Full Time: Argentina 16-24 Scotland

Argentina 16 Scotland 24 Dan Parks scored all of Scotland’s points as they beat Argentina for the third time in the history of capped Test matches between the teams at a ground on which their opponents had never lost a game. Scotland thus became the only Northern Hemisphere nation to post a victory this weekend and followed up their win in Dublin with a win in Tucuman. But there were no raucous celebrations from the players.  Their common message: it’s a job only half done, as they now set their sights on completing a Test series victory in Mar del Plata next Saturday.   A third minute try from Argentine centre Gonzalo Tiesi, after a turnover had sparked Felipe Contepomi, shocked the Scots who had displayed some enterprising signs early on. However the missed conversion meant that a penalty from Scotland stand-off Dan Parks,  three minutes later, narrowed the gap to just two points at 5-3 Pumas stand-off Contepomi and Parks then exchanged penalties to push the scores to 8-6 before Argentine open-side flanker Juan Manuel Leguizamon battled well to claim a second unconverted score for the hosts, 13-6, though quite how Uruguayan TMO Santiago Slinger, felt able to give the try on the evidence of the TV replay was something of a mystery, as it seemed the Argentine flanker had grounded the ball short of the try line. Parks, who had endured two penalty misses amid the thunderous cacophony at the Club Atletico de Tucuman then lifted the visitors at the end of the half with a penalty and a well-struck drop goal to go in at the interval with just a point in it. The second score followed the sin-binning of Leguizamon, who had been penalised for not rolling away at the breakdown and a sweeping and menacing Scottish attack which ended with Sean Lamont’s score being referred to the TMO, who ruled, correctly that he had been tackled into touch by Pumas full-back Martin Rodriguez. Half time: Argentina 13-12 Scotland A Parks penalty gave Scotland the lead for the first time in the match after 12 minutes of play before a huge 46m boot put the Scots six points ahead with 12 minutes left on the run of play clock, 13-18. Dan Parks was yet again the man for Scotland. Patient play for the visitors saw repeated pick and goes from the pack before Parks got in position and slotted a trademark drop goal. Contepomi and Parks then exchanged penalties to nudge the scores on by three a piece, 16-24. Argentina teamMartin Rodriguez; Lucas Borges, Gonzalo Tiesi, Santiago Fernandez11 Horacio Agulla; Felipe Contepomi CAPTAIN, Alfredo Lalanne, Rodrigo Roncero,  Mario Ledesma,  Martin Scelzo,  Manuel Carizza,  Patricio Albacete,  Genaro Fessia,  Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Juan Martin Fernandez LobbeReplacements usedAgustin Creevy, Marcos Ayerza,  Agustin Figuerola and Lucas Gonzalez-AmorosinoUnusedIgnacio Mieres, Mariano Galarza and Alejandro Campos, Scotland teamHugo Southwell; Max Evans, Nick De Luca, Graeme Morrison, Sean Lamont; Dan Parks, Rory Lawson; Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford, Moray Low, Jim Hamilton, Alastair Kellock CAPTAIN, Kelly Brown, John Barclay, Johnnie BeattieReplacements usedAlasdair Strokosch, Mike Blair and Scott Lawson. Unused: Geoff Cross, Scott MacLeod, Phil Godmanand Jim ThompsonOfficials Referee: Dave Pearson (England) Man of the match: Dan Parks (Scotland) Crowd: 31,898 PointsScotland – Dan Parks, 6 penalties and two drop-goals Argentina – Tries by Gonzalo Tiese and Juan Martin LeguizamonPenalties by Felipe Contepomi (2)