Argentina (6) 9
Pens: Contepomi 2, Rodriguez
Scotland (10) 13
Tries: Hamilton Cons: Parks Pens: Parks 2

By Andy Campbell

Scotland held on to record their first southern hemisphere series win with a 13-9 victory over Argentina in Mar del Plata's Estadio Jose Maria Minella.

Jim Hamilton's first international try helped the tourists into a 10-6 half-time lead.

Martin Rodriguez's penalty brought the Pumas to within one point of Andy Robinson's side.

But Dan Parks replied for the Scots, who survived a late charge by stealing a line-out at the death.

The historic result secures Scotland's first Test series win on foreign soil.

Having failed to score a try in last week's 24-16 win in Tucuman, the tourists were determined to cross the line early on and succeeded from a five-metre line-out in the third minute.

Ross Ford's throw-in set up a maul right on the line and Hamilton squeezed through to touch down. Dan Parks added the conversion.

Parks's ambitious drop-goal attempt from near halfway drifted wide before Scotland were twice penalised for not releasing an opponent on the ground, allowing Felipe Contepomi to reduce Argentina's arrears to just one point.

The Pumas continued to press and prop Rodrigo Roncero burst through the Scottish defence only to be stopped in his tracks by Hugo Southwell's tackle.

Scotland battled hard for their second straight win over the Pumas

Parks's first penalty of the match strengthened Scotland's lead but, after Argentina had continued to infringe, the stand-off pushed his next two efforts wide.

Roncero was sin binned for committing a line-out offence and a forward pass curtailed John Barclay's run towards the try line shortly before the turn around.

The hosts looked to go ahead for the first time and ground their way towards the try line on the hour mark but had to settle for a penalty after the Scots were adjudged to have pulled down the scrum.

With Contepomi having sustained a knee injury, Martin Rodriguez took over the penalty responsibilities and stroked home between the posts to reduce Scotland's advantage to a single point.

A series of changes saw Scotland lose injured captain Alastair Kellock and scrum-half Rory Lawson, and Scott MacLeod and Mike Blair introduced from the bench while Alejandro Campos replaced Contepomi.

Scotland were struggling for territory but dug in to resist more Argentina advances and re-established a four-point lead when Parks found the posts from the Pumas' 10m line.

Argentina kicked into touch from their final penalty and the line-out was claimed by MacLeod in injury time, allowing Blair to end the game by kicking out of play.

Argentina: Rodriguez, Amorosino, Tiesi, Fernandez, Agulla, Contepomi, Figuerola, Roncero, Ledesma, Scelzo, Carizza, Albacete, Fessia, Leguizamon, Fernandez Lobbe.

Replacements: Carballo for Contepomi (63), Creevy for Ledesma (66), Ayerza for Scelzo (69), Guzman for Leguizamon (46).

Not Used: Campos, Vergallo, Borges.

Sin Bin: Roncero (36).

Scotland: Southwell, Lamont, Evans, Morrison, Danielli, Parks, R. Lawson, Jacobsen, Ford, Low, Hamilton, Kellock, Brown, Barclay, Beattie.

Replacements: De Luca for Evans (69), Blair for R. Lawson (67), Dickinson for Jacobsen (60), S. Lawson for Ford (66), MacLeod for Kellock (68), Strokosch for Beattie (60).

Not Used: Godman.

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