Argentina stuns Scotland from 21-0 down at Murrayfield

Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi ran out of patience with a team whose own mistakes were making it easier for Scotland. His breaking point was just after halftime.

Flanker Santiago Grondona was hit head-high by opposite Rory Darge but the Scot wasn't yellow-carded, only penalized. Pumas flyhalf Gerónimo Prisciantelli failed to find touch, Scotland countered and Ewan Ashman ran over Prisciantelli to score his second try of the match. Finn Russell's extras made it 21-0.

Contepomi sent on five replacements; new props and scrumhalf and Carreras, his reliable goalkicker, and Pablo Matera, the most capped Puma.

They transformed the Pumas. The scrum was no longer a lottery, Carreras attacked the line and Matera was a bull with the ball in hand.

Their impact was immediate. Santiago Carreras’ offload released Matias Moroni but Mateo Carreras dropped the inside pass with the line begging, Argentina’s eighth handling error. Winger Rodrigo Isgro then intercepted Russell and Scotland fullback Blair Kinghorn was yellow-carded for cynically preventing a try.

Pumas captain Julian Montoya called for a scrum and moments later scored under a heap of bodies: 21-7.

Three minutes and eight phases later, Isgro dotted down: 21-12.

Russell, flawless off the tee, kicked a penalty for 24-12 in the 64th and Scotland was still marginally favored.

But Scotland was soon reeling again from charging Pumas; lock Pedro Rubiolo scored between the posts in the 70th, Matera's try tied the score in the 75th and Santiago Carreras' conversion put them ahead for the first time. Replacement back Justo Piccardo iced one of Argentina's greatest days in the 79th when he stepped Darcy Graham and carried Kinghorn over the line for their fifth try.

Just to rub it in, Santiago Carreras converted from the touchline.

It's the second straight heartbreaking result for Scotland. A week ago, New Zealand rallied from 17-17 through its reserves to win 25-17 as Scotland chased a historic first win over the All Blacks.

But on Sunday nobody contemplated Scotland losing at 21-0.

After Pumas fullback Juan Cruz Mallia was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on, a Pumas lineout overthrow led to Scotland's opening try; Russell set up No. 8 Jack Dempsey.

Then a Russell bomb caught by Graham finished with Ashman barging over for 14-0.

Argentina had the ball for the rest of the first half but kept blowing chances. Mallia's two penalty kicks sailed well wide, two attacking lineouts were wasted, and two 10-plus phase attacks came to nothing. Contepomi took his frustration out on the wall behind him.

The coach finally sought answers from his bench in the 46th and just in time.

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby