Argentina vs. France: Score, Reaction from 2016 International Test Match
France tied up their two-match Test series against Argentina on Saturday, beating Los Pumas 27-0 in a dominant performance.
Hugo Bonneval broke the match open with a try just before half-time, and Remi Lamerat and Loann Goujon added scores after the break. Baptiste Serin was perfect with his conversions and added two penalties as well. Argentina never threatened Les Bleus, as their usual, fluent passing movements didn't come to fruition in difficult weather conditions.
France came into this match looking for revenge after their loss in the first test, and the visitors changed their approach compared to the previous match, placing more of an emphasis on the kicking game and slowing down Argentina's passing.
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The tactic worked to perfection―early on, the Pumas found little success whenever they ventured close to France's 22, and the threat of the counter attack was ever present.
Serin missed an early chance to put his team ahead with a long penalty, firing his effort wide, but the team kept forcing errors from the hosts, and it quickly became clear there would be more chances. Les Bleus dominated at the scrum in particular, a stark contrast compared to the first test.
Gael Fickou missed another penalty after 10 minutes, won after a good lineout, before a wild scrum led to some handbags in the centre of the pitch.
A prolonged spell of Argentinian pressure had the French defence on its heels, but Les Bleus stood their ground, and Serin opened the score with a penalty shortly after, as Tomas Lavanini was penalised for offside.
Paul Tait of Americas Rugby News liked what he saw from the visitors:
More kicking and a superb recovery at the breakdown from Los Pumas saw the pace of the match increase significantly, but the hosts refused to take too many risks, eyeing the tactical battle and looking to match France's set-piece play.
Les Bleus won a lineout against throw in promising position, however, and a fantastic move at pace saw them score the first try just before half-time. Serin fired a superb pass into the path of Bonneval, who made no mistakes in scoring the try. Serin added the conversion as well, and the score was 10-0 at the break.
Per Tait, the rough playing conditions had Argentina looking for answers in the first half:
It took Les Bleus just four minutes to add to their lead in the second half, as Los Pumas were blown up in the scrum, and Serin kicked the penalty from close range.
Argentina now pushed forward and found touch just ahead of the 22 metre line, but in their attempt to get on the board, they forgot to cover their rear. Les Bleus spotted the mistake and sent a huge kick down the pitch, with Bonneval giving chase, and the visitors eventually earned the scrum on the five-metre line.
Lamerat eventually punched the ball over the try line after a wonderful pass from Francois Trinh-Duc, and with the added conversion, the score was 18-0, and France appeared to be on their way to the win.
The score seemed to kill any hope Argentina had of winning, and the floodgates opened. Lamerat kept doing damage with some excellent footwork, and after yet another good scrum, a quick restart saw Goujon cross the try line once more.
Things got even worse for the hosts with 18 minutes left to play, as Lavanini was handed a yellow card for dangerous play. France decided to take their foot off the gas slightly from that point forward, playing out the match in simple fashion.
Argentina made a few late pushes in search of a consolation score and forced a handful of penalties, but none of those were within range.
It's a much-needed win for Les Bleus, who were looking for some positives after their dreadful Six Nations campaign and the loss in the first Test. France have struggled in recent years, but a good win over an emerging squad like Argentina may just be what the doctor ordered.
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