Summary
Momentum continues to build for Dave Rennie’s Wallabies. After consecutive wins over the Springboks, Australia did what they had to do in Townsville against a ragged below-par Argentina.
In a stop-start contest full of errors and indiscretions Australia showed the most intent and control to run out deserved winners. The highlights reel won’t be massive, but will feature Samu Kerevi heavily. The big centre has added a muscularity to the Wallabies’ backline that was missing in his absence and he repeatedly bust tackles to generate go-forward. His partnership with Len Ikitau is blossoming nicely. Quade Cooper was quietly efficient, and his replacement, James O’Connor was lively on his return to international rugby, helping to set up his team’s final score.
Rennie will not have been pleased with the set-piece, the lineout especially was ropey with Argentina disrupting and stealing at will. There wasn’t much else to like about the Pumas’ performance though. There was little creativity or daring with ball in hand and Boffelli’s wayward boot meant they never established a platform in the contest.
Let’s come back and do it all again next week, shall we?
Updated
Full-time: Australia 27-8 Argentina
Three in a row for the Wallabies. That was far from vintage Test rugby, but Australia always had the upper hand and they continue their winning run.
77 mins: The Pumas are still gamely scrapping, but they have made little ground with ball in hand. A multi-phase attack threatens to go places but it runs out of steam on the left wing and play is recalled for an earlier penalty.
76 mins: Australia regroup and run the ball back through Kerevi and Koroibete. JOC takes it on, the Wallabies pushing for a bonus point try, but Argentina do just enough and force the loose carry.
75 mins: Australia’s lineout has been dreadful tonight. Not for the first time the Pumas steal and clear.
74 mins: Australia kick a breakdown penalty to the right corner.
73 mins: Ikitau breaks into open field on the back of a set-piece move in midfield. Kellaway is in support on his right and he gets to within a couple of metres. The grind resumes. JOC, McDermott, this is like a repeat of the previous try - but then the ball comes loose and it’s a black and blue jersey that snaffles it. Exciting finish from Australia’s bench players.
TRY! Australia 27-8 Argentina (Kellaway, 70)
Australia get to work with a long series of one-out phases, burrowing into the Argentinian line - with a long penalty advantage. They send the ball out to the left but the space is shut down so it’s back to the grind. McDermott is busy, so is Bell, the rumble is ugly but effective and the ball is forced inches from the line. Eventually, from touching distance of the posts, the ball is freed by McDermott to the right, then popped back inside from O’Connor for Kellaway to burst onto and crash over. The nicest hands of the night in that phase. Lovely stuff. Hint of a forward pass from JOC at the end, but it was allowed with the momentum rule (rightly in my book). Good try - patient, hard-working, and skilful in the end.
O’Connor dinks over the conversion. This one is done.
67 mins: This is now a tired sloppy Test match, to go with the generally disjointed one it has been for most of the night. Argentina look unlikely to mount a fightback.
65 mins: The lineout is good, the maul forms, but it’s skittish and moving like a mutant spider infield until there’s a Pumas penalty. Again they kick to the corner, secure the lineout and create a maul. This time the Wallabies slow it down and eventually collapse it, earning a scrum feed. Darcy Swain received lots of pats on the back for his efforts in the depths of the human cavern.
63 mins: Scrum to Australia just inside their own half - and it ends with a penalty Argentina’s way. Then the Wallabies are marched ten metres backwards following some lip. The Pumas kick to the corner and will go for their second pushover try of the night.
Penalty! Australia 20-8 Argentina (O'Connor, 60)
James O’Connor is immediately on kicking duties, and he calmly slots through his first effort from 25m out.
58 mins: Amongst the mass of substitutions, James O’Connor is on the field, which is nice. Quade Cooper makes way and JOC is at five-eighth.
Back to the action, Argentina steal a Wallaby lineout on halfway, but they soon lose possession. Kellaway makes them regret it with a slaloming run that eats up the metres and creates real go-forward. The phases build from left to right. Fainga’a chugs down the right wing. Australia look certain to score, only a matter of time, but there’s a very obvious professional foul at the breakdown, slowing the ball, and by the time the Wallabies extricate it the pace is lost and the slow passage through hands ends harmlessly. Play returns to the infringement, which really should be a yellow card.
