FT | Argentina 13-28 France

A much-changed France eased past Argentina 28-13 in Mendoza on Saturday in Felipe Contepomi's first game in charge of the hosts.

Captain Baptiste Serin as well as debutants Antoine Frisch and Theo Attissogbe crossed for tries for Les Bleus, who were without star scrum-half Antoine Dupont as he prepares to play sevens at the Paris Olympics.

Replacement centre Matias Orlando was Los Pumas' only try-scorer as former fly-half Contepomi tasted defeat having taken over from Michael Cheika after last year's Rugby World Cup where Argentina lost to England in the third-place play-off.

Contepomi made nine changes from their last game, October's World Cup play-off, but was still able to name an experienced team including flanker Pablo Matera winning his 99th cap.

France coach Fabien Galthie handed debuts to seven players in his starting lineup including Montpellier flanker Lenni Nouchi, who was called into the side on Friday to replace the sick Judicael Cancoriet.

The most experienced member of Galthie's squad was skipper and Dupont's stand-in Serin, making his 45th Test appearance eight years on from his international debut in Argentina, Les Bleus' last defeat to the hosts.

After a sluggish first 20 minutes for both sides Les Bleus' fly-half Antoine Hastoy opened the scoring with a penalty goal.

Argentina drew level three minutes later as Santiago Carreras, who was Los Pumas' first-choice outside-half at the World Cup, slotted a penalty.

Just before the half-hour mark Argentina came within inches of scoring the opening try but France's debutant centre Frisch stopped winger Bautista Delguy from grounding the ball with a superb last-gasp tackle in the left-hand corner.

The visitors ended the half the best and took control of the game as a