Tokyo (AFP)

On Orbit: The XV of France opened the road to the quarterfinals by dominating Argentina (23-21), Saturday in Tokyo, thanks to a drop Camille Lopez, just entered the game, in the 70th minute at the end of an unbreathable match, where the Pumas had the penalty of winning.

The Blues, moribund at the end of the Six Nations Tournament, thus take an option on qualifying after beating their most serious direct competitor, if we consider England above in this death hen (C).

They should even play first place against the Rose XV on October 12 in Yokohama, if they do the job seriously against the United States (October 2) and Tonga (6). Either prevail with the offensive bonus point.

They have eleven days ahead of them before their next meeting in Kumamoto. Eleven days during which they will review what worked, and what worked much less.

But in the meantime, they should savor this almost miraculous success in view of their second period, when they have almost relived the nightmare lived against Wales in the last tournament of six nations: defeat 24-19 while they led 16-0 at halftime.

Saturday, they were in front 20 to 3 at rest, before shaking their knees during a game ending.

"We still have work, because it's about simple things that we did a little bit, but there was a good spirit, we stayed until the end, we were convinced that 'We could beat them, and it's a good start,' coach Jacques Brunel told TF1.

- "I thought we were going to lose" -

The Pumas took advantage (21-20) for the first time of the match on a penalty of the player of Castres Benjamin Urdapilleta (68th), when Lopez came on the scene with his victorious drop.

He started with a big tackle from Sébastien Vahaamahina on the dismissal, which allowed to recover the ball in the 22 meters Argentine. Before the Clermont, who had just replaced Damian Penaud, does not, hunted, his drop: the ball was slowly raised, eventually falling back behind the crossbar. So much so that the referee, the Australian Angus Gardner, took a few seconds to validate it.

Lopez the savior, who was a substitute for Romain Ntamack after starting two of the three opener preparation matches.

But the XV of France still had a stressful end to the match. Emiliano Bofelli thus, just before the mermaid, missed the penalty of winning (50 meters), passed just to the left of the posts. The French then managed to resist in defense. It followed, once the ball cleared in touch, a scuffle quickly circumscribed.

"I thought we were going to lose," said captain Guilhem Guirado, interviewed by the stadium announcer, in English.

- Ntamack misses the break -

The Catalan (replaced early in the second period) and his teammates could have spared the last few minutes suffocating at the Tokyo Stadium, if Romain Ntamack, who had so far all kicks, continued his momentum, to the 77th minute, shifted to the left of the posts.

But the Blues could have mostly spared these big scares if they had continued their momentum of their first period, almost perfect, punctuated by two splendid tests, the first signed Gael Fickou (18th), the second by Antoine Dupont (22nd ). Embellished with two Ntamack penalties (29th and 40th + 1).

But they then suffered the return of the Pumas, transformed after the rest. When they spoke, undisciplined, deprived of balloons and not playing the few they had to negotiate.

They conceded two tries that totally put the Argentineans in the game. Both on balloons worn. The first by Guido Petti (43rd, 20-10), the second signed Julian Montoya (54th, 20-15). Seven minutes later, Urdapilleta brought back the Argentines to two points (20-18), before this final suspense.

© 2019 AFP