ARG 59-5 CHI: Argentina closing in on last-eight place
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Argentina boosted their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages with a bonus-point Pool D win over Chile in Nantes – the first match between two South American nations at a Rugby World Cup.
Fly-half Nicolas Sanchez marked his 100th cap with the opening try, bamboozling the Chile defence with two dummies, before flanker Juan Martín González and veteran hooker Agustín Creevy – in his record-equalling 18th RWC match for Los Pumas - finished off two lineout mauls to extend the lead.
A yellow card for wing Rodrigo Isgro briefly halted Argentina’s momentum but Martin Bogado’s scything finish on the resumption sealed the bonus point and after Chile hooker Augusto Bohme had a try ruled out for a forward pass, Los Pumas added further scores via Isgro and González.
Sanchez’s fifth successful conversion saw him overtake Gonzalo Quesada as Argentina’s all-time leading RWC points-scorer, the fly-half finishing with a 20-point haul. Replacement hooker Tomas Dussaillant crashed over for Chile, but Ignacio Ruiz and Santiago Carreras crossed late on to add further gloss for Argentina.
