Argentina crush Italy, Springboks beat Scotland

Argentina ran out 37-16 winners over Italy on Saturday, ending a seven-match losing streak and condemning the Azzurri to another in a long line of Test defeats, and Eddie Jones maintained England’s dominance over Australia.

The Pumas ran in five tries at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo in Treviso to break their poor run of results against an Italy team that has now lost 16 straight Tests stretching back to the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Emiliano Boffelli added nine points with the boot for Argentina before replacement Nicolas Gonzalez also struck a penalty of his own, while Scotland briefly looked like upsetting South Africa before the world champions bounced back.

Marcos Kremer and Juan Martin Gonzalez crossed to give Argentina a commanding 17-6 half-time lead, before Matias Moroni touched down almost straight after the break to leave the hosts reeling.

Italy briefly had hope thanks to a Stephen Varney try just after the break, converted by Paolo Garbisi, who then scored the last of his three penalties to make it 24-16 to the away side in the 50th minute.

However Santiago Cordero ran home soon after to add five points and from there Argentina cruised to victory, with Facundo Bosch adding the fifth five minutes from the end from a ruck after having had a similar try disallowed just moments before.

Meanwhile, Makazole Mapimpi scored two tries as world champions South Africa beat Scotland 30-15 at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Scotland had led 10-8 at the break after a try by captain Stuart Hogg but Mapimpi’s converted score early in the second period saw the Springboks go five points clear.

Elton Jantjies then extended the lead with two further penalties to leave South Africa well in front at 21-10.

Hogg’s second try reduced the Springboks’ lead to five points but several further penalties, with Handre Pollard and Frans Steyn also getting on the scoreboard, helped South Africa record their seventh successive victory over Scotland.

South Africa, who opened their European campaign with a 23-18 win over Wales last week, round off their year against England at Twickenham on November 20 in a repeat of the 2019 Rugby World Cup final.

Meanwhile, Freddie Steward scored his first Test try as England enjoyed their eighth successive win against Australia under coach Eddie Jones with a 32-15 victory over the Wallabies at Twickenham.

The result maintained Jones’ 100 percent record against his native Australia since he was appointed after a 2015 World Cup where the Wallabies’ 33-13 pool victory over England at Twickenham knocked the hosts out of the tournament. (AFP)
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Last updated: 2021-11-14 HKT 04:33