| Scotland (19) 52 |
| Tries: Tuipulotu 2, Van der Merwe, Graham 3, Redpath, Hogg Con: Russell 6 |
| Argentina (15) 29 |
| Tries: De la Fuente, Alemanno, Boffelli, Ruiz Cons: Boffelli 3 Pen: Boffelli |
Scotland completed the autumn collection with victory over ill-disciplined Argentina, who added three second-half yellow playing cards to a first-half pink in a stormy contest at Murrayfield.
Fly-half Finn Russell, omitted from the squad initially, was instrumental in all eight Scotland tries, whereas house captain Jamie Ritchie and Sione Tuipulotu have been despatched to the bin.
Darcy Graham scored three, Tuipulotu acquired two, with Duhan van der Merwe, Cameron Redpath and Stuart Hogg additionally crossing the whitewash.
Van der Merwe and Graham scored within the quick aftermath of a reckless pink card for Marcos Kremer however Scotland led by simply 19-15 at midway.
Two fast Argentine yellow playing cards for Matias Alemanno and Tomas Lavanini adopted Graham’s second rating, with Tuipulotu, who crossed for the primary Scotland attempt, including the fifth towards 12 males.
Extremely, Emiliano Boffelli had raced away to plunge beneath the posts throughout the identical chaotic interval, whereas Jeronimo de la Fuente and Alemanno struck for the guests earlier than the interval and Ignacio Ruiz had the ultimate say, seven minutes into the pink.
It was a day of six playing cards, a dozen tries and a badly-needed and ultimately spectacular victory for Scotland who now end their troublesome 2022 on a constructive notice and with some momentum to kick into 2023 with.
They’ll thank Russell for it. As sensible as Graham was – and he was gloriously world class – it was Russell who tied all of it collectively.
He was immense, a continuing supply of sophistication and creativity, a participant who embellished the Take a look at with one flourish after one other and one game-winning second after one other. Just a few weeks again he was, laughably, fourth alternative 10 for Scotland. Fortunately, the weirdness in choice has handed and Russell is again the place he belongs.
Boffelli, the Edinburgh man taking part in his twelfth Take a look at in 5 months, put the Pumas forward with an early penalty however Russell took over quickly after. His offload to Tuipolotu was luxurious. The centre stepped Juan Cruz Mallia after which powered away to attain whereas dragging half of Argentina with him.
Russell’s conversion made it 7-3, however the fly-half was within the thick of it once more inside minutes when spilling ball as he tried to clear from his personal 22. The Pumas seized on it, noticed a slim defence in entrance of them and acquired De la Fuente over within the nook. For a change, Boffelli missed the conversion.
The pivotal second got here after 23 minutes when Kremer caught Ritchie on the pinnacle with a forearm at a ruck and referee Karl Dickson appropriately despatched him off. Scotland solely took a minute to rub salt within the wound.
Once more it was Russell on the coronary heart of it, stepping right into a half hole close to the Argentina line earlier than popping it to Van der Merwe, who muscled his means over to floor it beneath stress. The conversion made it 14-8.
When Graham scored simply earlier than the half-hour a cakewalk regarded on the playing cards. The architect was Russell, who went by a spot to place the Pumas on the again foot. Grant Gilchrist piled on in assist and when Scotland went vast they scored. They made a little bit of a meal of it. Chris Harris went for the road with males working free exterior him however he was halted. Within the subsequent wave, Graham bailed him out. The little winger has had a terrific autumn.
That made it 19-8 however the half ended unusually. Firmly in management, Scotland instantly become a penalty machine and allowed the Pumas to hit again, the hulking Alemanno scoring and Boffelli narrowing the hole to 4. Scotland have made an artwork type out of blowing good-looking leads in video games this season so Murrayfield was nonetheless respiratory a contact closely.
That was the best way of it for some time. One other scrumptious Russell break and offload out the facet door put Hogg away, who in flip, despatched Graham away for his second attempt of the day. Scotland led by 9.
Subsequent, some craziness descended on Murrayfield. Alemanno was binned for a head shot on Jonny Grey on 50 minutes and his second-row accomplice, Tomas Lavanani walked for cynical play on 51 minutes. Argentina have been right down to 12, then broke freed from their very own 22 when Jack Dempsey fumbled whereas in a flap and scored. Matias Orlando scooped up the unfastened ball and galloped away, linking with Boffelli in assist. The wing went over beneath the sticks, then added the extras. The 12 males trailed by two factors. Crackers.
Scotland’s blushes eased a little bit when Hogg put Tuipolotu over within the nook for his second attempt of the Take a look at. Russell made it 31-22 with the boot. That interval when 15 performed 12 ended 7-7.
Earlier than we knew it the playing cards have been out once more. A melee on the touchline involving each man on the sector bar the budding UN peacekeeper Pierre Schoeman ended with Ritchie turning into Scotland’s first man within the bin and Thomas Gallo the Pumas’ third. It was 14 versus 13 now.
The entire thing was a large number. Fractious and fractured, a stop-start affair that Scotland dominated however struggled to reap the benefits of till Russell – who else – grubbered exactly for Redpath to run on and rating his first worldwide attempt. He added the conversion and the lead prolonged to sixteen factors.
They motored on from there. Hogg scored six minutes from the top and the fantastic Graham accomplished his hat-trick.
The extras introduced it to 52-22, the Pumas including one other attempt on the finish by Ruiz. Scotland have been right down to 14 on the time, Tuipolotu being the final man to see yellow on day of yellow and pink, however above all a day when Russell and Graham shone brightly.
Line-ups
Scotland: Hogg; Graham, Harris, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, Value; Schoeman, Brown, Z Fagerson, Grey, Gilchrist, M Fagerson, Ritchie (capt), Dempsey.
Replacements: Turner, Bhatti, Walker, Younger, Christie, White, Kinghorn, Redpath.
Argentina: Mallia; Delguy, Orlando, De la Fuente, Boffelli; S Carreras, Bertranou; Gallo, Montoya (capt), Bello, Alemanno, Lavanini, Gonzalez, Kremer, Matera.
Replacements: Ruiz, Tetaz Champarro, Medrano, Paulos, Isa, Bazan Velez, Sanchez, Moroni.
