Horne brothers score 24 points as Scots trounce Pumas
RESISTENCIA, Argentina: Brothers George and Peter Horne scored 24 points between them as Scotland trounced Argentina 44-15 Saturday in a one-off Test in Resistencia.
Scrum-half George crossed for two tries as the Scots built a 36-3 half-time advantage and centre Peter kicked four conversions and two penalties at rain-swept Estadio Centenario.
Scotland overwhelmed Canada and suffered a shock one-point defeat by the United States in other Americas tour matches.
Coach Gregor Townsend wanted a positive response after the shock Houston loss last weekend and he got it, particularly from a dominant first-half display.
Another dismal outing by the Pumas after two losses to Wales this month marked a sad ending to the six-year reign of coach Daniel Hourcade.
He guided the Pumas to the 2015 World Cup semi-finals in England, but has suffered 22 losses in 28 Tests since.
Hourcade announced last weekend that he would quit after the Scotland Test and Mario Ledesma, coach of Super Rugby outfit Jaguares, has been linked to the post.
If the Pumas thought things could not get any worse after two humiliating home defeats by Wales, they were gravely mistaken during the opening half.
Scotland, desperate to end a tour of the Americas with a win after falling 30-29 to the United States, were seven points ahead within two minutes thanks to the Hornes.
George scored and Peter converted to get the team that finished third in the 2018 Six Nations Championship off to a dream start.
George scored between the posts, and so did winger Blair Kinghorn six minutes later, with Peter Horne converting again.
Skipper and hooker Stuart McInally, back in the team after missing the other tour matches through injury, was next to score.
Peter Horne succeeded with another simple conversion and Scotland were averaging more than a point a minute as they built a 21-0 lead with just 15 minutes gone.
Shell-shocked Argentina opted for a shot at goal, which fly-half Nicolas Sanchez scored off, rather than kick to touch and try and force a rollingmaul try.
Flanker Magnus Bradbury became the second forward to score when he claimed a pushover try and Peter Horne converted before slotting a penalty soon after.
There was even more misery to come for the Pumas just before half-time when a clever tap back by surrounded fly-half Adam Hastings gave George Horne his second try.
Peter Horne failed to convert from the touchline, his first miss of the match, but it hardly mattered with Scotland 33 points ahead at the break.
The third quarter was slightly more satisfying for the South Americans as flanker Tomas Lezana and replacement centre Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias scored.
Sanchez, the leading points scorer at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, converted the first try, but inexplicably missed the second from almost in front of the posts.
Between the two Pumas tries’, winger Dougie Fife got a sixth for Scotland and that score coupled with a Peter Horne penalty had the Scots 44-15 ahead on the hour. - AFP