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Pumas, Ireland eye quarters
Source: Agencies |
September 26, 2011, Monday
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ARGENTINA and Ireland took significant steps towards reaching the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals with contrasting wins over Scotland and Russia, respectively, yesterday.
Samoa, meanwhile, maintained its slim chances by flattening Pacific island rival Fiji.
Argentina, which finished third at the last World Cup four years ago, was seven minutes away from elimination after a grinding battle in the Wellington rain.
That was until replacement winger Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino produced a piece of magic to scythe through the Scottish defense for the game's only try, which captain Felipe Contepomi nervelessly converted for a 13-12 victory.
Scotland, playing with controlled aggression as Argentina struggled to deal with an injury pile-up, had built a 12-6 lead with penalties from Chris Paterson and Ruaridh Jackson and drop goals by Jackson and his replacement Dan Parks.
Neither side had come close to a try in testing conditions but Amorosino, man of the match in the last game against Romania, caught the Scottish defense cold with a superb slaloming run to turn the match.
The result leaves England top of Pool B on 14 points, with Argentina and Scotland both on 10.
With Argentina likely to beat Georgia in its final game, Scotland would have to beat England, either with a bonus point or preventing England getting one, to maintain its proud record of reaching at least the quarterfinals of every World Cup.
The pool winner is likely to face France while the runner-up will play New Zealand.
"It was an amazing game," said Amorosino. "We know we need to play until the last minute - it's a World Cup, you have to stay focused."
Scotland coach Andy Robinson said his players were absolutely devastated. "It's one lapse, it's 30 seconds that has cost them a test match. You have to finish off sides like Argentina, but credit to them, they were under a lot of pressure."
There was no such pressure on Ireland, which backed up its upset win over Australia last week with a 62-12 thrashing of Russia - though the tournament debutante did score two tries in Rotorua.
Keith Earls crossed twice for Ireland while flyhalf O'Gara gave a masterclass, kicking seven from eight goal attempts and marshaling a backline featuring several squad players.
For Samoa to reach the last eight for the first time since 1995 it almost certainly needs to beat Pool D leader South Africa next week - something it has come nowhere near threatening in six previous meetings.
Its World Cup hopes were effectively derailed by last week's defeat by Wales but it bounced back with a 27-7 victory over Fiji.
Samoa led 12-0 at halftime before a sellout 60,000 Eden Park crowd as Auckland's Polynesians turned out in force, with three penalties and a drop goal by flyhalf Tusi Pisi.
Scrumhalf Kahn Fotuali'i claimed the first try after an hour and though flanker Netani Edward Talei finally crossed for Fiji, its slim hopes were crushed almost immediately when No. 8 George Stowers capped a superb individual performance with its second try.
Samoa, meanwhile, maintained its slim chances by flattening Pacific island rival Fiji.
Argentina, which finished third at the last World Cup four years ago, was seven minutes away from elimination after a grinding battle in the Wellington rain.
That was until replacement winger Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino produced a piece of magic to scythe through the Scottish defense for the game's only try, which captain Felipe Contepomi nervelessly converted for a 13-12 victory.
Scotland, playing with controlled aggression as Argentina struggled to deal with an injury pile-up, had built a 12-6 lead with penalties from Chris Paterson and Ruaridh Jackson and drop goals by Jackson and his replacement Dan Parks.
Neither side had come close to a try in testing conditions but Amorosino, man of the match in the last game against Romania, caught the Scottish defense cold with a superb slaloming run to turn the match.
The result leaves England top of Pool B on 14 points, with Argentina and Scotland both on 10.
With Argentina likely to beat Georgia in its final game, Scotland would have to beat England, either with a bonus point or preventing England getting one, to maintain its proud record of reaching at least the quarterfinals of every World Cup.
The pool winner is likely to face France while the runner-up will play New Zealand.
"It was an amazing game," said Amorosino. "We know we need to play until the last minute - it's a World Cup, you have to stay focused."
Scotland coach Andy Robinson said his players were absolutely devastated. "It's one lapse, it's 30 seconds that has cost them a test match. You have to finish off sides like Argentina, but credit to them, they were under a lot of pressure."
There was no such pressure on Ireland, which backed up its upset win over Australia last week with a 62-12 thrashing of Russia - though the tournament debutante did score two tries in Rotorua.
Keith Earls crossed twice for Ireland while flyhalf O'Gara gave a masterclass, kicking seven from eight goal attempts and marshaling a backline featuring several squad players.
For Samoa to reach the last eight for the first time since 1995 it almost certainly needs to beat Pool D leader South Africa next week - something it has come nowhere near threatening in six previous meetings.
Its World Cup hopes were effectively derailed by last week's defeat by Wales but it bounced back with a 27-7 victory over Fiji.
Samoa led 12-0 at halftime before a sellout 60,000 Eden Park crowd as Auckland's Polynesians turned out in force, with three penalties and a drop goal by flyhalf Tusi Pisi.
Scrumhalf Kahn Fotuali'i claimed the first try after an hour and though flanker Netani Edward Talei finally crossed for Fiji, its slim hopes were crushed almost immediately when No. 8 George Stowers capped a superb individual performance with its second try.
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