Pumitas down hosts Georgia in u20 Championship

Los Pumitas began their World Rugby u20 campaign today. The South Americans downed the host nation, Georgia 37-26. The victory was by five tries to two and this included scoring the first five tries of the match.

Los Pumitas were deserved winners. They played aggressive rugby, showing signs of their potential to go far in the tournament. Georgia was unable to match them with first half tries but with the boot of Gela Aprasidze on target they would go into half time with just a five point deficit.

Argentina’s 17-12 half time lead was on the back of tries. Capped second-rower Marcos Kremer was the first to score. Playing at flanker the Jaguar demonstrated why his reputation is that of a player developed for his age. He drove over from a close-range pick-and-go to score in the 7th minute.

Try number two was scored by hooker José Luis González. It came in the 12th minute from a set-piece lineout. Ruiz threw the lineout to the front and arrived in support for a push-over try from a rolling maul.

Next to cross the try line was No 8 Santiago Ruiz. His 26th minute try would be the only converted try scored in the opening half. Ruiz crossed from the base of an advancing 5 meter scrum. With it Argentina held a 17-6 lead.

Argentina’s missed goals were contrast to Georgia’s wonder kicker, Aprasidze. His 4th successful opening half strike came in the 38th minute. Kicked from inside his own half the Georgian scrum-half made it an open contest at the interval.

Pumitas fly half  Tomás Albornoz found his kicking rhythm to add two penalties early in the second half. With it Argentina held a 23-15 lead.

The first try of the second half came in the 62nd minute though it could have been in the 55th. On the first occasion Scrum-half Matías Sauze made a sneaky break into Georgian territory and threatened to score. On the second Sauze sniped over untouched from a maul at the back of a lineout. He touched down under the posts to facilitate the goal-kicking.

Additional points followed. Replacement Juan Bautista Daireaux saw that Argentina were too far ahead for Georgia to mount a come back. This did not stop them from trying to do so. Late scores from Giorgi Kveseladze and Ushangi Cheishvili saw the hosts ending the match on a high.

The match was the second Pool C fixture of the day. In the earlier fixture France and South Africa competed to a 23-23 draw. As such Argentina go into the second match as group leaders. On June 4 Georgia face South Africa while Argentina take-on France. Round three will be on June 08.

SCORERS
GEORGIA
Try: Kveseladze, Cheishvili
Conversion: Aprasidze, Gogoladze
Penalty: Aprasidze (4)

ARGENTINA
Try: Kremer, JL González, Ruiz, Sauze, Stavile
Conversion: Albornoz, Daireaux
Penalty: Albornoz (2)

GEORGIA
15 Irakli Mobedadze, 14 Lado Miminoshvili, 13 Beka Gavashelishvili, 12 Beka Tsiklauri, 11 Mikheil Meskhi, 10 Tedo Abzhandadze, 9 Gela Aprasidze, 8 Arseni Machaladze, 7 IliaIlia Spanderashvili (capt.), 6 Mila Nutsubidze, 5 Koba Jimsheleishvili, 4 Beka Saghinadze, 3 Lasha Tabidze, 2 Guri Papidze, 1 Guram Gogichashvili

Replacements: 16 Tengiz Zamtaradze, 17 Ushangi Cheishvili, 18 Guram Papidze, 19 Lasha Jaiani, 20 Tornike Jalagonia, 21 Luka Dvalishvili, 22 Giorgi Gogoladze, 23 Giorgi Kveseladze

ARGENTINA
15 Bautista Delguy, 14 Tomás Malanos (capt.), 13 Facundo Ferrario, 12 Teo Castiglioni, 11 Luciano González, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 9 Matías Sauze, 8 Santiago Ruiz, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Bautista Stavile, 5 Lucas Paulos, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Alejandro Luna, 2 José Luis González, 1 Santiago Pulella

Replacements: 16 Santiago Carrera, 17 Lionel Oviedo, 18 Rodrigo Martínez, 19 Jeremías Tarter, 20 Nahuel Milan, 21 Juan Molina, 22 Gonzalo García, 23 Juan Bautista Daireaux