Scotland v Argentina

Scotland's opening chapter against Argentina was emphatic; a 49-3 debut that rather flattered to deceive about what lay ahead.

The first official test between Scotland and Argentina took place on 10 November 1990 at Murrayfield. Scotland were dominant, running in tries at will in a 49-3 victory. It was a comprehensive introduction to the fixture, though it gave little indication of how competitive Los Pumas would become in the years ahead.

Two tests, two defeats; neither decided by more than two points. Argentina had arrived.

Scotland toured Argentina in the summer of 1994 and discovered a very different proposition from the side they had dismantled four years earlier. Argentina won both tests, 16-15 and 19-17, in agonisingly tight encounters. The narrow margins underlined how rapidly Argentine rugby was developing, and served notice that future meetings would be far from straightforward.

Seventy-eight points shared at Murrayfield; Scotland's home advantage proved decisive in a match neither side would forget.

The 1999 Rugby World Cup brought Scotland and Argentina together in the pool stage at Murrayfield. In a high-scoring affair, Scotland prevailed 48-30. The match showcased Argentina's attacking ambition but also their defensive vulnerabilities against a well-organised Scottish side playing in front of a home crowd. It was the first time the two had met on the World Cup stage.

A first Murrayfield triumph for Los Pumas; a sign of what was coming just two years later.

During the 2005 autumn internationals, Argentina beat Scotland 23-19 at Murrayfield. It was a landmark result for Los Pumas, their first test victory on Scottish home turf. The win reflected Argentina's growing status in world rugby, just two years before their remarkable run to the 2007 World Cup semi-finals.

Argentina's home soil proved an entirely different proposition; Scotland left Buenos Aires empty-handed once again.

Scotland toured Argentina in June 2008, fresh off the back of Los Pumas' bronze medal at the 2007 World Cup. Argentina won both tests, continuing their dominance on home soil. The tour reinforced a pattern: Scotland could compete at Murrayfield, but winning in Argentina remained elusive.

One solitary point sent Scotland home; Argentina's 13-12 win in Wellington proved the cruelest of margins.

At the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, Scotland and Argentina were drawn together in Pool B. The match in Wellington was a tense, low-scoring contest. Argentina edged it 13-12, a result that effectively ended Scotland's hopes of progressing to the knockout stages. A single point separated the sides, and the defeat lingered long in Scottish memory.

Five tries and 41 points; Scotland's backline dismantled Argentina with a fluency that announced the Cotter era had arrived.

The 2014 autumn international at Murrayfield saw Scotland produce one of their finest performances against Argentina, winning 41-31 in a match brimming with attacking rugby. Scotland scored five tries, with the backline cutting through the Argentine defence repeatedly. It was a statement result under head coach Vern Cotter, who had taken charge earlier that year.

A 44-15 first-test win in Resistencia ended Scotland's long wait for victory on Argentine soil.

In June 2018, Gregor Townsend's Scotland toured Argentina and achieved something no Scottish side had managed before: a test victory on Argentine soil. Scotland won the first test 44-15 in Resistencia, a comprehensive result that broke a long-standing hoodoo. Argentina took the second test, but the series marked a genuine shift in the balance of the rivalry.