On this day in 2012 – Argentina defeat France in Córdoba

Los Pumas were 23-20 winners over France in 2012. The match was played on June 16 in Córdoba. It was the first of two between the teams in their series and it was Argentina’s second of three following a match against Italy in San Juan seven days earlier.

Due to Argentina joining the Rugby Championship that year, the home series in June saw a mixture of new blood and foreign-based players who were not established names on the regular roster. This combination meant that France were war favorites to win the contest.

The one regular name in Head Coach Santiago Phelan’s team was Felipe Contepomi. The RWC 2011 captain decided to sit-out the 2012 Rugby Championship and thereby played the June Internationals. He did so at inside center with Ignacio Mieres having a shot at the fly half spot.

Contepomi and Julio Farías Cabello were the only two returning names from RWC 2011 involved. France had established names, including returnees from the RWC 2011 final – Maxime Mermoz, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Pascal Papé, Morgan Parra, Dimitri Szarzewski and François Trinh-Duc.

The match saw three tries scored. France scored one through N8 Louis Picamoles while Argentina bagged the other two with wingers Belisario Agulla and Manuel Montero touching down.

The result was not determined until the final whistle. France led 20-16 before Montero scored a late try to give Los Pumas a three point lead with as many minutes left to play.

Attendance: 22,000

ARGENTINA
1 Eusebio Guiñazú, 2 Bruno Postiglioni, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 4 Benjamín Macome, 5 Esteban Lozada, 6 Julio Farías Cabello, 7 Tomás de la Vega, 8 Tomás Leonardí, 9 Martín Landajo, 10 Ignacio Mieres, 11 Manuel Montero, 12 Felipe Contepomi (Capt.), 13 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Belisario Agulla, 15 Román Miralles

Replacements: 16 Andrés Bordoy, 17 Pablo Henn, 18 Rodrigo Bruno, 19 Rodrigo Báez, 20 Tomás Cubelli, 21 Benjamín Urdapilleta, 22 Facundo Barrea

FRANCE
1 Yvan Watremez, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 3 David Attoub, 4 Pascal Papé (Capt.), 5 Yoann Maestri, 6 Wenceslas Lauret, 7 Fulgence Ouedraogo, 8 Louis Picamoles, 9 Morgan Parra, 10 François Trinh-Duc, 11 Yoann Huget, 12 Florian Fritz, 13 Wesley Fofana, 14 Jean-Marelin Buttin, 15 Brice Dulin

Replacements: 16 Christopher Tolofua, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Romain Taofifenua, 19 Alexandre Lapandry, 20 Maxime Machenaud, 21 Frédéric Michalak, 22 Maxime Mermoz