Wallabies end Rugby Championship on a high with win in Argentina
It wasn’t always pretty, but Australia has finished the Rugby Championship in second place after beating Argentina 37-20 in Mendoza. The 17 point margin flattered the Wallabies, with many similarities to the reverse fixture in Canberra, but ultimately coach Michael Cheika will return to Australia pleased with a strong end to the four-nations tournament.
Scrum-half Will Genia shone for the Wallabies, crossing for a try in the 60th minute and pulling the strings throughout the evening. Reece Hodge impressed on the wing, while Izack Rodda was indefatigable in the forward line.
For Argentina, young star Tomas Lezana had an impressive night before being sent to the sin bin in the final 10 minutes for a questionable tackle. Neither side departs Mendoza happy with the performance of French referee Mathieu Raynal, who drew the ire of both sets of fans.
The Wallabies finish the Rugby Championship with a truly mixed bag: two wins, two draws and two loses. The team now heads to Brisbane for a chance to redeem themselves against the all-mighty All Blacks in the final Bledisloe Cup match of the season. With a busy European tour ahead, a polished performance against New Zealand on Saturday week would be a huge boost for the Wallabies.
That’s all from me for now - thanks for following along. Here’s the match report.
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I will have my closing thoughts for you shortly. In the meantime, here’s a nice photo of the Wallabies from earlier.
Full-time: Argentina 20-37 Australia
80 min: Referee Raynal wraps up proceedings, and Australia has triumphed in Mendoza! It was tight for most of the game, but two tries in the final 20 minutes lift the Wallabies to a comfortable victory over Argentina.
Argentina 20-37 Australia
77 min: Reece Hodge and Samu Kerevi combine nicely on the left-hand flank, with Hodge finding space and running over for the try. A TMO review considers whether Kerevi put his foot in touch before the pass to Hodge, but the try is awarded. Foley converts a difficult opportunity from the far side.
76 min: It amounts to nothing, Argentina penalised immediately following the line-out and Australia kick up field. It’s all over.
75 min: The Pumas are awarded a penalty, and find touch barely five metres from the Australian line. Probably the final opportunity for Argentina to get back in the game.
73 min: Nick Phipps is brought on for Will Genia, who has had a tremendous night at scrum-half for the Wallabies.
The Wallabies have certainly had the statistical advantage today. As of 72 minutes, Australia has made 511 metres to Argentina’s 286, 133 carries to 65 and 141 passes to 76.
Argentina 20-30 Australia
70 min: The Pumas’ Marcos Kremer is sent to the sin bin for a high tackle, and Bernard Foley hits the resulting penalty to extend Australia’s advantage to 10 points. Argentina with only 14 men for the remainder of the game.
A few hardy Australian fans did make the journey across the Pacific to Mendoza.
This was the pass from Will Genia that put Reece Hodge in space for a try, only for an earier pass to be judged offside.
Not a bad ball by Genia there 👀#ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/GH7uUcblA4
— TEN Sport (@tensporttv) October 8, 2017
67 min: Argentina put a desperate kick forward following sustained pressure from the Wallabies, only to find space with no full-back in position. Australia just recover. Argentina then find a gap for a daring run to the try-line, but it’s pulled back for a forward pass. The crowd doesn’t realise and start celebrating...
64 min: Reece Hodge almost collects his second try of the night! Brilliant stuff again from Will Genia, and Hodge finds a perfectly-sized gap to cut through and dive over near the posts. Some discussion of an earlier suspect pass, and the TMO decides it was forward.
Some nice snaps filtering through from Mendoza.
Argentina 20-27 Australia
60 min: Reece Hodge! The Melbourne Rebels centre makes a busting run, before offloading to Will Genia for the try. Australia are back in the lead, and Bernard Foley converts.
John McEnerney writes in on Twitter asking whether Krusty the Clown is Australia’s defensive coach. You tell us...
58 min: Tomas Lezana collects a kick and is immediately taken-out in a huge hit from Marika Koroibete. Excellent tackle, but the referee and his assistant spend about three minutes thinking about it. Lezana is stretchered off. Getting farcical here. Lezana could be a big absent in the final 20 minutes - he has played excellently all night.
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Argentina 20-20 Australia
56 min: The Australian scrum stays strong. Pumas spread it wide and late-inclusion Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias finds a gap. Try to Argentina. Nicolas Sanchez converts and we are level again. Again.
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55 min: Argentina has a dangerous 5-metre scrum. This could be a crucial moment for the Pumas.
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A nice snap of the Wallabies’ opening try via rugby league convert Marika Koroibete.
Argentina 13-20 Australia
52 min: Bernard Foley! After some strong Argentinian defence pushes the Wallabies back, Australia use the added space to shift left and Foley finds a gap. After a torrid night of kicking, he converts his own try. Advantage Australia.
Indeed.
