Argentina too good for Italy

Argentina got their end-of-year Test campaign back on track when they secured a deserved 31-15 victory against Italy in Florence on Saturday.

In a topsy-turvy match, in which the lead changed hands eight times, the Pumas took control of proceedings during the latter part of the second half and eventually outscored their hosts three tries to none.

The victory is only Argentina's second one of the year, from 11 matches played, but the result is also significant as it means they have now won their seventh successive match against the Azzurri.

Argentina were dealt a blow after five minutes when Nicolas Sanchez was forced off the field for a Head Injury Assessment.  His absence was not too disruptive as his replacement, Juan Martin Hernandez, got the game's opening points courtesy of a penalty in the 12th minute before Sanchez returned three minutes later.

Shortly after Hernandez's penalty, Italy drew level when Carlo Canna added a three-pointer from the kicking tee after Juan Manuel Leguizamon held onto the ball on the ground.

Midway through the half, Santiago Garcia Botta was blown up for illegal scrummaging and Canna succeeded with the resulting penalty which gave the home side a 6-3 lead.

Argentina did not take that lying down and regained the lead in the 27th minute when Sebastian Cancelliere stepped past three defenders inside Italy's 22 before crossing for the game's opening try.

Sanchez's conversion attempt was off target and six minutes later, Canna slotted his third penalty after another Botta indiscretion at a scrum which meant the Azzurri held a slender 9-8 lead at the break.

Five minutes into the second half, the Pumas were back in front courtesy of a Sanchez penalty before Canna restored his side's one-point lead with his only penalty of the second half.

Another Sanchez penalty, five minutes later, meant the Pumas had their noses in front again but Marcello Violi made it 15-14 to Italy when he landed a drop-goal in the 57th minute.

That would be the last time the Azzurri would score points, however, as the Pumas upped the ante on attack in the game's final quarter.

On the hour-mark, Sanchez added his third penalty before Marcos Kremer barged over from close quarters for his first Test try, in the 69th minute.

Sanchez added the extras, which gave the visitors a nine-point lead.  They continued to attack and were rewarded in the 77th minute when Joaquin Tuculet gathered a pass from Emiliano Boffelli before dotting down in the right-hand corner and Sanchez's conversion sealed the win for Argentina.

The scorers:

For Italy:
Pens:  Canna 4
Drop-goal:  Violi

For Argentina:
Tries:  Cancelliere, Kremer, Tuculet
Cons:  Sanchez 2
Pens:  Hernandez, Sanchez 3

Italy:  15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Tommaso Boni, 12 Tomasso Castello, 11 Mattia Bellini, 10 Carlo Canna, 9 Marcello Violi, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Abraham Steyn, 6 Francesco Minto, 5 Dean Budd, 4 Marco Fuser, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Luca Bigi, 1 Andrea Lovotti
Replacements:  16 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17 Federico Zani, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Giovanni Licara, 21 Tito Tebaldi, 22 Ian McKinley, 23 Matteo Minozzi

Argentina:  15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matias Alemanno, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 1 Santiago Garcia Botta
Replacements:  16 Julian Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Banjamin Macome, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Juan Martin Hernandez, 23 Matias Moroni

Referee:  Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees:  Glen Jackson (New Zealand), Pierre Brousset (France)
TMO:  Brian MacNeice (Ireland)