First-half blitz sees Les Bleus past Los Pumas

MATCH REPORT: France completed their November campaign unbeaten – securing a sweep with a 37-23 win over Argentina at Stade de France in Paris on Friday.

The French beat Japan, New Zealand and Argentina.

A 17-point blitz late in the first half decided the outcome.

With the French leading by just four points (13-9) on the half-hour mark, the visitors had hopes of an upset.

However, in the next 10 minutes, the game changed dramatically.

Two tries, one a penalty try and a yellow card, as well as a penalty, saw the French race into a 21-point (30-9) lead at the half-time break.

Despite a gritty second-half performance – in which Los Pumas outscored Les Bleus 14-7, it was just too much of a gap to close.

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Les Bleus claimed four tries including a superb solo effort from in-form wing Louis Bielle-Biarrey.

Los Pumas had two players shown yellow cards in the first half, Julian Montoya and Juan Martin Gonzalez, which led to the hosts leading 30-9 at the break.

France coach Fabien Galthie made four changes from last Saturday’s nerve-wracking one-point win over New Zealand as Charles Ollivon came in for the dropped Gregory Alldritt at No.8.

Argentina boss Felipe Contepomi switched his scrumhalf giving Gonzalo Garcia a start instead of Gonzalo Bertranou after last Friday’s loss to Ireland.

Against the All Blacks, Les Bleus lost prop Tevita Tatafu to an early injury and loosehead Jean-Baptiste Gros suffered a similar fate after four minutes on Friday with a leg problem.

Gros’s injury was caused by Argentina captain Montoya’s dangerous clean at a ruck and the hooker was shown a yellow card.

Galthie’s side made the extra man count to open the scoring as Antoine Dupont fed lock Thibaud Flament to crash over from short range after a powerful rolling maul.

Thomas Ramos slotted the easy conversion to make it 7-0 after 11 minutes.

By the half-hour mark, the hosts led 13-9 as Ramos traded penalty goals with Pumas flyhalf Tomas Albornoz.

France stretched their advantage to 20-9 as wing Gabin Villiere dived over following some dominant forward carries.

Lightning Bielle-Biarrey

Ramos added the conversion to overtake Dimitri Yachvili in third place on France’s scoring charts.

Things worsened for Contepomi’s outfit as they conceded a penalty try with four minutes of the first half to play and had a second player sent to the bin.

Flank Gonzalez was shown a yellow card for palming a loose ball into touch after Dupont and Ramos showed their class with delicate chip kicks.

France went into the break 30-9 ahead as Ramos slotted his third penalty of the game.

Just after the interval, Galthie brought 20-year-old back row Marko Gazzotti on for his debut.

The flank’s main intervention was to scramble onto a loose ball three metres from his own line before Les Bleus cleared with Argentina working their way back into the contest.

With 24 minutes to play they were rewarded as prop Thomas Gallo benefited from a rolling maul and Albornoz brought the score to 30-16.

The Pumas’ comeback hopes were shortlived as Bielle-Biarrey scored his fourth try in three games, showing lightning speed to gather his grubber kick.

Ramos converted to make it 37-16 leaving the South Americans, fourth at last year’s World Cup, with a mountain to climb in the final quarter.

The deficit was cut once again as Perpignan hooker Ignacio Ruiz, one of 10 French-based players in Argentina’s matchday squad, barreled over.

Albornoz took the score to 37-23 with his two-pointer with nine minutes to play but it wasn’t enough to claim a first win over France in Paris since 2014.

The scorers

For France
Tries: Flament, Villiere, Penalty try, Bielle-Biarrey
Cons: Ramos 3, penalty try does not require a conversion
Pens: Ramos 3

For Argentina
Tries: Gallo, Ruiz
Cons: Albornoz 2
Pens: Albornoz 3

Yellow cards: Julian Montoya (Argentina, 3 – foul play, croc roll), Bautista Delguy (Argentina, 35 – cynical foul, deliberately slapping the ball away)

Teams:

France: 15 Leo Barre, 14 Gabin Villiere, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Yoram Moefana, 11 Louis Bielle-Biarrey, 10 Thomas Ramos, 9 Antoine Dupont (captain), 8 Charles Ollivon, 7 Paul Boudehent, 6 Francois Cros, 5 Emmanuel Meafou, 4 Thibaud Flament, 3 Uini Atonio, 2 Peato Mauvaka, 1 Jean-Baptiste Gros.
Replacements: 16 Julien Marchand, 17 Reda Wardi, 18 Georges-Henri Colombe, 19 Mickael Guillard, 20 Alexandre Roumat, 21 Marko Gazzotti, 22 Nolann Le Garrec, 23 Emilien Gailleton.

Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Matias Moroni, 11 Bautista Delguy, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Francisco Gomez Kodela, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Marcos Kremer, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Mateo Carreras.

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant referees: Andrea Piardi (Italy), Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)