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Los Pumitas opened their African tour in style, powering past the Namibia XV in a 64-8 victory. The match was played this morning in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The remaining matches will be against Georgia and the Junior Springboks.
Most of Namibia’s players are expected to play in RWC 2019. As such the manner of Los Pumitas’ win is a strong indication both of the competitiveness of the Argentine u20’s side as well as the level of Namibia’s prospective level in September, and October in Japan.
Los Pumitas started strongly and would play with a high intensity throughout. Winger Mateo Carreras impressed by running in a double as did outside center and captain Juan Pablo Castro. Combined with first half tries to flanker Juan Martín González, and hooker Pablo Dimcheff Los Pumitas were 43-3 ahead.
The Namibia XV’s opening half points came via the boot of flyhalf Cliven Loubser. He was the starting 10 for the Africans in the two-match series against Uruguay in 2017, as well as the African RWC 2019 qualifiers in 2018 against Uganda, Zimbabwe, Tunisia, Morocco, and Kenya.
In the second half Los Pumitas rotated their players. Despite the changes they continued to play high-paced rugby and would score further impressive tries. Crossing were scrumhalf Gonzalo García, No8 Bautista Pedemonte, and replacement Tomás Acosta Pimental.
The Namibia XV crossed for one try in the match, doing so through scrumhalf Eugene Jantjies. The veteran of 66 test matches played against Argentina in Marseille, France, and Leicester, UK during RWCs 2007, and 2015.
Los Pumitas will play again on Saturday. They will take-on Georgia at Revensmead while the tour will conclude on Wednesday, April 17 back in Stellenbosch against the Junior Springboks.
SCORING
NAMIBIA 8
Tries – E. Jantjies
Pens – C. Loubser
ARGENTINA 64
Tries – S. Carreras 2, J. Castro 2, J. González, P. Dimcheff, G. García, B. Pedemonte, T. Acosta Pimentel
Cons – J. de la Vega Mendia 8
Pens – J. de la Vega Mendia
TEAMS
NAMIBIA XV
1 André Rademeyer, 2 Obert Nortjé, 3 AJ de Klerk, 4 Mahepisa Tjeriko, 5 Ruan Ludick, 6 Leneve Damens, 7 Prince Gaoseb, 8 Adriaan Booysen, 9 Eugene Jantjies, 10 Cliven Loubser, 11 Janry du Toit, 12 Darryl de la Harpe (capt.), 13 JC Greyling, 14 Johann Tromp, 15 Chrysander Botha
ARGENTINA u20
1 Francisco Minervino, 2 Pablo Dimcheff, 3 Estanislao Caruloo, 4 Manuel Bernstein, 5 Lucas Bur, 6 Juan Cruz Pérez Rachel, 7 Juan Martín González, 8 Bautista Pedemonte, 9 Gonzalo García, 10 Joaquín de la Vega Mendia, 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Juan Pablo Castro (capt.), 14 Lucio Cinti, 15 Ignacio Mendy
