Summary
Thank you for joining me tonight for a landmark victory for Argentina, the Pumas running out deserved victors against Australia in Sydney.
I’ll be back here in a fortnight to see if the Wallabies can restore some pride against the All Blacks at the MCG, but for now I’ll leave you with Angus Fontaine’s match report.
As I mentioned earlier on, this match-up is a likely World Cup quarter-final in Marseille. Jo Higgins emails in: “Pumas proving to have a far better and more focussed coach. Could be dangerous opponents in World Cup.” Indeed, Jo, indeed.
And on that subject, Michael Cheika will be thrilled at getting one over his old sparring partner Eddie Jones. These appear to be a pair of evenly matched sides heading in different directions, thanks in no small part to the two Sydneysiders in charge.
The inquest for the Wallabies will be painful. The discipline issue has been years in the making. But that crucial aspect of the game should still not gloss over how Argentina dominated that match in almost every aspect.
Considering how the ARU jettisoned Dave Rennie for Eddie Jones at such a crucial moment in the international cycle, a lot rests on how Australia bounce back. But there are only three matches to go before the World Cup – and the next is against the All Blacks.
Will Jones be able to change the narrative again and palm off another press conference question as coming from a “smartarse”?
Australian captain for the night James Slipper can’t ignore the penalty count.
Ill-discipline really hurt us tonight again. Yellow card, a couple of penalties put us at the wrong end of the field. You can’t win Test matches playing that sort of rugby. We’ve got to turn that around, we have to train it. There’s quite a few of us who have to look at those individual penalties and rectify it quickly. Performances like that, we won’t go far at the World Cup.
Over to Argentina captain, Julian Montoya:
First, a thank you to all of the Argentinian people here. We thought we were in Argentina it was so loud. I would you say thank you and to all of the people in Argentina. And thank you to the team members, still things to improve and that’s a good thing. We need to enjoy this win because we worked really hard over the week and bounce back from a tough game.
We want to be fighting for every ball every metre and every contact. We know the game is not going to be perfect, there are going to be bad moments. We need to enjoy this win because we worked really hard but straight away we need to get better.
Discipline again so costly for Australia. They lost the penalty count 14-10, and so many of those were at the breakdown, stalling forward momentum and allowing Argentina to attack with impunity. It was ultimately an indiscretion late on that invited the Pumas to kick to the corner from where they scored the clincher.
Mark Nawaqanitawase is the man the host broadcaster pulls over for comment. Five minutes from time he was the matchwinner. His brilliant intercept try looked decisive, but Argentina would not be denied.
A tough game, credit to them. Right to the end they dug in. A few things we need to work on but obviously disappointing… If we can get rid of a few discipline errors we can hold the ball a bit more, we can use it and attack. I think they had most of the ball whole game.
Massive, massive win for Argentina. They thoroughly deserved it over the course of the 80 minutes, but the manner of their resilience at the death will be recalled for years to come.
What an ending.
Full-time: Australia 31-34 Argentina
The Pumas pinch it at the death!
TRY! Australia 31-34 Argentina (Gonzalez, 80)
Phase seven, eight, all the same, drive after desperate drive towards the line. AND THE WHISTLE BLOWS FOR A TRY! Gonzalez eschews the underground route, opting instead to leap over the top, and the big backrower has done it!
The conversion is good too!
Updated
79 mins: Argentina secure the lineout at the front. The maul forms and inches towards the left corner. Two drives, three, the line in sight, Can they burrow over? There’s a gold wall on the line…
78 mins: Now the TMO is involved. They’ve spotted Kerevi catching Carreras after the whistle had blown. The scrum becomes a kick downfield for a 5m lineout throw. One final roll of the dice for the Pumas.
77 mins: Argentina win the kick-off but they can’t build any momentum before play is halted for a penalty in their favour. There’s a delay too while a Puma is treated for a rib injury.
TRY! Australia 31-27 Argentina (Nawaqanitawase, 76)
Everything’s got a little desperate and frantic in Parramatta. The Wallabies backs try to do too much coming out of defence and concede a knock-on and a turnover on their 22. The Pumas get their heads down and cut from left to right, then back the other way. 5m out, the pressure building – and wow! – Nawaqanitawase steps out of the line, intercepts and jogs 95m for an improbable and breathtaking try. Deary me, this is unbelievable.
Cooper converts. The Wallabies are stealing victory from the jaws of defeat.
