Argentina 13 Scotland 12:ANDY ROBINSON has warned England to expect a furious Scottish onslaught on Saturday, when one of the two nations will suffer a premature exit from the Rugby World Cup. Scotland's agonising 13-12 defeat by Argentina yesterday has thrown Pool B wide open, and England are at risk of going home if they lose to the Scots without collecting a bonus point.
Both countries were on the brink of qualification until a late try by Lucas Amorosino, converted by Felipe Contepomi, kept Argentina alive.
The Pumas, who will face Georgia in their final game on Sunday, can now squeeze past England if Martin Johnson’s team fail to keep their nerve.
Scotland lost their only previous World Cup meeting with England (in the semi-finals in 1991) and have not beaten the auld enemy by more than six points for 25 years. Robinson, even so, said the issue was far from settled.
“Come 8.30pm next Saturday there will be a Scotland side very fired up and a Scotland side I believe will be able to go out and win a game,” said the former England head coach, who took control of Scotland in 2009. “We’ll have some things up our sleeve ready to play England. We’ve got to put ourselves into a position to win the game. This is our last chance. The guys will be ready to go in six days’ time in Auckland.”
Whatever happens, it will be an unwanted first for one of the two countries.
Neither side has ever failed to reach the knockout stages at a World Cup. If the odds suggest England should survive, they will be wary of the Scottish pack who have the ability to make life extremely awkward for them at the breakdowns.
Robinson was not alone in believing the Scottish forwards had the better of a Pumas pack that ran England desperately close in Dunedin a fortnight ago.
The Scots held a six-point lead with eight minutes left, only for Amorosino to escape down the right touchline for a solo try that was converted by Contepomi.
Contepomi also helped to deny Dan Parks a potential winning drop goal in the final moments, when he rushed out of defence from what appeared to be an offside position.
Robinson spoke to the English referee, Wayne Barnes, after the game but refused to criticise him.
“In all sport there are lots of ifs and buts. He didn’t give the call when we wanted it to be given. We’re disappointed that he didn’t, but that’s sport.”
ARGENTINA: Rodriguez, Camacho, Bosch, Contepomi, Agulla, Fernandez, Vergallo, Roncero, Ledesma, Figallo, Carizza, Albacete, Farias Cabello, Leguizamon, Fernandez Lobbe. Replacements: Fessia for Fernandez Lobbe (30 mins), Scelzo for Roncero (36 mins), Gonzalez Amorosino for Rodriguez (64 mins), Creevy for Ledesma (74 mins).
SCOTLAND: Paterson, Evans, De Luca, Morrison, S. Lamont, Jackson, R Lawson, Jacobsen, Ford, Cross, Gray, Hamilton, Strokosch, Barclay, Brown. Replacements: Hines for Gray (56 mins), Dickinson for Jacobsen (61 mins), Hall for Ford (71 mins), Vernon for Brown (78 mins).
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).
