Ireland U20 18-16 Argentina U20
Ireland got their Pool C World Rugby U-20 Championship campaign off to a winning start thanks to a touchline penalty from replacement Tomás Quinlan with the last kick of the game.
Argentina had taken the lead two minutes earlier through Emiliano Boffelli and crossed for the game's only try just after half-time, but five penalties from Joey Carbery and Quinlan's late, late kick gave Ireland a deserved victory.
RE:LIVE: @Tomas_Quinlan slots a last minute match-winning kick for @irishrugby U20s to beat @unionargentina 18-16 https://t.co/pE2zTYWgTE
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) June 2, 2015Fly-half Carbery got Ireland off to a great start with a fourth minute penalty when Argentinian flanker Lucas Gasparri was penalised on the ground following strong carries from Sam Arnold and Gary Ringrose.
The lead didn’t last long though and after Stephen Fitzgerald's clearance was charged down and Josh Murphy infringed, Domingo Miotti kicked his side level from the right.
Fitzgerald and Murphy were involved in the ninth minute as Ireland looked likely to score the game's opening try, but some poor handling from the UCD back-row saw the chance go astray after the Munster man fielded Carbery's accurate crossfield kick.
While Ireland were enjoying dominance one the ball was put through hands, the set piece was not as successful a platform for them. One three occasions in the first-half the lineout misfired for Ireland in Argentinian territory, while the South Americans enjoyed the upper hand at scrum time.
In the 24th minute Ireland looked like they had taken a significant step towards victory when Carbery's one handed pass sent Fitzgerald over the tryline, but referee Lloyd Linton harshly chalked out the score for a forward pass.
Linton did allow Argentina the benefit of the doubt for their next score – a sweet drop goal from Miotti – but Ireland could question why the Pumas were allowed 14 seconds in the maul following Linton's “use it” command instead of the five seconds permitted.
Ireland were level five minutes later though when Vittorio Rosti was pinged for not releasing following the tackle and right on half-time Carbery landed his third penalty of the half after the Argentinian front-row was penalised at the scrum.
That 9-6 interval lead was the least Ireland deserved, but the concession of a try in the 44th minute from Portillo and a brilliant touchline conversion saw them trail 13-9.
Carbery was calm from the tee for Ireland though, and he kicked his fourth penalty three minutes later and his fifth followed in the 55th minute as Argentina began to lose their discipline at the breakdown and consequently surrendered the lead.
He did miss a straightforward kick 12 minutes from time, which would have put five points between the sides, and it appeared as if Ireland would be severely punished for that miss when Bofelli landed a 78th minute penalty for Argentina to give them a 16-15 lead.
However, Quinlan stepped forward as Ireland's hero, and his penalty from the right touchline never moved off the target, to give Ireland a narrow, deserved triumph.
Scorers:
Ireland U-20: J Carbery (5), T Quinlan (1) pens.
Argentina U-20: S Portillo try; D Miotti con; D Miotti, E Boffelli pens; D Miotti drop.
Ireland U-20: B Dardis; J Stockdale, G Ringrose, S Arnold, S Fitzgerald; J Carbery, N McCarthy (capt); J Loughman, Z McCall, O Heffernan; D O’Connor, A Thompson; J Murphy, R Moloney, L Dow
Replacements: A Porter for Loughman (8 mins), S McNulty for McCall (63), C O’Donnell for Heffernan (63), J Dwan for Thompson (63), N Timoney for Moloney (63), C Rock for McCarthy (71), T Quinlan for Carbery (74).
Argentina U-20: E Boffelli; E Achilli, T Granella, B Ezcurra (capt), S Resino; D Miotti, L Bazán Vélez; J Díaz, I Calles, C Bartoloni; V Rosti, I Larrague; J Deheza, L Gasparri, E Olmedo Paz.
Replacements: S Portillo for Olmedo Paz (12-15 mins & 40), E Bello for Bartoloni (40), N Ocello for Diaz (51), I Calas for Deheza (51), J Cruz Mallía for Achilli (58), G Baldunciel for Calles (66).