TRY! Australia 24-27 Argentina (Kerevi, 73)
Australia hit straight back! Quick ball just after halfway allows the Wallabies to throw flat passes wide to the left. Koroibete straightens the line, looks inside to Cooper who is hauled down inches from the line. The support play is rapid and Kerevi dives over.
Cooper with a superb conversion. Game on again!
Updated
72 mins: Argentinian songs reverberate around Commbank Stadium in western Sydney. The Pumas have outplayed the Wallabies in their own backyard. Can they seal the deal?
TRY! Australia 17-27 Argentina (Mateo Carreras, 70)
Argentina win their own ball and get back to the attacking phase-play. This time they do get the penalty advantage they craved which liberates the midfield and allows Mateo Carreras to cut inside from the left, hit the line on a lovely curving run to evade Porecki in the line and arc around the fullback and over the line!
Boffelli nails the touchline conversion. Argentina in dreamland!
67 mins: Argentina get back to their work, building through the phases and hitting Australia’s 22. The Pumas are furious at Australia’s breakdown tactics but there’s no penalty advantage. Phase nine becomes ten but territory is conceded and they have to kick to restore their ascendancy. It’s a good call too because the low skidder to the left corner is knocked on by Wright and Argentina have a scrum on attacking 22.
Updated
65 mins: Meanwhile, there were some handbags off the ball, which results in the TMO getting involved to unpick the script and conclude there should be a penalty against Valetini. Australia’s discipline, for time immemorial, has been a handicap.
65 mins: Argentina win their own scrum 25m out and boot long. Australia join the kick-to-kick for a while, until Koroibete fancies a run – and why wouldn’t he? His burst into bodies sets up the Wallabies but there’s a knock-on. Jones tosses his headset to the ground. I hope his calls are not monitored for training and quality purposes.
64 mins: The camera cuts to Eddie Jones, who, with his headset and microphone get-up, looks like an irate call centre middle-manager.
64 mins: The lineout is safe but slow and it needs Kerevi’s bulk to create some go-forward. The phases grow as White directs traffic left, then right, until Cooper shakes things up on his own. Then everything unravels as play heads to the left with Argentina forcing the move back behind the 22. Two stultifying phases later and a handling error gifts the Pumas respite.
62 mins: The sound of singing South Americans is the dominant noise in Commbank Stadium as Argentina sniff a mighty result. Australia are not out of it by any means though, and Cooper kicks them inside the 22 with an attacking lineout to follow.
Penalty! Australia 17-20 Argentina (Boffelli, 60)
From 45m out on a slight angle, Boffelli just about clears the crossbar and kicks the Pumas back in front!
60 mins: The Wallabies can’t capitalise because the Pumas steal lineout ball for the first time tonight. Play returns to an arm-wrestle at ground level on halfway, which inevitably means a technical infringement by an Australian.
58 mins: Australia secure their own lineout ball but tread water on halfway and are forced to enter a kicking contest. It works in their favour though with Boffelli launching his punt out on the full.
56 mins: Kerevi comes off his line and nails a Puma but Argentina keep the ball alive with swift hands. Six phases takes them across halfway but a superb counter-ruck on the right wing featuring Koroibete, Gordon and Valetini sends the attack into touch.
TRY! Australia 17-17 Argentina (White, 54)
5m scrum under the posts for Australia. Peyper implores Nic White to use it, so he looks to his left, doesn’t like what he sees, spins on his heels and instead cuts around the right of the mass of bodies in front of him to find the seas have parted. The Wallaby scrum half scampers a few paces then dives over for a solo try.
Cooper kicks an easy couple more and scores are level.
52 mins: Lineout, maul, penalty advantage. White and Cooper marshal their forwards with one-out hit-ups in the red zone but the defence holds firm, there’s a loose carry and play is called back to the earlier indiscretion.
51 mins: Another scrum penalty to the Wallabies who are dominating that set-piece. Play shifts quickly to the right where Nawaqanitawase accepts contact. The momentum threatens to stall but Australia do well keep the energy going crossfield, Koroibete again to the fore. The penalty advantages mount and eventually White is pounded off the ball and the whistle blows. Cooper kicks to the left corner.
49 mins: Since Ikitau’s early try everything has gone Argentina’s way. And the Wallabies still have only 14 men on the field. However, spirits are raised when the Pumas fail to execute a midfield scrum. That should give Arnold the opportunity to return to the fray and set up a massive last half-hour.
