Argentina outscored Italy by five tries to one as they returned to winning ways after seven successive losses with a 37-16 win in their test at the Stadio Communale Monigo on Saturday.
Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Matias Moroni, Santiago Cordero and Facundo Bosch scored tries in a convincing triumph with Emiliano Boffelli adding a penalty and three conversions.
Nicolas Sanchez came on to also put over a penalty after Argentina were 17-6 ahead at halftime.
Italy scrumhalf Stephen Varney scored his team’s try, converted by Paolo Garbisi who also kicked over three penalties.
Boffelli set Argentina on their way with a superbly taken high catch and a clever offload to allow Kremer to surge to the line for the opening score after nine minutes.
Gonzalez, who turns 21 on Sunday, celebrated his birthday early as he finished off a kick and chase to see Argentina romp into a 17-0 lead inside the opening half hour.
They got their third try 100 seconds into the second half after Mateo Carreras leapt over an opponent to snatch a poor kick by the hosts and turn defence into attack as Argentina then swung the ball down the line for Moroni to go over.
Italy suggested a possible comeback when Vardy darted over in the 48th minute followed three minutes later by the third of Garbisi?s penalties to cut the Pumas’ lead to eight points.
But an easy try for Cordero not long after swiftly ended home hopes with Italy’s bad day at the office compounded by a serious knee injury suffered by prop Marco Riccioni, who plays for Saracens in England.
Bosch scored four minutes from time at the end of a maul to make up for dropping the ball after also crossing the try line a minute earlier.
Argentina had lost six games in the Rugby Championship and last weekend away to France going into Saturday’s test. They now head to Dublin to meet Ireland next Sunday.
Italy finish their year with a test against Uruguay in Parma next weekend.
ITALY: M Minozzi; E Padovani, JI Brex, L Morisi, M Ioane; P Garbisi, S Varney; I Nemer, G Lucchesi, M Riccioni; N Cannone, D Sisi; S Negri, M Lamaro, G Licata.
Replacements: M Fuser for Sisi, F Ruzza for Licata, D Fischetti for Nemer (all 49), P Ceccarelli for Riccioni (51), F Mori for Minozzi, G Pettinelli for Negri (both 56), L Bigi for Lucchesi (64), A Fusco for Varney (71).
ARGENTINA: E Boffelli; S Cordero, M Moroni, J de la Fuente, M Carreras; S Carreras, T Cubelli; T Gallo, J Montoya, F Gomez Kodela; M Kremer, T Lavanini; P Matera, JM Gonzalez, F Isa.
Replacements: S Grondona for Isa (51), S Medrano for Gomez Kodela (56), I Calles for Gallo, N Sanchez for S Carreras (both 61), L Paulos for Cubelli, G Bertranou for Lavanini (both 66), L Cinti Luna for De la Fuente, F Bosch for Montoya (both 71).
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand).
