15. Stuart Hogg: 6 – Lucky to get away with just a penalty for a high tackle early in the second half and got a lucky bounce on a kick in the dying minutes. But then don’t great players make their own luck? On the negative side, too easily steamrollered for Orlando’s try.
14. Sean Maitland: 6 – Looked for more work than last week and took his try well, as he should. Almost no ball first half; not really a game for him.
13. Huw Jones: 7 – Used to tackling Jaguares, his highlight of the first half was a crunching tackle that brought the crowd to life and knocked the ball loose. It wasn’t his fault it meant another scrum. Created Maitland’s try single-handed with power and deft passing off the deck before hobbling off shortly afterwards, worth a point for that alone.
12. Alex Dunbar: 6 – Tackled well all night. Didn’t do much else in what was overall a very poor game for both sides.
11. Tommy Seymour: 6 – Didn’t get much to do first half. In the second, his chase won a great attacking 5m lineout before his pack squandered it. Good to see him back though.
10. Finn Russell: 6 – A few too many ineffectual up-and-unders in the first half gave Arg too many chances to play. Took a high ball nicely to earn the first points and tried two drop goals to win it, neither of which came off.
9. Greig Laidlaw: 6.5 – Made some surprising snipes early on. Like the rest of the team, guilty of too much loose passing and his usual foible of poor box kicks. A much more rounded performance from the skipper but once again a kick off the post almost cost Scotland the win. Extra half point for slotting the winner.
1 Allan Dell: 6 – Had a couple of good carries in the first half but gave away the penalty for Argentina to equalise. Looked more involved this week than last and almost went the full distance. Will start again next week unless Dickinson returns.
2 Fraser Brown: 6 – Filling in for 100-cap Ross Ford he hit his lineouts, but wasn’t able to terrorise in the loose as he sometimes does for Glasgow.
3 Zander Fagerson: 5 – Argentina were up in his face from the off to unsettle him. The scrum was under heavy pressure and his inexperience showed. Replaced on 50mins. Still put in some big hits and once again although under the cosh, it didn’t cost too many points. Would like another crack, I’m sure. Which is just as well because Georgia love a scrum.
4 Grant Gilchrist: 5 – struggled to punch Richie Gray sized holes but didn’t have many carrying chances till the second half.
5 Jonny Gray: 7 – still in top form but had too little ball to show it. Drove one decent maul first half and spoiled an ominous-looking Argentine one in the second. Makes yards or just inches with every carry even if everyone is going backwards. His talents are wasted packing down in endless scrums though.
6 Magnus Bradbury: 6 – taken off on 50mins but should have had more. Some strong tackles that may become his trademark and one nice half break that saw him difficult to bring down.
7 Hamish Watson: 7 – Tireless effort, but was well shackled. Jackalled a couple of good turnovers.
8 John Barclay: 6 – Strong carries the same as last week and had a good tussle with the Argentine pack. He’s clearly relishing role as senior statesman of pack. Some vital driving, or shall we say “mucking about in the ruck” when Argentina were inches from the line in the first half coughed the ball loose and allowed Scotland to break out.
Replacements:
16. Ross Ford: 7 – The scrum steadied with his heft on as a blood replacement in the first half. It still coughed up penalties, mind. Strong chasing, and impact sub might be a good role for him.
17. Alex Allan: 6 – Only given 6 minutes.
18. Moray Low: 4 – the scrum still leaked penalties when he replaced Fagerson and he was stopped dead on most of his carries.
19. Tim Swinson: 5 – Only had a few minutes.
20. Ryan Wilson: 6 – Carried strongly when he came on and didn’t drop the restart this time. Still on the bench for me though, Bradbury deserves another shot.
21. Ali Price: not used.
22. Pete Horne: 6 – Came on with 23 mins to play but couldn’t get really involved despite the ball being in good positions. Injured on 78 mins.
23. Tim Visser: 5 – Only on for 2 minutes and wasn’t used despite having acres of space on his wing to run into.