France completed their 2024 schedule with a comfortable victory against Argentina in frigid conditions in Paris on Friday night.
Les Bleus scored four tries in a 37-23 win, including a superb solo effort from in-form winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
Los Pumas had two players shown yellow cards in the first half, Julian Montoya and Juan Martin Gonzalez, which led to the hosts leading 30-9 at the break.
France coach Fabien Galthie made four changes from last Saturday’s one-point win over New Zealand as Charles Ollivon came in for the dropped Gregory Alldritt at No 8.
Argentina boss Felipe Contepomi switched his scrumhalf giving Gonzalo Garcia a start instead of Gonzalo Bertranou.
Against the All Blacks, Les Bleus lost prop Tevita Tatafu to an early injury and loose-head Jean-Baptiste Gros suffered a similar fate after four minutes on Friday with a leg problem.
Gros’ injury was caused by Argentina captain Montoya’s clean at a ruck – deemed dangerous by the referee, and the hooker was shown a yellow card. Galthie’s side made the extra man count to open the scoring as Antoine Dupont fed lock Thibaud Flament to crash over from short range after a powerful rolling maul.
Thomas Ramos slotted the easy conversion to make it 7-0 after 11 minutes. By the half hour mark the hosts lead 13-9 as Ramos traded penalty goals with Pumas flyhalf Tomas Albornoz.
France stretched their advantage to 20-9 as winger Gabin Villiere dived over following some dominant forward carries.
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Ramos added the conversion to overtake Dimitri Yachvili in third place on France’s scoring charts. Things worsened for Contepomi’s outfit as they conceded a penalty try with four minutes of the first half to play and had a second player sent to the bin.
Flanker Gonzalez was shown a yellow card for palming a loose ball into touch after Dupont and Ramos showed their class with delicate chip kicks.
France went into the break 30-9 ahead as Ramos slotted his third penalty of the game. Just after the interval Galthie brought 20-year-old loose forward Marko Gazzotti on for his debut.
The flanker’s main intervention was to scramble onto a loose ball three metres from his own line before Les Bleus cleared with Argentina working their way back into the contest.
With 24 minutes to play they were rewarded as prop Thomas Gallo benefitted from a rolling maul and Albornoz brought the score to 30-16.
The Pumas’ comeback hopes were short-lived as Bielle-Biarrey scored his fourth try in three games, showing lightning speed to gather his own grubber kick.
Ramos converted to make it 37-16 leaving the south Americans, fourth at last year’s World Cup, with a mountain to climb in the final quarter.
The deficit was cut once again as Perpignan hooker Ignacio Ruiz, one of 10 French-based players in Argentina’s matchday squad, barreled over.
Albornoz’s conversion took the score to 37-23 with nine minutes to play but it wasn’t enough to claim a first win over France in Paris since 2014.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Franco Arland/Getty Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
