Contepomi & Pichot shine in Argentina win

Another interception
By Duncan Wood
June 16 2002

Felipe Contepomi and Agustin Pichot both had superb games as Argentina overturned the odds and defeated France in Buenos Aires by 28 points to 27. Incredibly, Felipe scored yet another interception try!

The whole match came to life in the second half after the teams had gone in level at 6-6.

The French struck first with a score from Brusque but the Pumas stunned the 6 Nations champions with 19 points in a row to turn a 13-9 deficit into a 28-13 lead.

First Freddie Mendez (ex Bath and Northampton) crashed over from close range and then Diego Albanese took a pass from Felipe Contepomi and showed Leeds fans that they'd made a shrewd acquisition and left everyone else wondering why Gloucester let him go! He simply burned off Jeanjean for pace and went around him into the corner.

Then Felipe pulled off his party trick. France took a quick tap from a free kick in their own 22 and moved the ball left across the line. As the ball was shipped on towards David Traille, in ghosted Felipe and ran it in for yet another interception score. The celebrations were quite boring by his standards - maybe he was overcome by the occasion.

France hit back with converted scores in the last few minutes for Jeanjean and Marsh and Gerard Merceron had a very kickable penalty to win it deep into injury time but dragged the ball left. The tension was almost unbearable but Argentina hung on.

Cue incredible celebrations in Buenos Aires and, if Clive Woodward and his England team were at all compacent about next week, they won't be any more!