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Argentina’s Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino broke Scottish hearts Sunday with a dramatic late try as the Pumas moved towards the World Cup quarter-finals with a nail-biting 13-12 victory on Sunday.
With seven minutes remaining, Amorosino stepped off the right wing and jinked past four defenders for the game’s only try, before captain Felipe Contepomi showed nerves of ice to kick the decisive conversion.
It was a cruel defeat for Scotland, who led 6-3 at half-time and then kicked two drop goals through Ruaridh Jackson and Dan Parks to be 12-6 ahead before Amorosino’s well-taken score.
Scotland coach Andy Robinson said his team were “absolutely devastated” by the result, which leaves them level on points with Argentina but facing a final Pool B game against England, while the Pumas take on minnows Georgia.
“It’s one lapse, 30 seconds of concentration that cost them a Test match,” he said.
Meanwhile Ireland walloped Russia 62-12 to stay in charge of Pool C, while Samoa sank Pacific rival Fiji’s hopes with a 27-7 win in Auckland as the third weekend of action wrapped up.
In Rotorua, second-string Ireland ran nine tries past Russia in an exhilarating work-out before next week’s showdown with Six Nations rivals Italy.
The Irish will lock up Pool C with victory over Italy in Dunedin next Sunday, after shocking Australia in the tournament’s biggest upset so far.
“We always knew that the Italy game was going to be the vital game for us to try and get out of the group,” Ireland coach Declan Kidney said.
“The fact that we find ourselves in a winner-take-all situation… next Sunday it’s just like a Cup final.”
Samoa pounded Fiji’s dreams to dust in Auckland which earned them a shot at the quarter-finals in their final pool game against champions South Africa.
Fly-half Tusi Pisi kicked Samoa to a 12-0 lead in an attritional first half before they outscored Fiji two tries to one in the second period to dash their arch-rivals’ hopes of a second successive place in the last eight.
The match was played against the colourful backdrop of 60,327 fans, mostly members of Auckland’s expatriate Pacific community, but wet conditions hampered free-running Fiji who slumped to their second loss in the “Pool of Death”.
“This game is all about pressure and we kept the pressure on and got some points,” said Samoa skipper Mahonri Schwalger.
“If you want to win against a strong team like Fiji you have got to get the points when you get down into their 22.”
But Fiji captain Deacon Manu appealed to Pacific teams not to let their trademark flamboyant style wither in favour of the high-percentage, defence-based game favoured at the World Cup.
“I don’t think the flair will go away from Pacific island rugby, that’s a strength of Pacific island rugby,” Manu said.
“And if Pacific islands want to challenge in tournaments like this we’ve got to make sure we keep that alive.”
Samoa now have an outside chance of reaching their first quarter-final in 16 years with victory on Friday against the Springboks, or even a solitary bonus point if Fiji can repeat their feat of the 2007 World Cup and beat Wales next Sunday.
France grappled with the fall-out of their heavy, 37-17 defeat to New Zealand as coach Marc Lievrement angrily hit out at French journalists and accused them of wanting his team to lose.
“Go to hell with your question!” Lievremont told a journalist who asked if France could win the World Cup.
“I really regret the detestable atmosphere that we have at these press conferences… Often I come out (of the press conference) annoyed and upset because I sense this atmosphere,” the coach added.
And the All Blacks expressed concern over legendary winger Jonah Lomu, who was hospitalised in Auckland with a kidney problem. Reports said Lomu, who had a kidney transplant in 2004, was in stable condition.
“I heard that this morning, which is really sad news. Our thoughts are with the big fella and hopefully he makes a speedy recovery,” said assistant coach Steve Hansen.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.