Youthful France punish listless Argentina in Mendoza
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.
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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Don't think you've watched enough. I'll take him over anything I's seen so far. But let's see how the future pans out. I'm quietly confident we have a row of 10's lined uo who would each start in many really good teams.
Go to commentsHopefully Joe stays where he is. That would mean Les, McKellar, larkham and Cron should as well. It’s the stability we need in the state programs. But, if Joe goes, RA with its current financial situation will be forced into promoting from within. And this will likely destabilise other areas.
To better understand some of the entrenched bitterness of those outside of NZ and NSW (as an example 😂), Nic, there is probably a comparison to the old hard heads of welsh rugby who are still stuck in the 1970s. Before the days where clubs merged, professionalism started, and the many sharp knives were put into the backs of those who loved the game more than everyone else. I’m sure you know a few... But given your comparison of rugby in both wales and Australia, there are a few north of the tweed that will never trust a kiwi or NSWelshman because of historical events and issues over the history of the game. It is what it is. For some, time does not heal all wounds. And it is still festering away in some people. Happy holidays to you. All the best in 2025.
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