Argentina beat Chile to set up Japan decider

Argentina have won two of their three Pool matches so far in the World Cup

Argentina secured a comfortable a win over Chile to boost their Rugby World Cup quarter-final hopes and set up a winner-takes-all tie with Japan.

Argentina had raced into a 24-0 lead at half-time and scored a bonus point try in the 45th minute.

Chile end their World Cup campaign with a fourth defeat.

Argentina's victory also eliminates Samoa from from Pool D. Only Michael Cheika's men and Japan can now join leaders England in the last eight.

• Rugby Union Daily: Are the All Blacks back on track?
• Reaction to New Zealand's brilliant display
• World Cup quarter-final permutations

Saturday's match in front of a boisterous crowd in Nantes was the first time two South American sides have faced each other at a Rugby World Cup.

After Chile's Santiago Videla missed an early penalty attempt Argentina took the lead in the eighth minute when Nicolas Sanchez marked his 100th cap with a try in the corner.

Juan Martin Gonzalez and Agustin Creevy soon both crossed to give their side a substantial 24-0 lead after 22 minutes.

The Pumas were in full control but finished the first half with 14 when Rodrigo Isgro, who survived a bunker review, was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle on Rodrigo Fernandez.

Five minutes after the restart Martin Bogado went over to secure a bonus point, and Sanchez's successful conversion saw him become Argentina's record points scorer at World Cups.

World Cup debutant Isgro then added a fifth try before Gonzalez crossed for his second against a tiring Chilean defence.

Chile added a deserved try of their own with eight minutes remaining as Tomas Dussaillant scored following a devastating maul.

But Argentina had the final say with replacements Ignacio Ruiz and Santiago Carreras securing late tries on the break to help their side to a crushing win.

Line-ups

Argentina: Bogado, Isgro, Cinti, De la Fuente, Imhoff, Sanchez, Cubelli; Sclavi, Creevy, Bello, Pagadizabal, Rubiolo, Gonzalez, Kremer, Isa

Replacements: Ruiz, Vivas, Gomez Kodela, Alemanno, Oviedo, Bazan Velez, Carreras, Cruz Mallia

Chile: Ayarza, Videla, Saavedra, Garafulic, Ignacio Larenas, Fernandez, Torrealba; Carrasco, Bohme, Dittus, Pedrero, Eissmann, Sigren, Saavedra, Martinez

Replacements: Dussaillant, Lues, Inostroza, Sarmiento, Escobar, Silva, Herreros, Urroz

Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)