Conor O'Shea's debut ruined by Argentina who beat Italy 30-24

Argentina spoilt the debut of Italy coach Conor O'Shea with a 30-24 Test triumph in Santa Fe on Saturday.

Fly-half Nicolas Sanchez posted two tries and 20 points, although O'Shea will draw some comfort from the closeness of the scoreline.

Sanchez slotted six penalties and a conversion from nine shots at goal while rival playmaker Carlo Canna struck a conversion and four penalties from six attempts.

Argentina led 17-16 at half-time under a clear sky after each team had scored one try apiece before the break.

Winger Manuel Montero, absent injured when Argentina finished fourth at the World Cup in England last year, was the Pumas try scorer on 25 minutes.

Veteran centre Juan Martin Hernandez delivered a perfectly weighted chip into the corner and Montero bravely dived to dot down under pressure.

Sanchez failed to convert from the touchline, which was his only miss of the half as he slotted over four penalties.

Another winger, Leonardo Sarto, crossed the try-line for Italy on 33 minutes and the conversion by Canna left the home team just one point ahead. 

Excellent support play, followed by a dummy from centre Michele Campagnaro, created just enough space for Sarto to get in at the corner.

But despite leading at the break, Argentina's coach Daniel Hourcade will have been furious by lock Guido Petti's sin-binning on 28 minutes for lifting an opponent.

The hosts went into the match without prop Ramiro Herrera and lock Tomas Lavanini who were ruled out because of Super Rugby shoulder-charge bans.

Experienced No 8 Leonardo Senatore was another absentee in Santa Fe as he was serving a 10-week suspension for biting.

Italy nudged ahead for the first time two minutes into the second half via a fourth Canna penalty, only for Sanchez to atone for his second miss by kicking another penalty to give his side a 20-19 lead.

This advantage stretched to eight points as the game reached the hour mark, thanks to a try by winger Matias Moroni which Sanchez converted.

Sanchez had been the architect of the try, breaking down the middle and passing to Moroni who cut inside and shrugged off a tackle.

A sixth successful Sanchez penalty moved the Pumas 30-19 ahead, before Italy hit back with an unconverted pushover try by flanker Simone Favaro.

Argentina now host France in a two-Test series, starting next Sunday, while Italy continue an Americas tour with one-off internationals against the United States and Canada.