Sánchez drops in for Puma win
Argentina added another French scalp to their list, the Pumas winning 18-13 in dramatic fashion at the Stade de France, in Paris, on Saturday.
Flyhalf Nicolás Sánchez kicked two penalties and three drop-goals, with Juan Martín Hernández added a forth drop-goal, to secure the win.
France centre Wesley Fofana scored the only try of the match, in the 57th minute, as the French came back from 3-15 at half-time to close the gap to 13-15 going into the final quarter.
However, the Pumas held on in the face a fierce late charge by the French – who were awarded a string of late penalties in a game that ran more than three minutes into extra time.
In fact fullback Scott Spedding had found his way over the line in those dramatic closing stages, but the referee – on advice of the assistant on the touchline – ruled the ball was held up.
He then blew for full-time, to spark scenes of rapturous celebrations by the Argentineans.
Argentina produced a tactical masterclass to record their first win in France since the 2007 World Cup, and richly deserved.
The hosts may have come into the clash brimming with confidence following wins over Fiji (40-15) and Australia (29-26) but they were given a tactical lesson in the first half.
The Argentina flyhalf, Sanchez, and inside centre, Hernandez, dominated with precise kicking, while the tourists rumbled well with their forwards and broke quickly in the backs.
They needed only a minute to force the first penalty as France were penalised for holding on, and Sanchez kicked the first three points.
Right wing Juan Imhoff, who plays for Racing-Metro in Paris, almost scored a try on five minutes as Argentina exploited the space left by an injury to France right wing Yoann Huget, who was receiving on-field treatment, but Spedding got across to knock the Puma into touch just before he grounded the ball.
France flyhalf Camille Lopez missed a penalty attempt on 12 minutes and five minutes later, Sanchez landed a long-range drop-goal to stretch their lead to 6-0.
Argentina lost outside centre Marcelo Bosch and No.8 Leonardo Senatore to injury but they continued to control proceedings.
Lopez hit the post with his second penalty attempt, before Sanchez landed his third kick after a long range Imhoff counter.
Argentina then started to humiliate France with Hernandez and Sanchez in the space of two minutes each knocking over a drop-goal to open up a 15-0 lead – and this from a team soundly beaten 41-31 by Scotland two weeks ago.
Every time Argentina got in range of the French line, they were coming away with three points.
France were desperate and twice passed up penalty opportunities in preference of kicking to the corner.
But they wasted the first when captain Thierry Dusautoir knocked-on, while the second resulted in another penalty from a more kickable position, which Lopez opted to take and finally, on 37 minutes, he got France on the scoreboard.
But the hosts should have come away with a try on the stroke of half-time, only for Huget to greedily hold on following a mazy run instead of popping the ball to his support, who surely would have scored.
It was more of the same at the start of the second period as, although Sanchez missed a penalty, he knocked over his side's fourth drop-goal of the match on 46 minutes.
France coach Philippe Saint-Andre brought on South African-born scrumhalf Rory Kockott, who missed a penalty from halfway, but generally sped up the home side's play.
They were rewarded on 57 minutes after a long passage of possession as Wesley Fofana twisted over the line to score the only try of the game.
Lopez converted from wide right, but Kockott took over kicking duties on 64 minutes to land a penalty that brought the score back to 13-18.
The tide was turning but France failed to turn a late spell of pressure into a winning score.
Man of the match: Yoann Huget threatened to explode into action at times, Camille Lopez had his moments, Thierry Dusautoir was involved in everything and Pascal Pape provided the 'anger' in the French pack. Joaquín Tuculet was a rock at fullback, Marcelo Bosch a monster on defence, Juan Martín Hernández chipped in with a drop-goal and Agustín Creevy was truly captain courageous. However, Nicolás Sánchez gets the honours for his drop-kicking show that set up the win.
Moment of the match: Take your pick, anyone of the four drop-goals. However, we will award it to the first Nicolas Sánchez drop-goal, in the 17th minute – which set the tone for a famous win.
Villain of the match: Nobody. It was brutal, with some venomous shoving after the half-time hooter had already sounded. However, that was just passion and frustration boiling over. Not a single punch was thrown.
The scorers:
For France:
Try: Fofana
Con: Lopez
Pens: Lopez, Kockott
For Argentina:
Pens: Sanchez 2
DGs: Sanchez 3, Hernandez
Teams:
France: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Maxime Mermoz, 12 Wesley Fofana, 11 Maxime Medard, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde, 8 Damien Chouly, 7 Bernard Le Roux, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (captain), 5 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 4 Pascal Pape, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Benjamin Kayser, 1 Xavier Chiocci.
Replacements: 16 Guilhem Guirado, 17 Alexandre Menini, 18 Uini Atonio, 19 Yoann Maestri, 20 Charles Ollivon, 21 Rory Kockott, 22
Remi Tales, 23 Mathieu Bastareaud.
Argentina: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Juan Imhoff, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Manuel Montero, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Javier Ortega Desio, 6 Facundo Isa, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Matías Cortese, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Ramiro Herrera, 19 Lucas Ponce, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Lucas González Amorosino.
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Australia), Stuart Berry (South Africa)
TMO: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
