Brilliant Argentina beat France again
Argentina have come of age at the World Cup
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Friday, 19, Oct 2007 10:45
Hosts France failed to claim third place in the World Cup as they were convincingly beaten 34-10 by Argentina at the Parc des Princes in Paris this evening.
In an open attacking game, both sides created numerous chances but it was the Argentinians who were clinical, scoring five tries, while the French only managed to score one.
Les Bleus came out with all guns blazing looking to avenge the defeat they suffered at the hands of the Pumas in the group stages. And it looked like their early pressure had paid off when David Marty crossed the try-line, only for the referee to disallow the try for Aurelien Rougerie's illegal line-out.
Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Felipe Contepomi kicked penalties for their respective sides to keep the sides level. But Argentina scored two tries in four minutes to open up a substantial lead.
First Contepomi went over after good work from the Argentinian backs and then Omar Hassan took advantage of a Juan Martin Hernandez drop-goal attempt which came off the post to score the second try. Contepomi kicked both conversions to give his side a 17-3 lead.
Argentina extended their lead ten minutes into the second-half when Ignacio Corleto brilliantly broke through the French defence and the Argentinians worked the ball to Federico Aramburu on the left flank and he scored the try.
The energetic Corleto then got his name on the score sheet as he got onto the end of a Horacio Agulla pass and ran 60 yards to the French try-line.
France scored a consolation try through full-back Clement Poitrenaud, but it was Argentina who had the last word as Felipe Contepomi went over to score his team's fifth try and cap off a memorable tournament for the Pumas.