By Ben Jaycock
Argentina……………………… 13
Tries: Montoya 60, Orlando 76
Penalties: Carreras 25
France…………………………. 28
Tries: Serin 35, Frisch 46, Attisogbe 66
Conversions: Hastoy 36, 47
Penalties: Hastoy 22, Jaminet 75
A new look France saw off a disappointing Argentina as Fabian Galthie’s fringe players showcased the high competition for places in his squad.
Galthie revealed this week he was looking for six ‘premier players to bleed into this first team squad’ as he plans on using summer tours going forward as a way to blend in more talent from France’s thriving top two tiers at the beginning of a new World Cup cycle.
Leo Barre was the sole survivor from March’s Six Nations victory over England in Lyon with Fabian Galthie operating with a fresh, youthful squad which showed France’s embarrassment of riches in terms of squad depth.
Argentina’s starting XV possessed 711 caps, while France’s have amassed just 94 with an average age of 24.
Nevertheless, France’s inexperienced side were well drilled, while new Argentina head coach Felipe Contepoini endured a frustrating first Test in charge, with his side looking rather clunky.
Talismanic superstar Antoine Dupont is unavailable for their summer tour due to his involvement in France’s Olympic Sevens team but Toulon scrum-half Baptiste Serin’s fine display meant the Toulouse double-winning French captain wasn’t missed.
Serin, 30, won his 48th cap on Saturday but has slipped down the pecking order in recent years, missing out on France’s home Rugby World Cup but staked a strong claim for a first team recall with a mesmerising display showcasing his strong all-court game.
Particularly impressive by the tourists was their phenomenal scrum, winning multiple penalties at the set piece and their resilient maul defence despite coming up against a much more renowned pack.
The contest endured a cagey opening with both side’s showing clear ring rust with the sole highlight of the opening quarter being Marcos Kremer, who made more dominant tackles than any other player across the Top 14 last season, smashing France debutant winger Lester Etien in a crunching ‘welcome to Test rugby’ collision.
France broke the deadlock with a penalty by La Rochelle fly-half Antoine Hastoy before Gloucester’s Santiago Carreras hit back off a three-pointer of his own.
Antoine Frisch made a try saving tackle on Bautista Delguy in the corner, while at the other end the match sparked into life as Serin grubbered forward with brilliant footballing skills to score out wide, looking almost Lionel Messi-esque.
France continued their momentum in the second half as Georges-Henri Colombe was inches away from scoring but his put down following a bulldozing run was just short of the line.
Moments later, Frisch, on debut, benefitted from quick ball off a scrum and fluid offloads gave the Munster man space to finish.
Hastoy popped over a penalty from distance to assert France’s dominance but Julian Montoya crossed off a well executed line out move.
However, the victory was secured when Hastoy’s short pass fed charging Pau winger Theo Attisogbe, with the U20s graduate blasting his way to the line through three Argentine defenders.
Melvyn Jaminet dispatched a long-range penalty and at the other end Matias Orlando pounced on a loose ball to touch down.
France now take a 1-0 lead into next week’s final Test in Buenos Aires.
ARGENTINA: Bogado, Delguy, Moroni, de la Fuente, Carreras, Betranou; Gallo, Montoya (c), Bello, Alemanno, Paulos, Matera, Kremer, Oviedo
Replacements: Ruiz, Vivas, Sordoni, Molina, Bautista Pedemonte, Bazan Velez, Albornoz, Orlando
FRANCE: Barre, Attissogbe, Gailleton, Frisch, Etien, Hastoy, Serin (c); Gros, Barlot, Colombe, Auradou, Pesenti, Nouchi, Jegou, Joseph
Replacements: Baubigny, Taofifenua, Bamba, Tuilagi, Guillard, Diallo, Couilloud, Jaminet
Referee: Chris Busby
Star man: Baptiste Serin – France
Attendance: 42,000
Half time: 3-10
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