Yellow card! Kremer, 57
Hmmmm. In the motion of Hodge sidestepping past Kremer, the Argentinian flanker sticks out a leg as he’s wrong-footed - and this looks like trouble. The referee missed it on-field, but the TMO is onto it. A penalty reversal and a yellow card! Kremer has done a couple of really stupid things this half.
56 mins: Good lineout from Argentina on halfway and in the maul they earn an advantage. With free ball there’s a chip and chase down the left wing but Hodge is alive to the risk and snuffs out the danger.
55 mins: Boffelli does well to claim the high ball under marking pressure from Hodge. Soon afterwards there’s an advantage on the play as the Pumas fade to the right, but Kerevi stops them in their tracks with a bone-jarring tackle.
54 mins: Boffelli is 35m out, 12m infield from the right... and he misses again. Not a great night with the boot so far.
Time for a rash of interchanges.
52 mins: Gah! The flow in this match is less Biggie Smalls and more Kendall Roy (seriously, watch Succession asap if you haven’t). Another penalty Argentina’s way, and this time they point towards the uprights.
50 mins: Good lineout on halfway from the Wallabies allowing Ikitau and Kerevi to link in midfield. Cooper throws a flat pass to the right that beats Kellaway but sits up nice for Hodge. Back infield Valetini hits the line hard, but just as a multi-phase attack grows there’s a breakdown penalty against Rodda and Argentina clear.
49 mins: Instead of play being called back for Australia’s infringement, the penalty is reversed for Kremer not legally tackling Koroibete after the play. It was dumb, frustrated footy, and it’s cost his team momentum.
48 mins: Argentina lineout just inside their own half sets up a slow maul that ends with a box kick that Koroibete spills on the left wing. Argentina shift to the left edge where they earn an advantage for a high tackle. The ball goes back infield where Carreras dabs a kick straight to Koroibete and play is called back for the penalty.
46 mins: Another kicking exchange ends with Argentina taking possession on halfway - and then kicking it away again. Koroibete has had enough and runs with intent at the heart of the Argentinian line. It sets up a couple of quick phases and Tupou sent most of the way through a gap but he can’t offload to hands and we’re back to more mind numbing kick-to-kick.
TRY! Australia 17-8 Argentina (Montoya, 44)
The lineout is good. The maul is good. The pushover try is good! That was like watching the Springboks! Muscular set-piece score from the Pumas with Montoya entrusted with touching ovoid on grass.
Boffelli clips the upright and fails with the conversion.
42 mins: Argentina get first use from the restart and get through a few promising phases with Carreras directing traffic left and right. They end up treading water though with the gain-line barely moving around the 40m mark. The box kick changes the line of attack and Hodge make a mess of it in his defensive right corner. The Pumas charge through and Cinti snaffles the loose ball and is impeded at the breakdown. The whistle blows and the Pumas kick to the corner in search of a much needed try.
The second 40 is underway in Townsville...
Nick Warren also doesn’t enjoy the kit clash. “This match is just unwatchable with these two kits,” he emails. “If either had the sense to stay in their first kit this would have worked. Instead it’s indecipherable.”
Also, Argentina’s kit would be on my shortlist for favourite jerseys in all of sport. I miss seeing those giant brutish forwards piped into those delicate baby blue hoops.
Half-time: Australia 17-3 Argentina
Argentina were poor. Australia were ok in a couple of flashes. The kind of rugby (kit clash included) that makes outsiders wonder what all the fuss is about.
40 mins: Play restarts with a Wallaby scrum and off the back Kerevi busts the gain-line yet again. The ball is sent to the left edge where Fainga’a has space to run into, but when contact is initiated the ball slips from his grasp like a competent home cook squeezing the peel of a blanched tomato so the flesh pops out of the skin in one go.
39 mins: There’s a Mexican Wave in the crowd - the surest sign the action on-field is not tip top.
39 mins: A bit of a delay while Gigena is treated on-field. He will now be subject to concussion protocols.
39 mins: Lineout to Argentina on halfway and they have their first phase of quick attacking ball for an age. But that’s all a memory when Koroibete lays a South American flat on his back and one breakdown later the ball is in green hands. Australia run relentlessly, as they are wont to do, but the speed gradually ebbs out of the phases and eventually there’s a stoppage when the ball carrier Leota clashes heads with Puma prop Gigena.
38 mins: From the resulting scrum Los Pumas are awarded a free-kick. Free-flowing this is not.
