Piossek's third-minute try put the Pumas on their way

France's World Cup preparations suffered a setback in Buenos Aires on Saturday as they lost 10-6 to Argentina.

The Pumas fought a heroic reargaurd action to defend a lead they built in the opening stages against more than an hour of non-stop French pressure.

Argentina got off to a flying start when wing Jose Maria Nunez Piossek scored the only try of the game after just two minutes.

Scrum-half Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, standing in for the injured Agustin Pichot, moved quick ball to the right and Piossek produced a perfectly angled run to break the French line and score.

MATCH FACTS Argentina 10 (10) Try: Piossek Con: F Contepomi Pen: Contepomi France 6 (0) Pens: Traille, Delaigue

Felipe Contepomi converted and the stretched the lead to 10-0 with a penalty, but only after Toulouse stand-off Yann Delaigue, playing his first international in six years, had missed two kicks of his own.

Despite fielding what was effectively a second-choice pack, France still managed to dominate possession, but were let down by a succession of handling mistakes.

They finally got on the board through a long-range penalty thumped over by Damien Traille three minutes into the second half.

And moments later they thought they were back in the hunt when Aurelien Rougerie appeared to beat Albanese to a long kick ahead and touch down over the line.

However, video referee Iain Rammage could not confirm the score and Argentina were off the hook.

Delaigue eventually found his range with a penalty, but France then passed up another scoring chance when prop Jean-Baptiste Rue dropped Christophe Labit's pass with the line at his mercy.

Lock David Auradou then took his turn to knock on in front of the posts, before the Argentine defence flattened Christophe Dominici late on to ensure they gained a second successive victory over the French.

Argentina: Corleto; Piossek, M Contepomi, Arbizu, Albanese; F Contepomi, N Fernandez Miranda; Reggiardo, Ledesma, Scelzo, Fernandez Lobbe, Albacete, Phelan, Ostiglia, Longo Elia.
Replacements: Mendez, Bonorino, Sporleder, Alvarez, Albina, Quesada, Martin Hernandez.

France: Poitrenaud; Rougerie, Castaignede, Traille, Dominici; Delaigue, Galthie; Milloud, Rue, De Villiers, Auradou, Thion, Tabacco, Labit, Bouihlou.
Replacements: Bru, Marconnet, Nallet, Harinordoqui, Michalak, Jauzion, Elhorga.