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Youthful France punish listless Argentina in Mendoza
By Josh Raisey
A youthful France side came away from Mendoza with a 28-13 win over an uninspired Argentina side on Saturday in what was the Pumas’ first match under new coach Felipe Contepomi.
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After an initial exchange of long kicks in the first 20 minutes, the French opened the scoring with an Antoine Hastoy penalty. Santiago Carreras quickly equalised before French captain Baptiste Serin scored the first try five minutes before half-time. France extended their lead through debutant Antoine Frisch after the break and a stunning try by 19-year-old Théo Attissogbé despite being heavily marked.
Argentina never truly threatened the inexperienced French side, even with captain Julian Montoya’s try on the hour mark. Matias Orlando’s late effort only served as a consolation.
Fabien Galthié’s young squad, with just 92 caps in the starting XV, dominated all phases of the game. The experienced substitutions only bolstered their performance further.
Serin, the most capped player with 44 appearances, shone with his tactical kicking, including a pivotal chip-and-chase for his try.
In contrast, the Pumas, in their first match under new coach Contepomi, failed to deliver. Their traditionally strong maul was ineffective, and disciplinary issues in the scrum compounded their problems. Montoya’s try and Orlando’s late score were their only highlights.
This match exhibited the potential of France’s new faces. Lenni Nouchi, Frisch, and Attissogbé, among others, made significant contributions. Frisch not only scored but also made crucial defensive plays, while Attissogbé’s acrobatic try will be remembered.
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