TRY! Australia 10-17 Argentina (Montoya, 47)
Argentina go back to the penalty advantage and kick back to the left corner. Another lineout, another maul, and now repeat drives under the posts. This is relentless from the Pumas. Wave after wave of albiceleste jerseys smashing into gold defenders. Surely the dam breaks. Finally! Finally it does! Captain, hooker, Julian Montoya does the business, getting low, pushing hard and touching down.
The conversion is unmissable. Argentina deservedly lead.
44 mins: Argentina finally kick the penalty to the corner. They win the lineout and are awarded an immediate penalty advantage as the maul forms. Carreras seizes the opportunity and darts through the line to set up momentum. the recycle is quick and Argentina fly down the right, surely they score! No! As the ball hits the right wing, the step inside looks decisive but Isgro somehow can’t fall forwards and is held up by Wright over the line!
44 mins: The big lock is in a bit of a pickle. He stands up and tries to run off his injury but he’s soon back on the deck with trainers around him. A frustrating delay in play. Eventually the imposing Lucas Paulos lumbers on.
44 mins: Argentina secure their lineout 35m out but Australia’s line defence is solid and repeat phases go nowhere – until a penalty advantage for a headlock is quickly accepted because Alemanno is stricken in midfield with what looks like a knee injury.
42 mins: 14-man Australia get first use and immediately fling the ball from right wing to left until Koroibete straightens up with purpose. Play then slows down at the breakdown and a couple of phases later there’s a penalty to Argentina at the ruck. The Wallabies are getting punished in this facet yet again.
The teams are back out for the second half.
The Pumas may regret not accepting three easy points just before the interval. They dominated that half but have only parity to show for it.
The Pumas led carries 81-27, passes 109-39, and territory 70-30. The Wallabies laid 115 energy sapping tackles to just 32 for Argentina. Australia’s finishers are going to have plenty of work to do.
Half-time: Australia 10-10 Argentina
Scores are level at the break, but no doubt Argentina had much the better of the opening half.
Updated
40+4 mins: The Pumas, with the man advantage, go for another 5m scrum in the right corner. But it’s the wrong call as the Wallabies win a penalty against the feed! the front row of Alaalatoa, Slipper and Porecki are pumped!
40 +2 mins: Argentina play on with a 5m scrum, rejecting the penalty. They win their own ball and spin off on the blindside until they’re held up over the line. Play comes back for a penalty advantage.
Yellow Card! (Australia - Arnold, 40)
From the lineout on the right the Pumas cut left at pace. The passes all hit their targets and by the left wing there’s only 10m to go but there’s no room on the outside and Gordon does superbly to position himself in the way of the only option inside. But Argentina soon force the turnover and continue their hunt for a score. This time it’s towards the right where there’s an overlap, and by the time the ball gets over to that flank a try seems inevitable. Australia do well to scramble defence but it comes at the cost of a yellow card for Arnold deliberately playing at the ball off his feet to deny a certain score.
39 mins: Off the lineout Gordon tries to break in midfield but he’s hauled down. Valetini then smashes into the line like a Mack truck as Australia start to move. But the ill discipline costs them once more with a ruck infringement allowing Argentina to kick defence into attack.
38 mins: The Pumas win their own scrum feed and then try to run their way out of their own red zone. Well, for one phase anyway, before a mighty box kick sends play towards halfway.
37 mins: Superb quick lineout and rolling maul. The Wallabies are rumbling linewards with menace. But in a split second the momentum stalls, the pack of bodies end up on the deck and the referee’s arm points in favour of the Pumas. Argentina’s players are delighted with their defensive work.
35 mins: Australia’s scrum wheels 360º and the Wallabies are awarded the penalty. Plenty of slaps on the back for Alaalatoa. Cooper belts the free-kick miles downfield to set up a 5m lineout.
34 mins: Argentina win their own scrum ball just inside their own half and run expansively down the right with space opening up in front of them – until there’s a loose carry and both sets of forwards have to trudge over and pack down once again.
Carter Gordon shaves the mullet and he gains 5 seconds wind resistance and scores that try. #AUSvARG
— Karen Hardy (@KarenHardyCT) July 15, 2023
Updated
32 mins: Argentina nail their own lineout ball and attack off the back of a splintering maul. The one-out running phases resume and the Pumas look set for another long series of play – but for some reason they change script, look for a second pass, and it goes to ground, where Carter Gordon is alert to the situation, scoops up, and hares off for the left corner. It’s a 70m foot race. Gordon, blond mullet flying behind him. Can he make it? No! The covering defender Cinti steams across and gets enough on the ankle tap to force the substitute into touch. The most thrilling moment of the night so far – and so close to a magical intervention from the youngster.
