CARDIFF, 18 Oct - An outstanding performance by Argentina ended Ireland's Rugby World Cup 2015 dream under the Millennium Stadium roof in an enthralling contest on Sunday.
The Pumas looked to have the game won after 22 minutes as they led 20-3, but Ireland hauled themselves back into contention to trail by just three points early in the second half. However, late tries from full-back Joaquin Tuculet and wing Juan Imhoff (pictured above) - his second of the match - rounded off a stunning victory for Daniel Hourcade's exciting young team. Fly-half Nicolas Sanchez was imperious with the boot, kicking 23 points.
Argentina led 20-10 at half-time, although that bald statistic does not begin to tell the story of the huge shock the Pumas inflicted on Ireland with a brace of superb tries in the opening 10 minutes, scored by Matias Moroni and Imhoff. 
While Ireland reeled, and wing Tommy Bowe became their latest player to depart the field on the medical wagon, Sanchez kicked the Pumas into a 20-3 lead.
Only when Luke Fitzgerald, Bowe’s replacement, scored a try after 27 minutes – converted by Ian Madigan – could the Irish begin to sense a possible route back into the match.

CUTTING DEFICIT

The next try would be pivotal and brilliant footwork by Fitzgerald, who broke a tackle in midfield before setting up flanker Jordi Murphy, ensured it went Ireland’s way and the deficit was suddenly back to a mere three points.
Sanchez’s boot stretched it to six, then Madigan cut it back to three, but Jonathan Sexton’s replacement could not level things up when his kick from beyond the 10-metre line slid past the right-hand post.
Where Madigan erred, Sanchez made it 26-20 after a high tackle on him by Devin Toner. But the crucial score came when the TMO ruled that Tuculet had touched down in the corner in the 69th minute.
It was largely academic when Imhoff sprinted clear to make it 38-20, before Sanchez's fourth conversion out of four.