Argentina and Namibia met in their final Pool C game of the Rugby World Cup at the King Power Stadium.
The Pumas had already secured their place in the quarter-finals of the competition following their comfortable win over over Tonga last time out.
Namibia were looking to end their campaign on a high note after taking just one point from their opening three fixtures.
Argentina produced an impressive display to cruise to a 64-19 victory, scoring nine tries over the course of the afternoon, leaving them in good shape ahead of their quarter-final clash next week.
Read how all the action unfolded in our commentary below.
Good morning and welcome to the live commentary of the Rugby World Cup clash between Argentina and Namibia.
The Pumas have already secure their spot in the last eight of the competition following their win over Tonga last time out, and the Pacific Islanders defeat to New Zealand on Friday. As a result, Argentina can play with freedom today aainst the minnows at the King Power Stadium.
Namibia have lost all three matches in the tournament so far, but have put in a good account of themselves despite their defeats. They lost by just one point to Georgia in their last outing, and managed to score three tries against Tonga. Phil Davies's men's only hammering came at the hands of New Zealand in their opening fixture. However, Namibia will be determined to end their campaign on a high note.
Let's take a look at the confirmed lineups for the clash today.
Argentina: Noguera, Montoya, Orlandi, Petti, Alemanno, Matera, Desio, Isa; Landajo, Hernandez, Martin, Agulla, Socino, Iglesias, Moroni, Amorosino
Replacements: Creevy, Ayerza, Herrera, Senatore, Lobbe, Cubelli, Bosch, Imhoff
Replacements: Creevy, Ayerza, Herrera, Senatore, Lobbe, Cubelli, Bosch, Imhoff
Namibia: Engels, Van Jaarsveld, Coetzee, Venter, Uanivi, Kitshoff, Conradie, Damens; Buitendag, Kotze, Marais, Deysel, Greyling, Tromp, Botha
Replacements: Van der Westhuizen, Redelinghuys, Larson, Bothma, Du Plessis, Van Lill, Jantjes, Smit
Replacements: Van der Westhuizen, Redelinghuys, Larson, Bothma, Du Plessis, Van Lill, Jantjes, Smit
Juan Martin Hernandez will make the start for the Pumas at fly-half in one of 10 changes today as Daniel Hourcade as opted to rest the majority of his starters ahead of the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, Namibia are without Jacques Burger, who retired from international rugby after suffering a concussion in his side's defeat to Georgia.
The players are out on the pitch so we should be underway shortly.
KICKOFF! We're underway at the King Power Stadium.
The Pumas made a strong burst down the right wing with Agulla, but Namibia manage to get men back in time to cover and force Argentina out to the right. An error from the Pumas ensues as Matera knocks on, allowing the minnows to clear the danger.
Matera collects a pass down the right following a quick offload and has space to sprint into to raid for the tryline, but he gets bundled into touch just short of the line. However, the Pumas have a penalty for offside.
MISS! Iglesias goes for the kick between the posts, but misses from relatively close range to hand the minnows a let off.
TRY! Argentina 7-0 Namibia (Hernandez)
Argentina take the lead with a simple move down the left as Hernandez releases the run of Moroni, who makes a man miss and speeds towards the line. With one defender to beat, Moroni offloads back to Hernandez who completes the score by touching down under the posts. Iglesias sends the conversion through the posts.
Argentina keep up the pressure by winning a penalty from the breakdown as Namibia are guilty of not rolling away. Iglesias sends the ball deep in the 22 where the Pumas will have an attacking lineout.
YELLOW CARD! Greyling goes into the bin for a high tackle on Agulla, and Argentina win another penalty that Iglesias will kick for the posts.
PENALTY! Argentina 10-0 Namibia (Iglesias)
Iglesias has no problem sending his kick through the posts and Argentina take a 10-0 lead at the King Power Stadium.
