Scotland capitulate as Argentina inflict second autumn loss

Scotland (14) 24

Tries: Dempsey, Ashman 2 Cons: Russell 3 Pens: Russell

Argentina (0) 33

Tries: Montoya, Isgro, Rubiolo, Matera, Piccardo Cons: S Carreras

Scotland suffered a calamitous second-half collapse against Argentina, falling to two consecutive Autumn Nations losses that ask serious questions of Gregor Townsend’s side.

In stark contrast to the narrow loss to New Zealand last week, Scotland enjoyed a strong first half and went 21-0 up early in the second, before being dragged into a dogfight by Los Pumas.

Four tries in 18 second-half minutes turned the game on its head, and with Scotland toiling to get out of their own half, Argentina pilfered the ball to score a fifth and put the game beyond doubt, winning in Edinburgh for the first time since 2009.

Tries from Jack Dempsey and Ewan Ashman had Scotland well ahead, while defensively they managed to keep out the visitors, who missed two penalties from the tee.

But the second half was a different story. Although Ashman scored a second, scores from Julian Montoya, Rodrigo Isgro and Pedro Rubiolo put Argentina right back in it.

Scotland had no response, going backwards at a rate of knots through a series of poor decisions and ill-disciplined defensive sets, before Pablo Matera’s try put Argentina ahead for the first time in the match in the 75th minute.

With almost the last play, they added some gloss to the scoreline through Justo Piccardo’s late try in the corner.

The scars of last weekend’s loss to New Zealand seemed to have healed in the first 40 minutes at Murrayfield. Although there were a few opportunities passed up, when Dempsey cantered over from outside the 22m to score untouched, it was deserved.

Ashman’s first was also well worked, as the hooker flew on to a flat pass from Jamie Dobie to crash over from a few yards out.

Argentina enjoyed possession, but they struggled to pierce Scotland’s line and new defence coach Lee Radford must have been delighted with the half-time score of 14-0, even if Juan Cruz Mallia had missed two penalties.

The opening stages of the second half were still going Scotland’s way, and Ashman set up his second with another brilliant crash run. Again, he was the flat option from the breakdown, and he ran over the top of an Argentine defender to dot down.

With the score at 21-0, Scotland simply stopped, while Argentina started to crank through the gears.

A long, loopy pass from Finn Russell was intercepted in the Argentine 22m and the Pumas raced up the field, only held up by illegal Scotland defence that saw Blair Kinghorn carded.

Montoya burrowed over moments later, before a breakaway up the right allowed Isgro to run straight at Russell, bumping the fly-half backwards, and he went over the line.

Scotland’s talisman seemed to stop the bleeding with a penalty from the tee, but the wind was soon back in the Argentine sails as Rubiolo went over under the posts.

With five points in it, into the final 10 minutes, Scotland were camped back on their own 22m. Nothing was working, the defence was creaking, and the next score felt inevitable.

Matera, a former captain with over 100 caps to his name, was brought off the bench and he used his power to find the score, under the posts again. This time there was a long look at it, but few could argue the ball wasn’t grounded.

Shell-shocked and bereft of the confidence they exuded in the first half, Scotland chucked the ball away in their own 22m and Piccardo added the fifth.

Scotland: Kinghorn, Graham, Hutchinson, Tuipulotu, Steyn, Russell, Dobie; Schoeman, Ashman, Rae, Gilchrist, Cummings, Brown, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Turner, McBeth, Millar Mills, Bayliss, M. Fagerson, Horne, Jordan, Van der Merwe.

Argentina: Cruz Mallia, Isgro, Moroni, Chocobares, M Carreras, Prisciantelli, Benitez Cruz; Vivas, Montoya (capt), Delgado, Petti, Rubiolo, S Grondona, Martin Gonzalez, Oviedo.

Replacements: Ruiz, Gallo, Coria Marchetti, Elias, Matera, Moyano, S Carreras, Piccardo.