Argentina too strong for outclassed Namibia

Argentina 64 Namibia 19 It was not the farewell Namibia wanted or deserved but they are not the only ones to have fallen prey to the Pumas and on current evidence may not be the last. Juan Martin Hernandez, on a rare outing at outhalf, orchestrated a nine-try romp to ensure Argentina approach their quarter-final with Ireland on Sunday in confident mood.

They are the third highest try-scorers, have a formidable scrum and a vast array of talented backs – against Namibia it was the right wing Matias Moroni who shone brightest but he is unlikely to keep his place for the quarter-final.

For Namibia, who like Argentina made 11 changes, it was a difficult afternoon and their heaviest defeat of the tournament, not helped by the absence of Jacques Burger or an early yellow card to JC Greyling. On seven minutes a break from Moroni allowed Hernandez, running a perfect inside line, in for the first try, Iglesias adding the extras.

Iglesias had found his range and Argentina were 10-0 to the good and a man up when the Greyling was shown a yellow card, but Namibia were soon back to within three, Hernandez guilty of showboating and duly punished when his flicked pass only found Tromp who gathered the loose ball and coasted in under the posts.

Advantage count

But Argentina soon made their numerical advantage count. First Moroni wriggled through the heart of the Namibia defence to touch down under the posts before

Horacio Agulla

went over down the left despite Namibian protestations that Iglesias had impeded

Conrad Marais

in the build-up.

The Pumas had the bonus point on 35 minutes when Facundo Isa was the beneficiary of a perfectly executed driving mail and the loosehead Lucas Noguera Paz flopped over on stroke of half-time for a 36-7 lead.

Namibia are nothing if not spirited, however, and Greyling grabbed their second try, the centre breaking from the 10m line under the posts with Theuns Kotze converting.

Argentina responded with the second-row Matias Alemanno barging his way over for try number six but their replacement Marcelo Bosch was sent to the sin-bin for a tip tackle on Kotze before Tromp was just short of what would have been a fabulous Namibia try.

Leonardo Senatore, hooker Julian Montoya and Tomas Cubelli got in on the try-scoring act but Eugene Jantjies had the final say with Namibia's third try before the final whistle. Guardian Service ARGENTINA: Gonzalez Amorosino, Moroni, Gonzalez Iglesias, Socino, Agulla, Hernandez, Landajo, Noguera, Montoya, Orlandi, Petti Pagadizabal, Alemanno, Matera, Ortega Desio, Isa. Replacements: Imhoff for Gonzalez Iglesias (65 mins), Bosch for Hernandez (51 mins), Cubelli for Landajo (53 mins), Creevy for Montoya (70 mins), Herrera for Orlandi (53 mins), Fernandez Lobbe for Alemanno (60 mins). Sin Bin: Bosch (53 mins). NAMIBIA: Botha, Tromp, Greyling, Deysel, Marais, Kotze, Stevens, Engels, van Jaarsveld, Coetzee, Venter, Uanivi, Kitshoff, Conradie, Dames. Replacements: R van Wyk for Botha (57 mins), Jantjies for Stevens (65 mins), Redelinghuys for Engels (52 mins), van der Westhuizen for van Jaarsveld (52 mins), de Klerk for Coetzee (48 mins), Bothma for Venter (6 mins), du Plessis for Dames (58 mins). Sin Bin: Greyling (11 mins), du Plessis (76 mins). Referee: Pascal Gauzere (France).