TRY! Argentina 10-7 Namibia (Tromp)
Despite being reduced to 14 men, Namibia hit back to reduce the deficit to three points. A lazy offload from Hernandez is kicked forward by Tromp and the ball takes a kind bounce for the winger for him to gather and touch down under the posts. There was no Argentina player around him when he raced over the line, very sloppy from the Pumas. Kotze sends the conversion.
A kick from Kotze almost releases the run of Tromp again down the right, but the winger's run is brought to a halt by Amorosino, and his attempted offload is gathered by Montoya at midfield to ease the danger for the Pumas.
Marais comes through a pack of players to gather an up and under from Kotze to put Namibia in a strong position down the left. However, the move comes to a halt when Conradie tries to join the ruck from the side and allows the Pumas to kick downfield.
TRY! Argentina 17-7 Namibia (Moroni)
The Pumas make their lead comfortable as Moroni scores an superb individual effort. He comes off the wing into the middle of the field to collect the offload from Landajo and he powers through four tackles and weaves his way to the line to tap down under the posts. Iglesias's conversion kick sails through the posts.
Matera makes a strong surge for the line after finding space between two Namibia defenders, but the minnows get men back to stop his push for the score and they manage to bundle him into touch to win a lineout on their five-metre line.
TRY! Argentina 24-7 Namibia (Agulla)
Another score for the Pumas as they work the ball over to the left, pulling Namibia defenders out of positon. Landajo sends the ball long to Agulla on the left wing and he is able to coast in for the try after the final defender chose to wiepout Iglesias. The referee checks for obstruction but TMO confirms the score, and Iglesias sends his kick through for the extras.
Amorosino calls for the mark inside the 22 and sets off on an incredible solo run all the way into the Namibia half, weaving his way through several tackles before he is finally brought down by Deysel in a try-saving tackle. The full-back was in there before Deysel acted. Impressive rugby all round there.
Tromp tries to make another dart for the line when the ball comes loose from the breakdown, but this time his kick just goes out of bounds behind. However, a penalty was already awarded against Namibia for a neck pull against Deysel in the ruck, which allows Argentina to clear.
Iglesias sends the ball into touch for his side to have an attacking lineout in the Namibia 22. Montoya and Socino both make strong bursts for the line from close range, but the minnows manage to repel the danger and a scrum is awarded for Hourcade's men.
A scuffle in the scrum as Engels lashes out at Orlandi and the Pumas have a penalty within five metres of the Namibia line as Iglesias sends the ball into touch.
TRY! Argentina 29-7 Namibia (Isa)
From the lineout, Montoya feeds Isa and then the Argentina powers push their opposite numbers back towards the tryline and Isa releases from the back and dives over the line for the score. Iglesias sends his kick wide right to miss the conversion.
TRY! Argentina 36-7 Namibia (Noguera)
Argentina extend their lead just before the break as they make another strong surge through the middle. Matepa offloads the ball five metres from the line and after a scramble Noguera picks it up and dives over for the score. After a review from TMO, the official awards the try and Iglesias sends his team into the break with a 29-point lead.
HALF-TIME: Argentina 36-7 Namibia
After a slight scare in the early stages of the match, Argentina have taken complete control of this game despite resting several of their starters. They've worked the ball well in the final third and have carved out their scoring opportunities by putting the Namibia defence under immense pressure. Johan Tromp will remember his try for a long time with a good solo effort, but Matias Moroni scored the try of the half when he beat four tackles to cross over. A strong display from the Pumas so far today.
RESTART! We're back underway at the King Power Stadium.
Namibia drive forward after winning a penalty lead by Deysel down the right wing, but he gets brought down inside the Pumas' half. Stevens recycles the ball to the right and Kitshoff finds space down the flank, but as he tries to offload the ball he knocks the ball forward stopping the attack in its tracks.
TRY! Argentina 36-14 Namibia (Greyling)
Namibia have their second try of the game and the King Power Stadium erupts in celebration. It comes from another error from the Pumas as they make a mistake in their handling while passing across their backs, and Greyling seizes on the loose ball and drives towards the line before touching down under the posts. Kotze then sends his kick through the posts.