37 mins: Another ropey, but ultimate successful lineout from the Wallabies. The ball goes from left to right again with the move ending with Kellaway chipping and chasing and earning an attacking lineout. This time it’s secured safely but the massed ranks of the Argentinian defence smash into the maul and fracture the green rock, sending shards flying all over the place and earning a penalty.
35 mins: Another sloppy set-piece, this time the Pumas lineout on halfway. Australia kick early in the phase, leading to another passage of aerial ping-pong. It ends dreadfully with Mallia slicing out on the full.
Penalty! Australia 17-3 Argentina (Cooper, 32)
Australia dominating in Townsville.
31 mins: The lineout from the clearing kick is poor and Australia are gifted possession yet again. The ball is immediately on its way from left to right with Kellaway getting his first taste of the action, and there’s a breakdown penalty for the home side to exploit. Cooper kicks to the corner, the lineout is secure - just - and Australia dart around infield looking for a gap. White is busy, Hooper gets his head down, Tupou has his bum up, and there’s a mass of man flesh swarming around the posts like walruses searching for sea ice. Everything reaches a crescendo when White thinks he’s touched down - but the referee isn’t impressed, nor is the TMO. Play comes back to an earlier penalty. Cooper will belatedly accept three points.
30 mins: This time the Wallabies execute a good lineout and link a few quick phases from right to left with Kerevi again looking dangerous. By the time it reaches Tupou the field is stretched but the massive prop is overpowered at the breakdown and the counterruck earns a penalty.
28 mins: The Wallabies can’t capitalise and Argentina clear to halfway. Koroibete runs the ball back but he ends up in quicksand and after a couple of slow rucks Argentina turnover. They don’t have possession for long though with the ball coming free and Cooper turning the Pumas on the heels with a canny kick own into the right corner.
26 mins: Another scrum penalty for the Wallabies. The Pumas not pushing straight. Hodge kicks to the corner.
25 mins: Australia’s corresponding scrum is more secure and they run down the left edge until Ikitau dribbles a weak kick forward. The chase is strong though, initiating a phase of kick-to-kick that ends when Mallia gets bored and invites the Wallabies to throw a line-out near halfway that Fainga’a overcooks. They get away with though accidentally when the ball bounces against the referee and, as the side in possession, Australia get the scrum feed.
23 mins: White belts a kick miles out of touch on the full to allow Argentina a scrum feed on halfway. It’s a big opportunity missed for the Pumas though when a big Australian shove sends the scrum wheeling around forcing a knock-on at departure. This is not yet a classic.
Penalty! Australia 14-3 Argentina (Boffelli, 21)
Los Pumas are on the board with a long-range penalty following a kick-off infringement from the Wallabies, that, to be frank, I missed, because I was enjoying Australia’s centre combination of Kerevi and Ikitau. It’s been a difficult problem for Dave Rennie, but he looks like he’s found a solution.
TRY! Australia 14-0 Argentina (Kerevi, 19)
The reverse angle shows Australia did get the ball down! Ikitau was the chaser, but Kerevi was the muscle following up and it was his strength that forced the ball to the turf next to the padding of the left-hand upright.
Updated
19 mins: Poor lineout from Argentina and Slipper steals on the ground like a hungry truffle pig. The Wallabies shape to the right, then the left with runners looking for sidesteps through central gaps. Tupou then goes a more direct route in the left centre spot, earns a penalty advantage that enables Cooper to dab through a tasty little chip and chase that causes mayhem, is gathered by Ikitau next to the posts, and may - may - be a try. Doesn’t look likely in real time, but the TMO is having a look.
17 mins: That scrappiness continues with the Wallabies’ front row penalised for collapsing Argentina’s scrum.
16 mins: The Wallabies build on the right edge but there’s the latest in a series of loose carries tonight and Argentina survive. It’s been a scrappy start.
Trevor Payne is with me on the jerseys. “It’s ridiculous- I’m about to switch the tv off. Why?”
I can only assume there was poor communication between the two sides intersecting with the contractual obligation for both teams to wear these jerseys at some point during TRC.
14 mins: Argentina reestablish a platform on halfway and again they’re not afraid to send the ball on the move. There is space on the left edge and Carreras tries to unlock it, but his pass his tapped on as Australia’s line rushes up and there’s a knock-on. The Wallabies win their own ball from the scrum and unleash Kerevi for his second barnstorming run of the game. There’s no support though and in isolation the ball comes loose so play is called back for an earlier penalty. There’s handbags behind play so both captains get a lecture.
