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French end Pumas jinx
25/11/2006 20:42 - (SA)
Paris - France ended their dismal autumn test series on a high note on Saturday beating Argentina 27-26 and ending a four match losing streak to the Pumas.
Two tries to veteran winger Christophe Dominici - justifying coach Bernard Laporte's faith in recalling him - and one to Florian Fritz gave the hosts a comfortable advantage.
However two second-half tries by No 8 Gonzalo Longo and fullback Juan Martin Hernandez gave the French some nervy moments at the end.
Argentina looked very comfortable in the early stages and they duly took the lead through a Federico Todeschini penalty in the ninth minute.
Dominici had opened his account in the 16th minute as he took an excellent inside pass from Damien Traille - looking more comfortable in his role as fly-half than in the previous two tests - and easily ran in the try from 25m out.
Todeschini forced off through injury
Dimitri Yachvili converted but the Pumas reduced the deficit to a point when Todeschini knocked over a penalty in the 20th minute - but it was simply plugging a hole in an ever widening gap between the two sides.
Argentina's confidence took a further knock in the 24th minute as Todeschini was forced off through injury.
The hosts deservedly extended their lead through a penalty by the metronomic Yachvili a minute later and then the scrum-half created their second try in excellent fashion selling a dummy pass to the Argentine fullback and then did pass to Fritz who forced his way over the line.
The visitors stayed just about in touch going into half-time as Todeschini's replacement as kicker Felipe Contepomi landed a penalty.
However France quickly restored their points advantage early in the second-half as Dominici scored his second try bursting into the centre of the line again and fooling the Argentine defence - his try had Laporte jumping out of his seat.
Yachvili then landed another penalty giving the French a seemingly insurmountable lead.
The Argentines, though, are never down and out and they responded with typical character scoring two tries of their own, the first a rampaging run off a maul by Longo which Contepomi converted.
The French still thought they were in a cruise for the victory but they were given a rude awakening seven minutes from the end as Hernandez pounced on a delightful kickthrough by Contepomi and easily outwitted the fragile home defence - Contepomi converted to put the Pumas within a point of the French.
It was Contepomi who came closest to lording it over the French as his attempted drop kick looked goalbound but veteran flanker Serge Betsen got a hand to it blocking it.
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