Foley's kicking today has us like... #ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/MhRcGJqmE7
— TEN Sport (@tensporttv) October 7, 2017
49 min: The Wallabies have wave after wave of attack on Argentina’s line, but they cannot break through. Another penalty to Australia, and the Wallabies ask for a scrum.
47 min: The Wallabies come very close to the Argentine try-line, following an excellent bust from Will Genia. Australia are held up on the line, and eventually the referee blows for a penalty. The Wallabies kick for touch.
While the Rugby Championship wraps up today, Australia face New Zealand in game three of the Bledisloe Cup on October 21 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. On this display, the All Black won’t have much trouble ending the series with a clean sweep.
45 min: Bernard Foley steps up for a penalty and skies it wide. A shocking night of kicking for Foley, who is normally very reliable for the Wallabies.
Over on Twitter, Brett McKay isn’t happy with the performance of our referee.
Gotta say, feels like both sides being stifled by some ordinary refereeing. Offside line a guide only, every ruck a mess.. #ARGvAUS
— Brett McKay (@BMcSport) October 7, 2017
42 min: Australia capitalise on a mistake from the Pumas. The Wallabies swing to the left, then to the right, then to the left again. But an error right on the try line alleviates the pressure on Argentina.
Second-half underway
40 min: Whistleblower Raynal gets us back underway in Mendoza. Kurtley Beale immediately in action with a good clearance. Beale had a quiet first-half - can he come to live and lead the Wallabies to victory?
Plenty of Argentinian fans in full cheer at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza. Not too many Australian supporters in attendance... Only a short 11,486 kilometres from Sydney.
Wallabies boss Michael Cheika looks perplexed. We are too.
Half-time: Argentina 13-13 Australia
40 min: The Australian defensive line close out the half with a strong effort to resist the Pumas, and referee Raynal calls an end to proceedings. Are we heading for Australia’s third draw of the Rugby Championship?
Some good humour on display over on Twitter, at the Wallabies’ expenses.
Wallabies ball skills right now #ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/sp3kvNMoi9
— Ray Morrow (@Morrow84Morrow) October 7, 2017
38 min: Argentina create an overlap on the left-hand side and cross the line, but the referee takes it upstairs for a review. The ruling is no-try: a knock-on from Agustin Creevy. Ball remains with the Pumas after Jack Dempsey is warned for an earlier high-tackle.
JEEEBUS!!!! What the hell was that in defence Wallabies? #ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/FGIxhXnViA
— 👋Dot🏉 (@Dot_Hep) October 7, 2017
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Argentina 13-13 Australia
37 min: Argentina awarded a penalty, which Nicolas Sanchez converts without fuss. All square again.
Argentina 10-13 Australia
34 min: Try! Reece Hodge collects a looping pass from Will Genia on the far right-hand side to run over untroubled. Perhaps a hint of forward in the pass but no review. Bernard Foley miscues the conversion, his third miss of the night. Australia retake the lead heading into half-time.
TOO EASY!
— TEN Sport (@tensporttv) October 7, 2017
Genia finds Hodge in a yawning gap and the @qantaswallabies take back the lead!
🇦🇷 10-13 🇦🇺 #ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/n4jFkqirvh
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33 min: Australia building momentum going forward. The attack is looking flat, but still finding gaps in Argentina’s line. The Wallabies find touch and prepare for an attacking surge.
Here’s the Marika Koroibete try from earlier. He only just stayed upright...
TRY TIME!@MarikaKoroibete rumbles down the wing to score the first five-pointer of the game!
— TEN Sport (@tensporttv) October 7, 2017
🇦🇷 0-8 🇦🇺 #ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/M3ccTjDDot
Argentina 10-8 Australia
30 min: Nicolas Sanchez knocks it over from close range to give Argentina the lead.
29 min: Argentina are slicing holes through the Wallabies’ defence right now, clocking up the metres. Penalty awarded to the Pumas, and they elect to kick.
How close?!
The Pumas hit back! Alemanno crashes over from close range and the home side are back in it
— TEN Sport (@tensporttv) October 7, 2017
🇦🇷 7-8 🇦🇺 #ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/dxg8qCiqys
Argentina 7-8 Australia
24 min: The Pumas search for the line, but Australia’s defence hold strong. Then Matias Alemanno finds a small gap in front of the post, and places the ball right on the line. Try! Argentina convert to narrow the gap to one point.
23 min: Argentina have an opportunity to respond, with a line-out 15 metres from the Australian line. Australia penalised, and the Pumas opt to kick for touch again. Driving maul time?
Argentina 0-8 Australia
20 min: Try! Rugby league convert Marika Koroibete scores in the far left corner, after collecting on the fly and just staying upright on the final stretch to the line. Bernard Foley misses the conversion.
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18 min: Bernard Foley misses the resulting penalty, and the scoreline remains 3-0 to the Wallabies. That is Foley’s first missed penalty in almost 20 attempts.
