Argentina player ratings: Argentina’s November starts at Nations Championship was met with an unconvincing performance that ended in an undisputed 42-12 victory for Ireland, Pumas’ the third defeat since the beginning of the competition.
Forced to play 60 minutes without a starter due to injuries to Julián Montoya and Lionel Oviedo, Felipe Contempomi’s side could not capitalize on a strong start, allowing the Irish hosts to dictate play. Pablo Matera and Mateo Carreras were among the few to show true Argentine spirit in Dublin.
1. Boris Wenger – 5
He had to switch to the hook after Julián Montoya and Leonel Oviedo limped off injured. He was one of the few members of Argentina’s attacking pack to feature in Dublin, although he himself missed a handful of tries, one of which opened the door for Ireland’s first.
2. Julian Montoya – 4
The line-up was Argentina’s Achilles heel tonight, with Montoya one of the players to blame for the horror, despite a good start. Unfortunately, the experienced whore was substituted in the 28th minute due to an HIA and did not return to the clash. He did make nine tackles and steal the ball once, though, and his team conceded two tries in the minutes following his departure.
3. Francisco Moreno – 5
The scrum was not a problem for the visitors for most of the game and Moreno, like Wenger, did his part to push the Irish pack away.
4. Guido Petti – 6.5
He had two turnovers in the first half and was one of the players Pumas’ the best distractions around, making Ireland’s life just that little bit harder. Although Ireland’s line-up was perfect, Petti looked determined to fight and inspire his team-mates.
5. Pedro Rubiolo – 4
Potentially Rubiol’s worst Test match outing. A series of missed tackles, awarded penalties and an inability to counter Ireland’s strategy on the line. He was never in the game.
6. Juan Martín González – 7.5
Crushing, dominating attacks and eager to engage in a physical contest, Juan Martín González played well in the role of enforcer despite his team going out on the losing side. By the end of the match, González led Argentina in stoppages with two, showing a monstrous desire to make an impact on all fronts.
7. Markos Kremer – 5.5
He was not his usual self, mainly in the opening 50 minutes, when he missed two crucial tackles, one against Sam Prendergast, extending the red carpet for half time to reach the post. Argentina clearly felt Kremer’s absence, especially in the physical sense, the area Ireland comfortably controlled throughout the match.
8. Pablo Matera – 7.5
By some distance, Argentina’s best player. He did his best to put a lid on his teammates’ constant defensive mistakes, remaining fully committed to the Argentine cause until the last second. In attack he won the gain line 60% of the time, creating good ground and giving Ireland a taste Pumas’ primary physicality.
9. Gonzalo García – 5.5
Argentina’s sluggishness was a critical issue leading to the disappointing defeat, with García unable to find a way to rouse his teammates from their slumber. Apart from missing a couple of key passes, the scrum-half never seemed to have control of the game, allowing Craig Casey to have the upper hand.
10. Tomás Albornoz – 6
Very mixed match Albornoz. He struck things brilliantly, producing a masterful strike to set up Carreras for the first finish of the night, but he was directly involved in two of Ireland’s tries, failing to read the opposition’s plays and opening the door to his area wide for the home side’s attempted kick.
11. Mateo Carreras – 8
He was high to score the Pumas’ first try at the Aviva and found his way through the Irish defense for the second goal, looking unstoppable every time the ball came his way and putting on an entertaining display. Not content with his offensive contribution, Carreras also made several key moves, one of which was stopping Mack Hansen on the wing just as his opponent was about to make a pass.
12. Santiago Chocobars – 6
The player of Stade Toulouse only made his presence felt at certain moments, managing to break the line in the middle of the second half with several positive attacking actions. However, as mentioned, he was somewhat absent, especially when Ireland had possession, and was linked to Argentina’s poor defensive performance in this game.
13. Justo Piccardo – 6.5
He tried to create an exciting relationship with his central partner, but it rarely worked. Despite this, Piccardo was one of the few Argentinian players to take the fight to the Irish, winning more than a few skirmishes which were unfortunately not many, mainly because his team couldn’t make the most of it.
14. Bautista Delguy – 5
He lacked access to the ball and the ability to display his wide range of skills. However, his rating fell due to several positional and tactical errors, and Ireland recognized that weakness early on.
15. Juan Cruz Mallía – 5.5
Like Delguy, Mallía struggled with Ireland’s attacking play, while the full-back was unable to counter the hosts’ strategy throughout the contest. It was replaced by 20 minutes without affecting the game in any way, shape or form.
SUBSTITUTIONS – 4
Between yellow cards and awarded penalties, Argentina’s finishers failed to make a shot from the bench, the only exception being Simon Benitez Cruz. The substitute scrum-half was the only one capable of injecting some dynamism and life into his side, although it was not enough to get the ship back on course.