Updated
12 mins: Australia control the ball from the lineout on the left wing then run through hands speedily across the field until Hodge straightens them up but he’s unable to bust the defensive line this time. As play slows down Hooper concedes the breakdown penalty for losing his feet.
11 mins: The first scrum of the night is reset. So is the second. Those big lads will not enjoy packing down on such a warm humid night. Eventually there’s a whistle Australia’s way for Argentina’s front row playing on their knees. Wallabies go from defence to attack in two minutes, two kicks of the ball, and two Argentina errors.
9 mins: Australia’s clearing kick out of defence misses touch but it doesn’t matter because Mallia drops a simple mark on halfway. The Pumas are letting themselves down with simple errors early on.
TRY! Australia 7-0 Argentina (Hodge, 6)
Argentina are straight back into their running game from the restart, getting quick ball from the ruck and feeding runners one-out who are hitting the line at speed. But there’s a loose pass in midfield and the Wallabies pilfer the stray ball. Then everything gets rumbling irresistibly. Kerevi gets into his stride and executes a strong hand-off. When he’s hauled down 20m out the ball is quick off the back of the ruck and it goes through hands to the right waiting for a runner to straighten up - and that runner is Hodge! He bursts through the gap to dive over. Brilliant counterattacking try from Australia.
Cooper makes no mistake with the simple conversion.
Argentina should have been 3-0 up and within a minute find themselves 7-0 behind. Small margins at this level.
Updated
3 mins: Disappointing penalty from only 30m out just to the left of the posts from Boffelli. Big let-off for the Wallabies.
2 mins: As expected there is a completely unnecessary kit clash. It’s juyst a mass of dark jerseyed bodies out there, the only key distinguishing feature being the lighter Wallaby sleeves. That’s especially unhelpful when the opening minute is an end-to-end kicking contest with bodies strewn across no-mans land. The whole thing ends with a lineout on halfway that Argentina secure safely and get to work with their running game. The forwards gain metres in midfield, then the backs engineer space on the left wing. Play returns with an advantage infield before the Wallabies smother the ball and the Pumas prepare to kick for goal.
Kick-off!
Can the Wallabies continue their good Rugby Championship form in Townsville, or will Argentina once again prove a tough nut to crack on Australian soil?
Advance Australia Fair is always a flat letdown after an anthem like Argentina’s, but the tenor delivering it nails the final note as powerfully as I’ve ever heard, and he did it wearing a wicked gold sparkly jacket. Bravo.
Then the whole atmosphere transforms with the riotous Argentinian national anthem, greeted joyously by a small knot of Albiceleste fans in the stands, and belted out by the massive lumps of humanity linked near the touchline.
The welcome to country carried extra meaning tonight with it being delivered in a Wallabies First Nations jersey.
And to plenty of cheers and a few fireworks, Australia are out in the middle too, in their dark green First Nations strip.
Out come the Pumas, as suspected, in their change uniform that is predominately black with an accent of royal blue. Maybe there’s some psychology at play, hoping to spook the Wallabies into believing their up against the All Blacks?
On the Australian TV broadcast there are regular advertorials promoting Townsville, and I’m not going to lie, they make me want to run to Melbourne airport and fly there immediately.
By the looks of those socks, I reckon Argentina are going to be in the darker of their two uniforms, which means we’re at risk of a bit of a messy kit clash with Australia in First Nations green.
@lospumas realizan sus primeros movimientos en el QCB Stadium de Townsville esperando por el inicio del partido ante los @wallabies.#VamosLosPumas #VamosArgentina #ZurichRugbyChampionship #Rugby #RugbyArgentina pic.twitter.com/NoP3C8S8Yd
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) September 25, 2021
It’s been warm, dry, and sunny in north Queensland today, and the strong northerly breeze from earlier in the day has diminished somewhat.
It is the first taste of Test rugby in this neck of the woods (well, technically the second after the All Blacks v Springboks curtain raiser) and to celebrate the occasion the Wallabies will wear their new First Nations jersey.
😍 #AUSvARG pic.twitter.com/9HYdRBEkyj
— Wallabies (@wallabies) September 25, 2021
Elsewhere in the rugby firmament, one of Australia’s most recognisable surnames may soon be on an England teamsheet.
