Pool C
FRANCE 23 23
ARGENTINA 21
Saturday 21 September Tokyo Stadium. Att: 44,004
IN THIS MATCH
Despite coming off worse in terms of possession and territory, France dominated the attacking stats: ten line breaks to Argentina’s four, 24 defenders beaten to 12, 19 offloads to six. Yet they conceded 13 penalties to the Pumas’ five and only scraped home in the face of a fierce Argentina fightback.
TURNING POINT
In a classic game of two halves, France led 20-3 at the break before Argentina came back thrillingly to take the lead in the 69th minute. Camille Lopez steadied the French ship with a drop-goal from the restart – see The Analyst on page 122 – and they held on for the win as Emiliano Boffelli missed a long-range penalty. Argentina felt they should have been awarded another kick at the end.
WINNERS’ PODIUM
Full-back Maxime Médard: “We were a little outplayed (in the second half). We kicked too much ball and didn’t manage to put our game plan in place. Without ammunition, it becomes difficult to establish a rhythm. But we showed that we are a team with character.”
AND THE LOSERS…
Coach Mario Ledesma: “The referee made two judgements which would have changed the momentum. The clear one was the last one, the French tackler does not roll away, the No 9 cannot get the ball. It was a penalty under the posts. That alone would have changed the game. I’m not forgetting what we didn’t do in the first half but they were clear game-changing decisions.”
TEAM LINE-UPS
M Médard (T Ramos 61); D Penaud (C Lopez 68), G Fickou, V Vakatawa, Y Huget; R Ntamack, A Dupont (M Machenaud 73); J Poirot (C Baille 68), G Guirado (capt, C Chat 47), R Slimani (D Bamba 47), A Iturria (B Le Roux 55), S Vahaamahina, W Lauret, C Ollivon, G Alldritt (L Picamoles 61). Fickou 18, Dupont 22. Ntamack 2. Ntamack 2. Lopez.
