San Francisco Frontiers - Lions slump to warm-up defeat by Argentina

Bundee Aki and Tadhg Beirne both went over the Pumas line and the Lions were also awarded a penalty try but the visitors replied with three tries of their own including one for fly-half Tomas Albornoz who finished with 18 points.

It was the first opening tour match loss since 1971 but the performance against the fifth-ranked side in the world will give coach Andy Farrell plenty of cause for hope as the team prepares to set off on Saturday for their three-Test tour of Australia.

Seventeen players were not considered by Farrell because of their presence in domestic competitions last weekend or, in the case of Toulouse's Blair Kinghorn, this weekend.

In spite of that the Lions, a team drawn from the best of England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, produced long stretches of effective and eye-catching rugby.

The Lions, however, were under pressure from the start as the Pumas went on the attack from the kick-off, Albornoz stroking over a penalty in the fifth minute.

The Lions then had a try ruled out when Luke Cowan-Dickie spilled the ball forwards as he reached for the line but Fin Smith levelled with a penalty.

The Pumas hit back straight away as wing Ignacio Mendy stepped in off his wing, wrong-footed Duhan van der Merwe and slid through for the try.

The Lions had a second try, this time from Sione Tuipulotu, ruled out before his centre partner Bundee Aki barged through for their opener. Fin Smith added the conversion to put them into the lead 10-8.

The Lions continued to throw the ball around and take the game to the Argentinians but it was the visitors who looked the better-oiled machine.

Albornoz knocked over two more penalties to make it 14-10 as the clock ticked towards the red.

The Lions had time to restart and had a chance to regain the lead before the half-time whistle as the Pumas coughed up possession.

The Pumas, though, quickly retrieved it when Van der Merwe lost possession, allowing them to attack down the right with only full-back Marcus Smith to beat.

Albornoz skittered through under the posts for their second try of the half and added the conversion to take a 21-10 lead at the break.

The Lions began the second half strongly and picked up a penalty try when Puma prop Mayc Vivas came in from the side of a maul to prevent it going over the line, collecting a yellow card in the process.

Shortly after, the Lions were in front, a bullocking run by prop Ellis Genge producing chaos in the Argentine defence and allowing Irish lock Tadhg Beirne to crash over.

Just before the hour, the Pumas were back in front when Connacht's Santiago Cordero beat Marcus Smith in a sprint to the line.

The Lions camped on the Argentine line but Beirne gave away a soft penalty to allow the Pumas to clear their lines and claim a victory that left the Puma players in tears.

F.Young--SFF