Scotland vs Argentina | Sunday 16 November | Murrayfield
A courageous performance from the Bravehearts saw them fight back from 17 points down to level matters with New Zealand, only to fall short in a 17–25 loss, extending their long wait for a first-ever win over the All Blacks.
While Gregor Townsend’s men earned plenty of praise for their fightback, many pundits felt the match was there for the taking.
As the BBC put it, Scotland “looked immortality in the eye and said not today.” Brutal, but not entirely unfair.
Although that historic opportunity has passed them by for now, the Scots have a chance to reclaim some pride when the Pumas arrive in Edinburgh.
The hosts hold a slim 6–5 edge in the 11 meetings between the teams, and their last encounter ended in a commanding 52–29 Scottish win at Murrayfield in 2022.
Argentina, however, come into this match riding a wave of confidence after their record 52–28 victory over Wales in Cardiff, a performance that featured seven tries and 17 points from the boot of Santi Carreras.
They may not find as many scoring chances against a disciplined Scottish defence, but the Pumas have repeatedly shown this year how devastating their backline can be with ball in hand.
Considering both sides’ attacking sensibilities, another high-scoring contest at Murrayfield would surprise no one.
The potential return of Zander Fagerson could give Scotland a key edge at scrum time against Argentina’s powerful pack, while the expected availability of Finn Russell, who went off injured against the Kiwis, is a major boost for Townsend’s plans.
With the world’s eighth-ranked Scots and sixth-ranked Argentinians so closely matched, this one may well come down to which team makes fewer errors, as both are ruthless at capitalising on opposition mistakes.
Verdict: Scotland on the board
Argentina arrives with momentum, but Scotland will feel they owe their supporters a big response after last weekend’s heartbreak.