Argentina hooker Julian Montoya scored a rapid first-half hat-trick as the Pumas beat Tonga 28-12 yesterday to revive their bid for a Rugby World Cup quarter-final place.
Montoya’s treble at the Hanazono Stadium equaled Argentina’s record for the most tries in a single World Cup match set by center Martin Gaitan, now a member of their coaching staff, in a 67-14 rout of Namibia in Gosford, Australia, in 2003.
It also meant that, with six in total at the global showpiece, Montoya has scored more World Cup tries than any other hooker.
Photo: AFP
Argentina had a four-try bonus-point as early as the 26th minute and the Pumas led 28-7 at half-time.
In a group of death also featuring in-form England — their next opponents in Tokyo on Saturday — Argentina badly needed a bonus-point victory from this match to maintain their hopes of reaching the knockout phase following an opening 23-21 loss to France.
Tonga too were looking to bounce back after a 35-3 defeat to England, but it was 2007 and 2015 semi-finalists Argentina who opened the scoring with a seventh-minute try straight off the training ground.
Photo: Reuters
They declined an easy penalty and kicked for a line-out close to Tonga’s line. After Montoya threw the ball in, Argentina won possession and lock Guido Petti quickly passed the ball back to the hooker on the blindside for a well-worked score.
Flyhalf Benjamin Urdapilleta, preferred to Nicolas Sanchez, made light of a difficult conversion from 45m out on the right.
Argentina’s second try in the 17th minute was a similar story, although this time Montoya went over from a conventional line-out catch and drive.
Minutes later, Argentina had their third try when Tonga flyhalf James Faiva’s careless flicked pass went to ground and Pumas left wing Santiago Carreras seized on the loose ball to sprint in from 55m.
Urdapilleta converted to make it 21-0, much to the delight of Pumas’ fans in a crowd of more than 21,000. Argentina then had their bonus point and Montoya his hat-trick when the hooker, who also scored a try against France, powered over from the base of a ruck.
However, an Argentina fumble following Urdapilleta’s fourth successful conversion at the restart led to a Tonga try in the 30th minute.
A spell of sustained forward possession ended with scrumhalf Sonatane Takulua’s wide pass to fullback Telusa Veainu, who sprinted between two defenders to score.
Takulua converted and Tonga nearly scored another try before half-time only for wing David Halaifonua to be bundled into touch by Tomas Lavanini’s last-ditch tackle just before he grounded the ball.
Montoya’s hopes of equaling the record of most tries by a hooker in a World Cup match — Ireland great Keith Wood scored four against the US in 1999 — ended when he was replaced five minutes into the second half.
Amid a welter of changes by Pumas coach Mario Ledesma, doubtless with an eye on protecting key personnel for the England game, Argentina’s performance dipped.
Tonga rallied, with replacement wing Cooper Vuna’s pass sending Veainu in at the corner for his second try 14 minutes from time, although Faiva missed the conversion.
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