Friendly match/Leicester 21 Argentina 41:Ireland's World Cup opponents Argentina ran in three tries in the opening quarter to set up a convincing, five-try win over Leicester Tigers at Welford Road yesterday.
The match was the occasion for Leicester fans to bid farewell to club legend Graham Rowntree and extend a warm welcome to Marcelo Loffreda.
With his 398th appearance, Rowntree ended his playing career with the club he joined 19 years ago; the 35-year-old loosehead prop will concentrate on a coaching role.
He could be joined next season by current Argentina coach Loffreda. Loffreda has met Leicester officials to discuss the post that will become vacant at the end of the season when head coach Pat Howard returns to Australia.
Loffreda has masterminded Argentina's resurgence since taking on the role in April 2000, that includes the historic win against England at Twickenham last November and the Pumas completed a successful tour here.
Outhalf Juan Martin Hernandez was the only player in Argentina's starting XV at Welford Road that played in the win against England and Leicester handed debuts to secondrow Gregor Gillanders and flanker Alex Shaw.
The game also marked the return to Leicester of another Tigers legend, Les Cusworth, who is the Pumas director of rugby.
Hernandez was the architect of the opening try at Leicester with a grubber kick that Ignacio Corleto picked up to cross after seven minutes.
Hernandez coolly added the extras from near the right-hand touchline.
The Pumas added a second try after 15 minutes with Rimas Alvarez stepping over from close range, and Hernandez's conversion made it 14-0.
Argentina grabbed their third try inside the opening quarter with 18 minutes gone when Corleto crossed after Lucas Borges had kicked through.
Hernandez missed the conversion, but made amends with a 27th-minute penalty that opened up a 22-0 lead.
Leicester got their first points on the board in the 37th minute. Scrumhalf Scott Bemand made the break, but Tom Croft still had plenty to do when he received his pass 20 metres from the line.
Croft showed good footwork to weave past a couple of challenges and plunge over between the posts.
Sam Vesty kicked the conversion to reduce the gap to 22-7 at the break.
Pumas winger Martin Gaitan scorched through several tackles for a stunning solo try two minutes after the restart. Hernandez failed to convert, but the outhalf kicked a 48th-minute penalty to open up a 30-7 lead.
Hernandez added another penalty 10 minutes later and the visitors added a fifth try in the 69th minute through Lucas Borges, with Hernandez then missing.
Tom Varndell restored some pride for Leicester with a 73rd-minute try that Vesty converted to make it 38-14.
Juan Hernandez Miranda kicked a 78th-minute drop goal before Tigers had the final word in the dying moments.
Matt Smith hacked the ball on and galloped some 70 metres to the line for a try that Vesty converted.