17 min: Argentine prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro is down in backplay and looks in trouble. After a stoppage, the Pumas take the scrum near the halfway line. Chaparro, back on his feet and in the scrum, is then penalised.
Argentina 0-3 Australia
15 min: Australia are given the advantage as they search for a gap in the Pumas’ defensive line. It does not amount to anything, and the Wallabies elect to take the kick. Bernard Foley converts the penalty - first points of the game to Australia.
13 min: Australia drive towards the left-hand flank, with good movement from Bernard Foley and Tatafu Polota-Nau. Adam Coleman almost makes a break, but Australia are then awarded the penalty on the Argentinian 22-metre line. Promising signs for the Wallabies, although the Pumas’ defence is staying solid for now.
Plenty of Australian fans enjoying the Sunday morning breakfast and rugby combination.
We should play more in Argentina. This is a great timeslot #ARGvAUS
— Taylor Brasser (@tbrasser7) October 7, 2017
Settling in for the Rugby and breakfast #ARGvAUS pic.twitter.com/qWwaMwkN9o
— Steve Lenthall (@steve_l15) October 7, 2017
8 min: Jack Dempsey makes a run through the Pumas, gaining ground and bringing the Wallabies to the Argentinian 22 metre line. A handling error from Adam Coleman ends the momentum.
6 min: The Wallabies take a short line-out, but Argentina are awarded a penalty for obstruction. The Pumas move the ball wide but Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias fumbles the pass. Australian scrum.
4 min: Wallabies scrum on the halfway line collapses. Referee Raynal gives both teams a stern talking-to. It collapses again - Australia are awarded a penalty and kick for touch, giving them a strong attacking position.
2 min: Argentina collect from the kick-off and face immediate Australian pressure. The ball ends up downfield and Kurtley Beale takes a mark within the 22, but fails to find touch with his kick.
Kick-off
1 min: Peeep! French referee Mathieu Raynal commences proceedings and we are underway in Mendoza. Stay tuned for live minute-by-minute coverage.
The Wallabies train ahead of today’s clash with Argentina in Mendoza.
Starting XVs
Wallabies: Scott Sio, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu, Izack Rodda, Adam Coleman, Jack Dempsey, Michael Hooper (c), Sean McMahon, Will Genia, Bernard Foley, Reece Hodge, Kurtley Beale, Tevita Kuridrani, Marika Koroibete, Israel Folau
Pumas: Lucas Noguera Paz, Agustin Creevy (c), Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Marcos Kremer, Matias Alemanno, Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio, Tomas Lezana, Martin Landajo, Nicolas Sanchez, Emiliano Boffelli, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Matias Orlando, Matias Moroni, Joaquin Tuculet
Overnight the All Blacks narrowly beat South Africa in Cape Town. The upshot for the Wallabies is that a win over Argentina will elevate them into second on the final 2017 Rugby Championship ladder. A bonus point win (scoring three tries more than the Pumas) will send them into outright second, while an ordinary win will leave Australia level with the Springboks but ahead on point difference.
Preamble
The 2017 Rugby Championship, which concludes today with Australia facing Argentina from 9.40am (AEDT), has been a series of mixed fortunes for the Wallabies. It opened with a heavy loss at home to the All Blacks, before Australia improved to a valiant defeat in Dunedin. Consecutive draws with South Africa and a win over Argentina in chilly Canberra lifted spirits, but regardless of the result in Mendoza, few fans will look back happily on this series. Australian rugby remains light years away from the glory days of the late 1990s.
Coach Michael Cheika has named a line-up identical to that which drew with the Springboks in Bloemfontein last week. This is a first - the only time during his three year tenure that Cheika has resisted the urge to tinker with selection between games - and the Wallabies will be hoping the added stability helps them end the Rugby Championship on a high. Last week’s debutant Marika Koroibete has been retained, the rugby league convert given another opportunity to stake his claim for a permanent position on the wing.
For the Pumas, today’s clash at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas offers one last chance to redeem an otherwise disappointing campaign. Argentina has not secured a single point over five Rugby Championship games, conceding 198 points to just 90 scored. With departing Brumbies scrum-half Tomas Cubelli sustaining a vertebrae fractured against New Zealand, replacement Martin Landajo will need to control proceedings for the Argentinians.
Can the Pumas avoid their first winless tournament since 2013? Will the Wallabies leapfrog South Africa to end the Rugby Championship in second place? Which Australians will cement their places ahead of a busy spring schedule, including forthcoming encounters with New Zealand, Japan and the Home Nations? Plenty of questions, and 80 minutes of rugby to find out.
Wherever you are in the world, do get in touch with your thoughts during the game via email or Twitter. Ta!
Kieran will be here shortly. In the meantime, have a read of Bret Harris’s bold call for extra time to be used in drawn Test games and Paul Rees’s view that the ailing Rugby Championship shows the Test game needs a health check.
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