🚀 Explore this must-read post from BBC Sport 📖
📂 Category:
💡 Main takeaway:
Argentina looked like a pale imitation of the side that beat Wales in record-breaking fashion in Cardiff and Scotland completely dominated the first 50 minutes.
They built on three excellent tries, two from Euan Ashman and one from Jack Dempsey.
Leading 21-0, they were camped on Argentina’s line, looking to go for the jugular. But, as was the case so many times, instead of delivering the killing blow, Scotland extended a hand to help their opponents off the board.
An unnecessary long pass from Finn Russell was picked off, the Pumas raced down the field, Blair Kinghorn was sent to the bin for illegally stopping the attack and Julian Montoya went on to breathe new life into what looked like a dying competition.
The top teams, the best teams in the world, manage these moments. They take the sting out of the game. Scotland wasn’t built that way. They lack the brains, the understanding of the game, and the mentality needed to squeeze the life out of a game that should be firmly in their grasp.
It was reminiscent of Cardiff and the 2024 Six Nations, when Scotland led 27-0 and looked for all the world as if they were on course for victory until the slightest hint of resistance spread panic throughout the entire team.
On the day, they managed to pull themselves back from the brink to win by a point, but the Pumas were in no mood to let them off the hook here.
After Damian McKenzie came off the bench to break Scottish hearts against the All Blacks last week, another substitute entered the fray in the second half to steal the show.
Santiago Carreras was like a man possessed, appearing in every attack, finding holes in the tired Scottish defense and inspiring his team to move through the gears.
Julian Montoya’s effort was the first of four in a stunning 18-minute spell in which the Scots completely surrendered. Russell’s penalty briefly halted the flow to make it 24-12, but the wind was against the Argentine defense and Scotland looked powerless to regain the momentum.
💬 What do you think?
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