Argentina beats Scotland 9-6

Image Source:telegraph.co.uk EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) -Argentina brought Scotland back to earth with a familiar thump when the Pumas won their rugby test 9-6 on Saturday and extended their unbeaten run at Murrayfield to a decade. A week after watching Australia miss a last-minute conversion for a first win over the Wallabies in 27 years, Scotland's luck ran out when center Martin Rodriguez landed a winning drop goal two minutes from the end to cap the Pumas' second-half comeback. 

"We have the ability to win any game but also, as seen today, we have the ability to lose any game,'' Scotland coach Andy Robinson said. For Argentina there was relief after losing to England and Wales on tour. The victory was only the Pumas' second in five tests this year. "We lost against England playing well but with some mistakes. Then we didn't play well against Wales,'' coach Santiago Phelan said. "This game was very important for us. To get a good result is very important for the continuity of this team.'' Scotland deservedly led 6-0 at halftime but two penalties from flyhalf Phil Godman were scant reward for the home side's domination. 

Godmann kicked his first in the 14th minute and the other four minutes before halftime, and in between he missed two other penalty attempts as Argentina was frequently penalized at the breakdown by referee Alan Lewis. Two potential tries in 40 minutes of enterprise were also blown as Scotland appeared on the cusp of its first autumn sweep in seven years. Out of the interval, the Pumas came out a different side, willing to attack more, and Scotland errors suddenly multiplied. 

Thee Pumas hassled at the breakdowns, and Scotland's composure was rattled further when lock Nathan Hines was sent to the sinbin for a spear tackle on winger Federico Martin Aramburu. Rodriguez halved Argentina's deficit with a 50th-minute penalty, and nine minutes later his second penalty tied the score. In the 66th, the center, who has scored all of Argentina's points in its three autumn tests, could have put his side ahead for the first time but he sent a long-range penalty wide. But he made no mistake in the 78th with his drop goal from right in front of the posts. Against top-tier opposition in its last two tests, Scotland didn't score a try. "What concerns me is our ability to finish,'' Robinson said. "We need to keep the scoreboard ticking over and we didn't do that. We came up against a very brave Argentine defense - the swamped and suffocated us in the last 20 minutes.'' Source:cnn.com