Twelve tries in eleven test matches
We can brag about Izzy but against Ireland last Saturday 22-year-old Manuel Montero scored his twelfth try in eleven test matches for Argentina.
Ireland beat Argentina 29-17 in Resistencia in their first test match since the retirement of Brian O’Driscoll. That was one milestone and another was that it was the first time they had won a test in Argentina in four attempts.
Argentina rested most of their best available players, for the Rugby Championship. They used only a few Pumas who played regularly in Europe and none of the big names started for them. Most were local players and ten had been in Australia for the Pacific Rugby Cup a few months ago.
One such player was winger Manuel Montero.
Manuel Montero (2012) – loves some meat
Ireland were 6-3 ahead and Argentina was a man down in the bin at the half-hour mark when Johnny Sexton hoisted a bomb for Ireland.
Puma fullback Joaquin Tuculet took the high ball with style on his own 40 metre-line and got grounded on half-way. Flyhalf Nicolás Sánchez got the ball from the ruck and stepped inside Ireland 12. Luke Marshall. Puma 13. Jerónimo de la Fuente ran an inside line to support Sánchez but was tugged back by his opposite number Darren Cave; but it didn’t matter because Montero had also ran inside his marker, Andrew Trimble, and was available.
Before he was tackled Sanchez passed to Montero and the winger hared off and did an “in and away”. His “in” stopped Sexton in his tracks and put Trimble, coming from behind, off balance so that all he could attempt was an ankle-tap on the Puma. But he was doing “away” around Sexton by that time, and he scored in the corner.
Magic try – Argentina v Ireland
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_TlW1N598k
A nice conversion from touch meant that Argentina led 10-6 at the break with nine minutes to go in the first half, but that was as good as it got for the locals.
The Ireland pros, though short a few players themselves, were too savvy for the Pumas and retook the lead. An intercept try by Trimble in the second half destroyed any chance of an Argentine comeback and Ireland won 29-17.
But at least the home crowd had a moment of magic to savour.
