Argentina Legends 13 Classic Springboks 7

Argentina Legends kept their composure to secure their seventh World Rugby Classic title by toppling 14-man Classic Springboks last night at North Field, National Sports Centre.

The Argentinians scored one try, a conversion and two penalties to finish unbeaten with 12 points in the six-team tournament. South Africa, who finished with 14 players on the park after Belgium Tuatagaloa was sent off for punching an opponent, managed only a converted try.

Anibal Panceyra-Garrido, Argentina’s sole tryscorer, was elated to play a part in the team’s victory on his maiden visit to Bermuda.

“I feel so happy and so proud for my team,” Panceyra-Garrido told The Royal Gazette.

“I’m happy I could score a try in the final game of the tournament; it’s an incredible feeling to be champions.

“It was nice being on the island for the first time. I appreciate all the guys involved in the organisation of this tournament.

“It was incredible being here; the island and people are so good. We had too many people coming with good energy and they got to see some of the best rugby in the world.”

Panceyra-Garrido, a former Barbarians player, felt that staying as a unit won the tournament for Los Pumas.

“This was a victory for the whole team,” the 37-year-old said.

“They were all working together and it’s the best thing we had with this group of players.”

South African coach Dick Muir congratulated Argentina for being champions of the 37th edition.

“Well done to Argentina, they played tactically very well and they utilised the wind better than we did and congratulations to them,” Muir said.

“We were lethargic, we didn’t use our opportunities that we got and we gave away far too many penalties. I’d hate to know what the penalty count was.

“Now we’ve got to go back home and we’ve got to come back stronger and better. I think the injuries that we had put us under so much pressure and the balance of our squad was probably incorrect.”

Commenting on the Tuatagaloa sending-off, Muir felt that the player was reacting to the hostile approach by their opponents.

“I just think when you're getting antagonised all night and you don’t get the benefit that it sometimes goes against you,” the South Africa coach said.

“But that was obviously the Argentine tactic, to antagonise the big guys and we had one of our players that did something stupid and you’ve got to pay the penalty for that. You can’t have 14 against 15.

“If he stood up for one of the other players that was punched, he was fighting for one of his fellow team-mates and it was in the open. Unfortunately, with things like that you’ve got to face the consequences.”

Argentina struck first with eight minutes on the clock when loose forward Panceyra-Garrido powered his way over the line. Martín Nuñez added the extras with a successful conversion.

Nuñez wasted glorious opportunities to extend Argentina’s lead when he missed two penalty-goal attempts.

South Africa had centre Japie Nel sent to the sin-bin four minutes before half-time. Even with one player short, the Boks were level at the break when Lionel Cronje scored an intercept try with a minute to go, which he went on to convert.

Disciplinary issues continued to haunt the men in green and gold, as Tuatagaloa was shown a straight red card for knocking out Ramiro Gobal with a punch.

With the South Africans not tidy in their defence, Nunez booted in two penalties to ensure Argentina victory on the night.

In earlier matches, the United States beat Canada 37-15, while Italian Classic XV defeated Classic Lions 26-24.