(Reuters) - Substitute prop Thomas Gallo scored a brace of second-half tries as Argentina twice rallied from behind to beat an inexperienced France side 33-25 in Buenos Aires on Saturday and draw their two-test series 1-1.
Prop Eduardo Bello and flyhalf Santiago Carreras also crossed for the home team to go with a penalty try as they rebounded from a surprise 28-13 first test loss.
France had been seeking a first series win in Argentina since 1998, but could not contain the home side despite tries from scrumhalf Baptiste Serin, centre Emilien Gailleton and wing Theo Attissogbe.
They made the brighter start and were ahead when Serin was worked into space out wide and crossed for the game’s first try.
But Argentina gradually grew into the contest the longer the first half went on and their forward muscle managed to turn pressure into points.
Bello barged over the tryline from close range, before they were awarded a penalty score when their scrum pushed France back over their goal line in a massive show of power.
They extended that lead to 21-10 at the break as a neat move from an attacking line-out ended with Carreras beating two defenders to score.
France came out with renewed intensity in the second half and Gailleton’s try from his own charge-down added to a penalty and the visitors were back within a point of their hosts.
They regained the lead 10 minutes into the second half when Argentina wing Bautista Delguy misjudged the bounce of a grubber kick into the 22 and Attissogbe profited to score.
But following a yellow card for prop Georges-Henri Colombe, Argentina immediately regained the lead as Gallo twice shoved his way over the tryline.
OFF-FIELD ISSUES
The defeat brings to an end a tour that will be remembered in France for the wrong reasons.
Lock Hugo Auradou, 20, and back row Oscar Jegou, 21, have been charged with aggravated sexual assault for an incident following last week’s first test win in Mendoza. Their lawyer has said they deny the accusation.
Experienced back Melvyn Jaminet was also sent home before that test after making a racist comment on social media.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Toby Davis)
