By Nick Powell, Online Editor
Argentina…………………………………………..19
Tries: Boffelli 9
Conversions: Boffelli 10
Penalties: Boffelli 25, 34 54; Sanchez 80
Samoa………………………………………………..10
Tries: Malolo 75
Conversions: Leuila 75
Penalties: Leali’ifano 28
Emiliano Boffelli racked up 16 points as Argentina kept their quarterfinal hopes alive in a disjointed win over Samoa.
Boffelli crossed in the first ten minutes before hitting two penalties ahead of half-time, with Christian Leali’ifano replying once for Samoa off the tee.
Boffelli’s third penalty extended the gap to 13, but Sama Malolo set-up an exciting finish as he cut the gap to six in the final five minutes.
Nicolas Sanchez made sure of the Pumas points though, denying Samoa a bonus as they ended up more than seven adrift.
Star man Boffelli said: “We knew it wouldn’t be easy. Samoa are a strong team. It was a very important win today.
“It was a very tough game. I am happy for the team. Thanks a lot to everyone. The supporters were incredible. We felt their support.”
For the second game running it appeared Argentina’s opposition may receive an early red card as Santiago Carreras was taken out in the air by Duncan Paia’aua, and Argentina were gifted an opportunity as Leali’ifano conceded a free-kick for not taking Samoa’s earlier one from the mark.
Excellent handling and good phase play soon saw Boffelli crash over in the right corner, and although Samoa were given a chance to strike back as Carreras sliced a clearance out on the full, Leali’ifano missed off the tee to keep the score at 7-0.
Paia’aua returned – with his yellow not upgraded to a red – but whilst Samoa had the edge at the ruck, at the maul it was Argentina. As they marched one forward on halfway the Samoan backline were deemed to be offside while they back-peddled, and Boffelli struck his penalty through the middle to extend the lead to ten.
Samoa got themselves the next penalty from a lineout as Matias Alemmano jumped across, with Leali’ifano knocking over a penalty that went in off the crossbar, but Los Pumas kept the gap at two scores after Samoa conceded a penalty in front of their sticks.
The pre-half time exchanges would be crucial, and though Leali’ifano missed another penalty after Samoa had dominated an Argentina scrum, he sent their next one into the corner to set up a try line opportunity.
With Argentina scrum-half Gonzalo Betranou pushed over his own line Samoa had another scrum, now five meres out, but this time they struggled to dominate and missed a golden opportunity as their own nine Jonathan Taumateine fumbled in the last chance of the first half.
The rain had stopped as the second period got underway, but the contest continued to be an untidy one with Argentina dominating at the maul.
From another huge drive they set up camp in the Samoan red zone, but a six minute period of sustained attack came to nothing as Boffelli was deemed to have made a double movement in reaching out for a potential second score.
Argentina were full of momentum though, and eventually settled for three points as Theo MacFarland went offside in midfield.
Boffelli extended the gap to 13, but his rare miss from halfway kept the gap at two scores to give Samoa some slim hope heading into the final quarter.
Their chance finally came as Argentina struggled to gather with Taumateine piling on the pressure, and the ball continually tumbled back from the halfway line to Argentina’s dead ball area, before the Samoan scrum-half tackled Lucio Cinti for a five metre scrum.
Sama Malolo was the eventual scorer after sustained Samoa pressure, but their hopes of a last-ditch turnaround were dashes as Sanchez’s penalty sealed the Pumas victory.
Argentina: Mallia 7 (Cinti 71), Boffelli 8, Moroni 6, Chocobares 6, M Carreras 7, S Carreras 6 (Sanchez 67, 6), Bertranou 6 (Cubelli 67); Gallo 7 (Vivas 80), Montoya (c) 7 (Creevy 73), Bello 5 (Kodela 43, 6), Petti 6, Alemanno 6 (Rubiolo 61, 6), Matera 7, Kremer 8, Gonzalez 7 (Bruni 55, 6)
Samoa: Paia’aua 4 (Toala 58, 6), Ah-Wong 5, Seuteni 6 (Leuila 49), Manu 5, B Lam 7, Leali’ifano 4, Taumateine 8; Lay 7 (Faumuina 55, 5), S Lam 7 (Malolo 55, 7), Alo-Emile 6 (Alaalatoa 55, 5), Alainu’u’ese 7 (Seu 55, 6), Vui (c) 6, McFarland 4, Lee 7, Luatua 7 (Taufua 59, 6)
Not Used: Matavao
Attendance: 37,740
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Star Man: Emiliano Boffelli (Argentina)
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