TRY! Argentina 43-14 Namibia (Alemanno)
The Pumas hit back straight away as Hernandez sends a kick behind the Namibia line and they fail to gather, knocking the ball forward. From the resulting scrum, Argentina power their way to the line and Alemanno is the man to touch down for their sixth try of the match. Iglesias sends the ball through the posts from the conversion.
Tromp breaks away down the right wing and blazes past an attempted challenge to go for the line, but Iglesias gets back at him just before he is about to touch down. As the winger tries to offload the ball, he knocks on and the Pumas will have a scrum on their five-metre line.
YELLOW CARD! Bosch has just entered the field from the bench and will head straight to the sin bin for a high tackle on Kotze. Namibia have a penalty which they send into touch five metres from the tryline.
Botha collects an inside offload from Kotze and drives for the line, but he gets stopped in his tracks just whe he upped the level of his acceleration inside the 22. A great tackle from Socino to prevent a certain try for the minnows.
A penalty allows the minnows to push upfield right inside the Pumas' 22, but Argentina hold firm to turn the ball over and Moroni breaks on the counter with a powerful run to the half-way line.
Argentina knock on the door, but their execution lets them down at the vital moment as Socino, Iglesias and Agulla all exchange passes inside the 22, but the winger makes a mistake which allows Namibia to come away with the ball.
TRY! Argentina 50-14 Namibia (Senatore)
This time the execution is perfect from Argentina as Socino offloads the ball inside after shaking off a tackle and Senatore is allowed to race in for the score under the posts. Excellent rugby from the Pumas. Socino takes the kick for the conversion and sends his effort through the posts.
Argentina are disallowed another score as Socino goes in for the try under the post after collecting an offload, but the TMO spots a forward pass in the build-up and the referee chalks off the score.
TRY! Argentina 57-14 Namibia (Montoya)
A strong run from Bosch powers Argentina over the gainline and Senatore continues his work by raiding down the right. Namibia commit players to the right and Cubelli sends the ball over the left side of the pitch, where the Pumas can pick their spot and Montoya is the man to find the space to crash over the line for the eighth try of the match. Socino sends another good kick through the posts for the extras.
Amorosino saves a try at the other end for the Pumas as he manages to gather the ball under immense pressure from Tromp and then offloads to Imhoff to send his side on the counter.
TRY! Argentina 64-14 Namibia (Cubelli)
Argentina's impressive display continues as they work the ball quickly through the hands of their backs to earn a penalty. Cubelli takes a quick tap-and-go for the line and he manages to ground the ball, despite the best efforts of Marais. Socino sends another successful kick through the posts.
YEllOW CARD! Du Plessis takes Bosch out in the air as he attempts to catch the restart and the referee shows no mercy to Namibia by reducing them to 14 men for the rest of the game.
TRY! Argentina 64-19 Namibia (Jantjies)
Uanivi strips the ball in the final third and offloads the ball right in front of the line to Jantjies who dives over the for the try. A good moment for Namibia and a light-hearted one follows as they allow Redelinghuys to take the conversion for his final moment in international rugby, but his kick lands just short of the posts.
FULL-TIME: Argentina 64-19 Namibia
Argentina produce an impressive display ahead of their quarter-final match next week which will be against either Ireland or France. Both teams will have a challenge on their hands based on the display of the Pumas today as their attacking play was a joy to behold at times as they manoeuvred the minnows' defenders around with ease, crossing the tryline nine times at the King Power Stadium. It could have been more had their handling been a bit more precise, but Daniel Hourcade will be elated with his team going into the knockout round of the competition.
Namibia put in a decent outing and will be delighted with their three tries this afternoon, but they were overpowered for the majority of the match by the play of the Pumas. However, there is plenty of positives to build on for Phil Davies and his staff.
Thanks for joining our commentary of this match. For coverage of the next match in the Rugby World Cup between Italy and Romania click here. But from me, it's goodbye.
Written by
Simon Sinclair
Simon Sinclair
