Leinster get badly mauled by Pumas

It was to have provided a platform for some of Ireland's World Cup wannabees and to rejuvenate Leinster's season. In the end, it did little for the former and positively nothing for the latter.

Instead, the ultra-slick midweek Pumas gave the home side a lesson in some of the game's finer running and handling crafts, as well as many of the basics, and thus provided a further boost to their already swollen self-confidence.

They move on to what will probably be an apathetic and unappreciative Lansdowne Road for Saturday's Test with their unbeaten tour record comfortably intact.

You could only feel sorry for the evening's Leinster invitees, Rob Henderson and Kieron Dawson, who definitely drew the short straw when joining a side with such little confidence.

They were two of eight players making their seasonal re-appearance against players mid-way through theirs, and it showed, although collectively it still cannot account for such a yawning gulf in quality between the sides.

Henderson looked fit, and, like Shane Horgan, pushed hard into the Pumas' back-line while trying to turn a few crumbs into a meal. But he appeared to be exposed by one of the tourists' seven tries - some of which were risibly easy.

Dawson, after his lengthy layoff and two groin operations, didn't get to the pitch of the game, as was highlighted when his replacement, Liam Toland, twice was first to the breakdown. He also left an indelible imprint on the stylish Puma out-half, Felipe Contepomi. That should have been done sooner, for by then he had made hay on a balmy Donnybrook evening.

There were few redeeming features for Leinster. A few of the pack managed some isolated gallops, most notably Declan O'Brien, whose handling also caught the eye before he too faded in the general malaise.

But there was little or no cohesion, and even less aggression than against Ulster, while the ruck ball was at times ponderous and the option-taking was again poor.

The passing of the All Black Stu Forster caught the eye, but while less experienced, Derek Hegarty would arguably give them an edge, primarily in the physical stakes. Forster looked to be protecting himself.

As for poor Barry Everitt: though there were some nice touches, his confidence seems to be evaporating by the game. Overall, it's difficult to see where Leinster can go from here.

Their defence off broken play or second phase left them porous to a zippy Puma back-line who had far more basic skills.

For example, from a quick tapped penalty by scrum-half Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, his brother Juan sauntered through an inviting hole. Though he was stopped short from the recycle, Contepomi picked up to score and add the conversion.

Leinster stepped in front at the restart, which underlined other basic errors, such as missed penalties to touch.

Whereas the Pumas wanted only to run, the Leinster halves largely kicked. An Everitt penalty and one charge and deft offload by O'Brien to Henderson provided rare succour for another large and loyal home crowd.

Leinster threatened to make a game of it upon the resumption, closing to within five when Farrell counter-attacked, McWeeney made inroads with his pack behind him, before Everitt's skip pass and Horgan's swift transfer put Peter McKenna over.

Contepomi took his personal haul to 23 and inflicted Leinster with a first half-century courtesy of a late penalty.

Leinster: E Farrell; J McWeeney, R Henderson, S Horgan, D Hickie (capt); B Everitt, S Forster; R Corrigan, S Byrne, G Halpin, B Casey, B Cusack, D O'Brien, V Costello, K Dawson. Replacements: P McKenna for Hickie (31 mins), G Fulcher for Cusack (50 mins), L Toland for Dawson (60 mins).

Argentina: I Corleto; F Soler, G Camardon, J Fernandez Miranda, E Jurado; F Contepomi, N Fernandez Miranda (capt); F Diaz Alberdi, A Canalda, M Scelzo, R Perez, G Ugartemendia, R Martin, A Petrilli, M Ruiz. Replacements: S Phelan and J Orengo for Martin and N Fernandez Miranda (both 50 mins).

Referee: R Davies (Wales).