six Nations we were more prepared for momentum swings in the game.

“Sometimes your biggest growth comes from adversity, from your most painful moments and I’ve seen that with the team. Today was another step forward, coming to Argentina, who were playing so much good rugby and winning away from home, but I know there’s a lot more to come from the team.

“We can put a lot back to those final 20 minutes at Murrayfield to see how much we’ve improved since then.”

Scotland’s tries were scored by seven different players, with Sione Tuipulotu, Pierre Schoeman, Rory Hutchinson, Gregor Brown, Scott Cummings, debutant Gregor Hiddleston and Kyle Rowe all crossing the line to put them 47-24 up before Argentina reduced their arrears to nine points with two scores in the closing minutes.

“I think there’s areas in the game where we need to improve,” he said. “But from a coaching perspective, if you get a win and you play well, and you’ve still got things you can improve, that’s the ideal scenario.

“We came here to a team ranked fifth in the world and scored seven tries. On paper, there’s not much concerning with that. Even one of their tries, the intent to play was there. That’s where we want our team to be. We didn’t sit back on a lead.

“I was so proud of some of the individual performances, but just the team too. We were tested today. Argentina dominated possession for the first 10 minutes.

“Then in the second half, they came right back into the game. We were able to change both scenarios around and really impose our game on them and get the points on the board.”

The only blemish for Townsend as his side flew to South Africa to prepare for Saturday’s showdown with the Springboks in Pretoria was a calf injury sustained early on by prop Elliot Millar Mills.

“I would reckon that that’s going to keep him out for the rest of the tour,” said the head coach.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t, but he seemed in a fair bit of pain after the game.”