Updated
29 mins: Argentina have enjoyed the better of open play in the opening half hour and deserve to be level on the scoreboard. But the try scorer Jeronimo de la Fuente is penalised for getting stuck on the wrong side of the ruck after tackling Koroibete and the Wallabies kick over halfway.
The lineout remains efficient, but a set-play a phase later is called back for a sneaky obstruction by Alaalatoa. That was excellent refereeing.
TRY! Australia 10-10 Argentina (Jeronimo de la Fuente, 26)
Catch and drive for the Pumas 5m from the line. Nothing fancy from the visitors, stuffing the ball up their beautiful jerseys for nine phases, punching holes into the Australian defence, sucking in tacklers and enjoying two penalty advantages. Eventually, with space opening up, the flat pass off the back of the ruck hits the onrushing Jeronimo de la Fuente and the try is inevitable.
Boffelli slots over the conversion and scores are level.
24 mins: The throw is secured but the Wallaby maul is powerful and forces the Pumas backwards. However, there’s a penalty against Skelton and Argentina gain more yards.
22 mins: The first scrum of the night ends with a penalty against Australian skipper James Slipper and Argentina kick themselves back into attacking territory.
Penalty! Australia 10-3 Argentina (Boffelli, 20)
From under the posts, the penalty is unmissable. Territory is 80-20 in Argentina’s favour, the scoreboard still playing catch-up.
Updated
18 mins: Another long spell of possession from the Pumas but a knock-on stalls their momentum. Not for long though with a immediate turnover sending the visitors back on the front foot. The Wallabies do well to slow things down on the 20m line but Argentina are dedicated to the one-out jinking run from the ruck. By phase 10 there’s a penalty advantage at the breakdown, the dinky chip goes over the top and the whistle blows.
16 mins: Argentina have a nice long multiphase attack from 30m out. Again it’s most dangerous heading to the left, but this time they keep the ball alive and recycle to the right. Play remains full of impetus as the phases reach double figures in the shadow of the posts, quick ball offering options right and left, but the Pumas pull the trigger perhaps a fraction early – Carreras again looking for the rugby league style grubber – but Koroibete is alive to it and concedes the drop out.
Meanwhile, Ikitau leaves the field clutching his right shoulder. He has looked in pain since the collision he incurred when touching down for the opening try.
14 mins: The Wallabies remain 100% at the lineout tonight and Cooper clears his lines.
@JPHowcroft Forward pass by Q Cooper in build up to try? Shocking.
— Mike Pope (@DodgyScaleClub) July 15, 2023
I confess in real time I thought it was ok, mainly because of the advancing Argentina line muddling the sense of perspective. However, happy to be corrected.
13 mins: White fails to hit touch with his clearing kick, but the Pumas are unable to regather their Garryowen counterattack and play returns to a standstill on halfway. After the ball hit the Spidercam cables with a bomb to the corner – that went unnoticed by the officials – the Pumas kick to the right corner into touch.
Penalty! Australia 10-0 Argentina (Cooper, 12)
Cooper with his second solid strike of the night as the Wallabies hit double figures.
11 mins: Another lineout win for the Wallabies with Skelton in the air for an age at the back of the line. Nawaqanitawase takes over, hustling and bustling in midfield, spinning in and out of tackles and earning a penalty for a high scrag. That invites Cooper to extend the lead from 40m out dead in front.
10 mins: The throw is secured but the Pumas are back in possession soon afterwards after White’s box kick is charged down. Argentina can’t capitalise with an attacker off his feet at the ruck.
9 mins: Argentina take possession for the second time tonight, and again they look dangerous, making yards up front and looking for quick ball off the back and to the left wing. As with their opening sortie, a low kick doesn’t pay off and Australia have the first lineout throw of the night.
TRY! Australia 7-0 Argentina (Ikitau, 6)
Australia try to work through the phases on halfway but there is no go-forward at all and the penalty advantage for offside comes as merciful relief. The penalty is tapped quickly by Nawaqanitawase and the Wallabies dart to the 20m line at speed. From there, it’s worked quickly to the left through a superb long pass by Cooper to Koroibete. The big winger basketball palms the pass back inside to Ikitau who barrels towards the corner, withstands a stinger of a tackle in mid-air and just grounds the ball on the line. Excellent set-play try!
Cooper slots over an impressive conversion from the left touchline.
