PARIS (AP) — Argentina moved closer to the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals with a 33-3 victory over Georgia on Tuesday, while three rival players received suspensions.
Lucas Borges scored two of Argentina's four tries at Lyon's Stade Gerland as the Pumas followed up their shock 17-12 victory over host France with a less-impressive triumph over semiprofessional Georgia, which took the lead through Merab Kvirikashvili's second-minute penalty.
Argentina led 6-3 at halftime and its first try didn't arrive until two minutes into the second half on the fifth day of the six-week championship.
The Georgians were cheered loudly by the French fans who wanted the Pumas to slip up. French hopes of a first-ever world rugby ***le were dealt a heavy blow by the team's opening-day loss to Argentina, and Les Tricolores still face a tough game against the talented but unpredictable Ireland.
After lock Patricio Albacete and winger Federico Martin Aramburu also crossed the Georgia line, the Pumas collected a bonus point for scoring four tries to leave France eight points behind them, albeit with a game in hand. Ireland is four points ahead of France, and only two teams advance to the last eight.
Tuesday's other action was down at the disciplinary court.
United States centre Paul Emerick received a five-week ban for a dangerous tackle on England fly half Olly Barkley in the Eagles' 28-10 defeat at Lens in Group A on Saturday. South Africa's star flanker Schalk Burger was suspended for four games over a challenge on a Samoan opponent. England captain Phil Vickery, cited for tripping Emerick when the American centre was about to set off for the tryline, was suspended for two games.
Emerick was found guilty of picking Barkley up and dumping him on his head in what is known as a spear tackle. His ban means he's sidelined until Oct. 16, four days before the final, although there is little chance his team will still be around by that stage.
Burger, who was voted the world player of the year in 2004, will miss South Africa's group games against England, Tonga and the United States and a quarter-final assuming his team qualifies.
Judicial officer Terry Willis, who heard the case, said the flanker executed a "reckless and sloppy tackle" that was high and dangerous whilst the opposing player, Samoa scrum half Junior Polu, was in the air and therefore in a vulnerable position.
Another RWC judicial officer, Prof. Lorne Crerar, decided Vickery's case was less serious. But the tighthead prop will miss England's games against South Africa and Samoa, its two biggest rivals in the group. If England loses both, it could already be effectively out of the championship by the time he returns against Tonga in Paris Sept. 28.
The RWC said two more players, Samoa's Alfie Vaeluaga and Portugal's back row forward Juan Severino Somoza, had also been cited for foul play and would face disciplinary hearings.
The action on the field continues on Wednesday with three teams hoping to rebound from losses and three more making their first appearances in this championship.
The U.S. team faces Tonga in Montpellier, Japan hopes to recover from a 91-3 Group B crushing by Australia by beating Fiji. Italy, beaten 76-14 by New Zealand, bids to hit back with a victory over Romania in Group C.
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