Scotland banished any lingering demons from November as they kicked off their Nations Championship with an emphatic 47-38 away win over Argentina.
The Scots arrived in Cordoba intent on displaying their growth since squandering a 21-0 lead in losing at home to the Pumas last autumn.
And they did so in sure-footed fashion, overcoming periods of adversity at the start of each half to run in seven tries at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes and get their campaign off to the best possible start against a side ranked two places above them.
Gregor Townsend’s side have now won four of their six Tests this calendar year as they head to Pretoria in buoyant mood for next Saturday’s showdown with South Africa.
Argentina started strongly and made the breakthrough in the seventh minute when Joaquin Oviedo burst through the middle of a lineout maul all too easily. Tomas Albornoz added the extras.
The Scots appeared to be firmly up against it and – with stand-off Tom Jordan, starting in place of the injured Finn Russell, already off for an HIA – they were dealt a further blow when tighthead Elliot Millar Mills limped off, with Zander Fagerson summoned from the bench in the 13th minute.
Townsend’s men mustered a strong response to this chastening start, however, and they got themselves up and running from their first venture into the Argentina 22 in the 18th minute.
Rory Hutchinson looped a magnificent pass out to the left, allowing midfield partner Sione Tuipulotu a routine finish on the right. Fergus Burke, temporarily on in place of Jordan, nailed the conversion.
Five minutes later, the resurgent visitors went ahead. With Kyle Rowe halted on the left following an impressive line-break, Ben White arrived to flip the ball into the path of loosehead Pierre Schoeman, who burst over the line to mark his 50th cap with a try. Jordan, back on after passing his HIA, was off target with his conversion.
The hosts reduced their deficit to two points when Albornoz launched a long-range penalty between the posts in the 34th minute.
But Scotland added their third try two minutes later when Hutchinson wriggled his way over on the left after some brilliant work by Tuipulotu. Jordan added the conversion.
The Pumas – trailing 19-10 – started the second half with renewed purpose and got themselves right back into it just two minutes after the restart as Rodrigo Isgro ran on to Albornoz’s kick-through and got away from Rowe to score on the right.
But Scotland regained full control of the scoreboard as replacement Gregor Brown pushed over from close range in the 52nd minute before Scott Cummings also marked his 50th cap with a try four minutes later after good work by Rowe and White to set him free. Jordan converted both as the Scots opened up a 16-point lead.
Argentina hit back in the 65th minute as Tomas Rapetti pushed over from close range, with Jamie Dobie sin-binned as he paid the price for multiple team infringements.
But the 14-man Scots soon reasserted their authority as debutant Gregor Hiddleston barged over off a lineout maul, with Argentina’s Joaquin Moro sin-binned in the aftermath.
Rowe went over on the right in the 73rd minute as Scotland continued to flex their muscles, although late tries from Pumas pair Lucio Cinti and Agustin Moyano reduced the full-time deficit to nine points.