Earlier today, on the same patch of Queensland turf, the All Blacks continued their unbeaten run in the Rugby Championship - but only just - against the Springboks.
The rugby news this week was dominated by the introduction of restrictions on contact time in training to reduce players’ contact load.
The game’s governing body, which worked with the representative body International Rugby Players (IRP), hopes a six-point checklist will help to reduce training-related injuries and improve performance by limiting players’ contact load between matches.
The guidelines recommend restricting midweek contact training to two days broken down into three categories: 15 minutes per week of full-contact training during which players are unrestrained and operate at high speed in body to body collisions, 40 minutes of controlled contact utilising tackle shields and pads, running at reduced speeds, and 30 minutes of live set-piece training with lineouts, scrums and mauls at a high intensity.
Dave Rennie was sceptical.
A couple of wins over the Springboks has got Bret Harris excited, but he wants more changes to the Giteau Law ahead of a World Cup campaign.
After upsetting the Springboks twice, the Wallabies are daring to dream they might be a chance of winning the 2023 World Cup in France. But if they are to seriously challenge, RA must amend the Giteau Law to such an extent that it ensures Rennie has access to all players required for the tournament.
Pumas XV
Mario Ledesma has named an unchanged XV from the side that lost last time out to the All Blacks.
Mario Ledesma confirmó la formación de 23 jugadores que enfrentarán a los @wallabies este sábado 25/9 a las 7:05 h por el quinto partido del #ZurichRugbyChampionship. #VamosLosPumas #VamosArgentina pic.twitter.com/03ZIRL5h38
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) September 23, 2021
Wallabies XV
Tom Banks’ arm injury means the versatile Reece Hodge starts at fullback, while Rob Leota comes into the back row to allow Lachie Swinton time to work on his tackling technique. The only other change comes on the bench, and it’s a significant one, with the enigmatic James O’Connor making his long-awaited return from injury.
“We’ve got genuine competition for places, we’re starting to create depth so we can only fit a certain amount of numbers in,” Rennie said.
Rennie’s focus tonight is on patience, accepting that Argentina might take time to break down, but not to panic along the way. “What we’ve learned over the last few weeks is you’ve got to hang on in the fight for a long time and sometimes it takes 60 or 70 minutes to crack a side, so we need to see that resilience on the weekend.”
Your 23 for tonight looking 🔥!
— Wallabies (@wallabies) September 25, 2021
🗓 TONIGHT 8:05pm AEST
🎟 https://t.co/Yy1NcVY73v
📺 @StanSportAU & @Channel9 #TRC2021 #Wallabies #AUSvARG @eToroAU @CadburyAU pic.twitter.com/DVUpCaBnez
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Argentina from Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville. We’re into round five of this year’s Rugby Championship with kick-off at 8.05pm AEST.
After consecutive victories over South Africa, the Wallabies are back up to third on the world rankings and with as much spring in their steps as at any time since reaching the 2015 World Cup final. Dave Rennie’s side remains very much a work in progress, but after being run close by an understrength French touring party, and then punished mercilessly by the All Blacks, there is finally some momentum to build on.
With the pressure off somewhat, there is an expectation of victory at the start of a double-header against the Pumas. It will provide an ideal yardstick for Australia with the same opposition holding them to a pair of low-scoring draws late last year. Progress, if any, will be simple to judge.
Rennie is looking forward to the different challenge Argentina, and their rampaging pack, will pose. “They are a bit different, they’ll want to express themselves, their forwards throw a hell of a lot more passes. They’ll counter when given the opportunity - they’re very good at it,” Rennie said on Thursday. “They’re also really good at filling the field, very disciplined around the defence and it can be hard to break down.
Only five Wallabies retain their spots in the starting XV from the line-up that drew with the Pumas in December, and Argentina coach Mario Ledesma is expecting a much different contest. “I think Australia is a different beast than what it was last year,” Ledesma said. “They’re much more confident, they’ve had better results and very good content against South Africa, the world champions, so that’s very good news for them and they have players and leaders playing at the best. Quade Cooper, Hooper, Kerevi, Koroibete, they are playing at the best and maybe are within the best players in their position.”
I’ll be back with more shortly, but if you would like to join in, you can reach me by email or Twitter (@JPHowcroft).
