Wales 33 - 16 Argentina: Argentina's Ledesma to miss match at Murrayfield

Published on Sunday 22 November 2009 23:17

ARGENTINA's World Cup hooker Mario Ledesma has pulled out of the touring Pumas squad ahead of their third and final match against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.

The Argentine Rugby Union said in a statement that the French-based 36-year-old would not be part of the squad after "coach Santiago Phelan released the hooker of 71 caps for personal reasons". Ledesma will almost certainly be replaced by Alberto Vernet Basualdo in the starting line-up for the Pumas, who lost 16-9 to England a week ago and 33-16 to Wales on Saturday.

The Argentina squad travelled to Edinburgh yesterday and will train at Peffermill this afternoon, looking to put right the errors which saw them convincingly beaten in Cardiff at the weekend. History is on their side – seven wins in the last eight appointments with Scotland – but Argentina's chronically-weak attacking game suggests another long afternoon lies ahead.

"It was a bad game for us against Wales," said Pumas captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe. "We made many mistakes and Wales took advantage. They spoke about trying to attack us, but the tries we conceded were soft ones.

"We still have a match to play on tour, and we must try to be more concentrated. The effort and the fight we have in the team is unquestionable, but it was shown that at this level it is not enough."

Argentina are currently a shadow of the side that finished third at the 2007 World Cup, sorely missing injured playmakers Juan Martin Hernandez and Felipe Contepomi. Wales' 33-16 success was their record winning margin for a 12-Test series that began in 1991, and the Pumas could have few complaints.

"We are not satisfied with our performance," added Toulouse lock Patricio Albacete. "We have a final game now against Scotland in which we have to improve on the mistakes we made and go for a win. It will be a tough game, but we must work to go for it."

Argentina claimed a solitary try in losing to Wales and England, and that score arrived via a charge-down from centre Jonathan Davies' attempted defensive clearance.

Shane Williams twice weaved his magic at the Millennium Stadium, reaching 50 tries in Wales and Lions colours, while fly-half Stephen Jones' audacious opportunist score compounded Argentina's sense of bewilderment. His quick tap-penalty saw him run 30 metres unopposed to Argentina's line after the Pumas wrongly assumed he would kick for goal.

Scorers: Wales: Tries: S. Jones, S. Williams 2. Cons: S. Jones 3. Pens: S. Jones 2, Halfpenny 2. Argentina: Tries: Rodriguez. Cons: Rodriguez. Pens: Rodriguez 3.

Wales: Hook, Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts, Davies (Bishop 73), Shane Williams (Tom James 73), Stephen Jones, Cooper (Peel 66), Jenkins, Rees (Bennett 68), Paul James (Duncan Jones 57), Alun Wyn Jones, Charteris (Thomas 68), Powell, Martyn Williams, Ryan Jones. Subs not used: Lydiate.

Argentina: Agulla, Borges, Tiesi (San Martin 76), Rodriguez, Comuzzi (Urdapilleta 71), Fernandez, Figuerola, Roncero, Ledesma, Scelzo (Ayerza 66), Sambucetti (Carizza 63), Albacete, Leonardi, Abadie (Campos 71), Fernandez Lobbe. Subs not used: Basualdo, Lalanne.

Referee: George Clancy (RU).

Attendance: 60,974