Ronan O’Gara landed a last minute 40-metre drop goal and scored all of his team’s points as Ireland edged Argentina 21-19 at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.
O’Gara kept his nerve to score the decisive strike in a match which had earlier seen Ireland, buoyant after their win over the Springboks earlier this month, trailing 13-9 at the break.
But the Pumas were never going to be an easy proposition having beaten France last weekend and the South Americans were quickly in control of the game on Saturday.
Having conceded a penalty in the second minute which Felipe Contepomi converted, the Irish found themselves watching the Leinster fly-half kicking at goal again three minutes later.
This time it was a successful conversion after Frederico Aramburu was given an easy canter under the posts after the Irish midfield disintegrated 40 metres out.
Five minutes gone, 10-0 down.
A rampant Puma team, carrying the confidence of last week’s victory against France in Marseille into this match, used their high-pressure defence to quell Irish efforts to get their game plan in operation.
Having got points on the board from an O’Gara drop goal on eight minutes, Ireland allowed Argentina to work their way down to the other end of the field to set up a penalty chance which Contepomi converted.
Ireland’s scrum rocked and their normally ultra-efficient lineout conceded possession or secured it poorly throughout the half but bursts by Anthony Foley and Peter Stringer created Irish pressure which was eventually turned into points.
O’Gara landed a penalty into the squall after Argentinian indiscipline at a ruck while a Contepomi penalty made it 13-6 at the interval.
Pumas coach Marcello Loffreda expected an Irish onslaught and as the second half began, it finally came when powerful running among the Irish backs eventually led to a penalty which O’Gara kicked.
But again the Argentinians marched down the other end and the boot of Contepomi cancelled out Ireland’s score.
Slippery ball, and a wind favouring Argentina in the first half, hampered Irish efforts but Tony Spreadbury’s sometimes eccentric refereeing of the scrum was also conspicuous.
While some of the kicking by Irish backs left much to be desired, O’Gara’s kicks from hand brought more precision to the Ireland game and he reduced the lead by six points with penalties following ruck infringements.
Four points ahead and only nine minutes left and Gonzalo Longo cracked to hand Ireland their chance.
He took out an Irish lineout jumper to give O’Gara the chance to score. Longo was sin-binned for the infringement and the Munster man landed his kick.
That reduced the deficit to a just a point down with eight minutes to go against 14 men, and with a clean sweep in the autumn series which started with an historic victory here against South Africa two weeks ago, the scene was set for a bit of Irish romance.
And it came with O’Gara’s last minute drop. – Sapa