Bristol duo scupper Scotland

A plot hatched in the west of England gave Argentina a second Celtic scalp at rain-lashed Murrayfield yesterday.

Having held their own for an hour, Scotland subsided in an alarming fashion over the closing stages as Bristol team-mates Felipe Contepomi and Agustin Pichot reprised Argentina's victory over Wales the previous week.

Fly half Contepomi sent over seven kicks out of seven and exerted a calm control over the match, and Pichot had a crucial hand in his side's only try and was a livewire inspiration.

Scotland fly half Gregor Townsend veered between Jekyll and Hyde throughout - capable of opening up the Argentina defence at will one minute but panicking in possession the next.

After the fly halves had landed a penalty each, Scotland poached a try from the blue. From a scrum deep inside the Argentina 22, Andy Nicol charged down Pichot's attempted clearance kick and the ball ricocheted to Townsend, allowing him to stroll over unopposed. Contepomi kept his side in touch with the boot until the Scotland defence was breached early in the second half as full back Ignacio Corleto held off John Leslie's challenge to touch down. Just before the hour, Scotland's defiance brought them a second try, Townsend and wing Cameron Murray combining to send Derrick Lee over. But with their defence starting to unravel and their line out deteriorating, the home side's resistance finally broke under Contepomi's barrage. Scotland coach Ian McGeechan said: 'We felt at half time that if we could keep it going we could nick a result. You have to get enough control to break their game up but we didn't manage it.'