Match Report: Scotland 24-33 Argentina

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Scotland's Rory Darge (centre) and Argentina's Joaquín Oviedo in action during a Quilter Nations Series match between Scotland and Argentina at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, on November 16, 2025, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross Parker / SNS Group)

Scotland at one point held at 21-0 lead, but five unanswered Pumas tries was ultimately too much to contend with.

Argentina’s Gerónimo Prisciantelli got the match underway, and Jack Dempsey brought the ball down safely inside the Scottish 22. Jamie Dobie was able to clear and reset for the home side.

Visiting vice-captain Juan Cruz Mallía was sent to the sin bin five minutes into the match for a deliberate knock on preventing a near-certain Dobie try, which started from a Darcy Graham break. Finn Russell opted for a kick to the corner, but in the resulting phases, a lofty pass was intercepted and allowed Argentina to clear their lines.

The deadlock was broken on 12 minutes, when Jack Dempsey scythed through the Argentine defence untouched. It all started from a brilliant no-look Russell pass in the midfield, which allowed Dempsey to canter in from about 30 metres out. Russell added the extras. (7-0, 13 mins)

Argentina won a penalty for a high tackle and pointed to the posts after 22 minutes. Mallía’s shot at goal was from 45 metres on the angle, but it went just wide to the right.

An Argentine midfield bomb backfired when Graham snatched a return Russell bomb and bundled his way up to the visitors’ 22. Scotland piled on the phases and, under penalty advantage, Ewan Ashman crashed over from short range. Russell added the extras and the home side’s lead doubled. (14-0, 28 mins)

Winning another penalty on the half hour mark, Mallía again pointed to the posts, this time closer to the middle of the pitch. Again though, it was pushed wide to the right.

With the half time whistle beckoning, Argentina had a lineout 10 metres from the Scottish line but closed the space early and were penalised, allowing Russell to easily clear for Scotland.

Half-time: Scotland 14-0 Argentina

Blair Kinghorn got the second half proceedings underway, and Scotland were immediately back on the ball, attacking the Argentine 22 line. The TMO intervened in a Scottish attack, asking for a review on a clear out infringement and Rory Darge was penalised for his clear out. The resulting clearing Argentine kick didn’t find touch though.

Scotland pounced on the opportunity through Dempsey, then through Pierre Schoeman, bursting inside the 22. Kyle Steyn hit the line and pushed even closer, before Ashman scored his second try of the evening. Russell added the extras from wide left and Scotland had a three try lead. (21-0, 45 mins)

Argentina nearly had their first try two minutes later, through a clever link up between Prisciantelli and Matías Moroni on halfway, but the final pass was knocked on with the try line beckoning.

A lineout inside the Argentine 22 was brought down nicely, but as Scotland flung the ball wide, the pass was intercepted, and the visitors broke down field. Kinghorn made a brilliant last ditch tackle, but he was offside, and was sent to the sin bin for repeated Scotland infringements on 55 minutes.

Argentina opted for a scrum and replacement Pablo Matera flew off the back into a desperate Scottish tackle. It was flicked back, and the big men went to work. The referee went upstairs to check grounding, before awarding the visitors’ first try of the evening to captain Julián Montoya. Santiago Carreras added the extras. (21-7, 57 mins)

The visitors kept the frantic pace up immediately after, breaking down the right wing, before Rodrigo Isgró found a tiny gap to surge through. Russell’s desperate last-ditch tackle couldn’t keep him out, and Argentina grabbed their second try of the night, but Carreras couldn’t add the extras this time. (21-12, 60 mins)

Graham won an important jackal penalty soon after to begin to turn the tide back in Scotland’s favour. Russell pointed to the posts from about 45 metres out, and nailed it. (24-12, 63 mins)

Argentina then won a penalty inside the Scottish 22, opting this time to tap and go, with just over 10 minutes remaining. Great initial defending couldn’t keep out Pedro Rubiolo from close range, bundling over for Argentina’s third. Carreras added the extras this time. (24-19, 71 mins)

The TMO was called in to action again with five minutes remaining, as Argentina dogged the Scottish line. Phases had been racking up as the Pumas pressurised the line. The TMO advised the referee that he had seen the ball on the line with an Argentine hand on top, and the try was awarded to Matera.

Carreras added the extras and the visitors took the lead for the first time, with four minutes remaining on the clock. (24-26, 76 mins)

Scotland’s hopes of a late comeback were dashed when Justo Piccardo sliced through a tired tackle on the 22 and dashed over for Argentina’s fifth try of the evening. Carreras added the extras from the left hand touchline. (24-33, 79 mins)

Full time: Scotland 24 – 33 Argentina

Scotland: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints), Sione Tuipulotu (captain), Kyle Steyn (both Glasgow Warriors), Finn Russell, (Bath Rugby), Jamie Dobie (Glasgow Warriors); Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman, D’arcy Rae (all Edinburgh Rugby), Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Gregor Brown, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey (all Glasgow Warriors).

Replacements: George Turner  (Harlequins) (for Ashman, 71mins), Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors), Elliot Millar Mills  (Northampton Saints) (for Rae, 33 mins), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby) (for Gilchrist, 71 mins), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) (for Brown, 8 mins), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors), Tom Jordan (Glasgow Warriors) (for Graham, 78 mins), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Hutchinson, 65 mins).

Argentina: Juan Cruz Mallía, Rodrigo Isgró, Matías Moroni, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras, Gerónimo Prisciantelli, Simón Benítez Cruz; Mayco Vivas, Julián Montoya, Pedro Delgado, Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo, Santiago Grondona, Juan Martín González, Joaquín Oviedo.

Replacements: Ignacio Ruiz, Thomas Gallo, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Efraín Elías, Pablo Matera – Vice-captain, Agustín Moyano, Santiago Carreras, Justo Piccardo.

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referee 1: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Referee 2: Luke Pearce (RFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
FPRO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

Attendance: 67,144

Quilter Nations Player of the Match: Santiago Carreras (Argentina)