Pumas down France

Press, 2 June 1986, Page 14

Pumas down France

NZPA-AFP Buenos Aires Argentina’s Pumas beat France, 15-13, in Buenos Aires yesterday in the first of two rugby union tests, after trailing 3-10 at halftime. The French, deprived of its regular captain, Daniel Dubroca, and the full-back, Serge Blanco, were dominant in the scrums, but seldom succeeded in opening the game up in their usual way, and were outwitted by the defenflye-minded Argentinians. Argentina won by a goal

and three penalties to France’s try and three penalties. Guy Laporte kicked France ahead with a penalty after onlv six minutes, and Eric Bonneval touched down a try on 29 minutes before the Argentinians got off the mark in the forty-second minute with a Hugo Porta penalty. Another Laporte penalty gave France a comfortable lead at half-time, but the Pumas struck back three minutes after the restart, when Ernesto Ure scored a try, which Porta converted.

The Argentinian star used his boot again six minutes later for another penalty, to give his team the lead for the first time.

The French regained the upper hand briefly when Laporte notched his third penalty just before the hour, but Porta kicked a third penalty of his own on 66 minutes to set the seal on the match.

With a long journey to Australia and New Zealand facing them after next week’s second Buenos Aires test, France could draw little comfort from the colourless, match.