Lucky Lions

An injury-time penalty from out-half Jonny Wilkinson helped the Lions to a 25-25 draw with Argentina at the Millennium Stadium.

An injury-time penalty from out-half Jonny Wilkinson helped the Lions to a 25-25 draw with Argentina at the Millennium Stadium.

The home side looked totally at odds with one another and were fortunate to be just three points (19-16) in arrears at half-time after the vastly under-strength Pumas dominated the opening period.

Wilkinson levelled the game in the second half but Argentine fly-half Federico Todeschini kicked two penalties before Wilkinson struck with two of hisown to snatch a draw his side scarcely deserved.

Afterwards Wilkinson commented. “We did get away with a draw but we had a lot of pressure on them in the end – nobody was under the illusion it was going to be easy.

“It was very tough out there but it would have been worse if we hadn’t come together. Argentina are a class outfit. We did lose the ball a bit and you can’t play rugby when you don’t have the ball.

“We have to take positives and learning from the negatives will help.”

Lions: G Murphy; D Hickie, O Smith, G D’Arcy, S Williams; J Wilkinson, G Cooper; G Rowntree, S Byrne, J Hayes; D O’Callaghan, D Grewcock; M Corry, L Moody, M Owen (capt). Replacements: S Thompson, J White, B Kay, L Dallaglio, C Cusiter, R O’Gara, S Horgan.

Argentina: B Stortoni; J Nunez Piossek, L Arbizu, F Contepomi (capt), F Leonelli; F Todeschini, N Fernandez Miranda; F Mendez, M Ledesma, M Reggiardo, P Bouza, M Sambucetti, F Genoud, M Schusterman, J-M Leguizamon.