Updated
Missed Penalty! (Argentina)
3 mins: Following the ball going dead, play is called back for an Australian infringement and the Pumas have a simple looking shot for goal, but Boffelli hits the left-hand upright and the ball bounces back into play! The Wallabies under the pump on their own line, but they hold firm until Peyper’s whistle blows for a clear offside against Lavanini.
Updated
2 mins: Australia secure the kick-off and Cooper belts the Wallabies to halfway. Argentina keep the ball in hand and in a couple of phases make a linebreak in the left centres, Len Ikitau burned badly. Up to the 20m line and the phases build but Santi Carreras spots a gap and dabs a kick through that is agonisingly out of reach of Mateo Carreras, with Wright shielding the space well.
Updated
Kick-off!
We’re under way in Parramatta.
Along with the fashion stakes, the anthems give Argentina another moral victory. The preamble alone makes me want to gaffer tape my ears and run into battle.
Out come the Pumas onto the Commbank Stadium turf, somewhat to the surprise of the crowd who muster only a few half-hearted boos. Much more enthusiasm when then the home favourites jog out. The 7.45pm kick-off time is already a distant memory.
Before the teams enter the arena, here’s the write-up from New Zealand’s day out against South Africa earlier on.
The Wallabies are going through the final hugs and back-slaps in their change room ready for battle. Australia are in their rich egg yolk gold jersey, green shorts and gold socks. The Pumas outdo them in the fashion stakes with one of the finest outfits in international sport. Hoops of cornflower blue and white adorn the collard jerseys and long socks, with white shorts tying it all together, man.
I always enjoy when professional sport gets in the way of the main event.
'Pablo, get out of the way...'#AUSvARG pic.twitter.com/daSsdPufRj
— Steve Lenthall (@steve_l15) July 15, 2023
It’s been unseasonably warm in Sydney recently meaning temperatures will still be in the high teens at kick-off. A slight northerly breeze may be a factor in the kicking game.
Esta hinchada 🫶#SomosLosPumas pic.twitter.com/x9a8Ewn7bw
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) July 15, 2023
The referee tonight is South African Jaco Peyper. His assistants are Kiwis Paul Williams and James Doleman. TMO is Marius Jonker from South Africa.
The Pumas have provided stern opposition for the Wallabies in recent years, and there’s a reasonable chance this match-up could be a World Cup quarter-final later this year if Australia win Pool C and Argentina finish runners-up behind England in Pool D.
2022 Argentina 48-17 Australia
2022 Argentina 26-41 Australia
2021 Australia 32-17 Argentina
2021 Australia 27-8 Argentina
2020 Australia 16-16 Argentina
2020 Australia 15-15 Argentina
Here’s the coin toss, if you’re into that sort of thing.
What I definitely am into is Julian Montoya’s sweet Air Max 1 sneakers.
Capitanes 🇦🇷🤝🇦🇺#SomosLosPumas pic.twitter.com/JOtTu7IZY8
— Los Pumas (@lospumas) July 15, 2023
Argentina XV
Michael Cheika has handed a debut to winger and former sevens international, Rodrigo Isgro, doubling the number of bronze medalists from the Tokyo 2020 Games in his back line. Francisco Gómez Kodela also comes into the starting side.
Pumas: 15. Emiliano Boffelli, 14. Rodrigo Isgro, 13. Lucio Cinti, 12. Jeronimo De La Fuente, 11. Mateo Carreras, 10. Santiago Carreras, 9. Gonzalo Bertranou, 8. Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7. Santiago Grondona, 6. Pablo Matera, 5. Tomas Lavanini, 4. Matias Alemanno, 3. Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2. Julian Montoya (c), 1. Thomas Gallo.
Reserves: 16. Agustin Creevy, 17. Hahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18. Eduardo Bello, 19. Lucas Paulos, 20. Rodrigo Bruni, 21. Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22. Nicolas Sanchez, 23. Matias Moroni.
Australia XV
Eddie Jones has tinkered with his line-up after last week’s mauling in South Africa. In the pack, Fraser McReight replaces Michael Hooper (calf strain), Jed Holloway deputises for Tom Hooper (shoulder) and Richie Arnold comes in for Nick Frost. In the backs, Suliasi Vunivalu has made way for Mark Nawaqanitawase and Samu Kerevi comes into the centres in place of Reece Hodge.
“We’re running a marathon this year and we didn’t get off the start line like we wanted to, but we get another opportunity to find our rhythm this weekend against a tough Argentinian side,” Jones said on Thursday. “It’s about winning but there’s a couple of processes we’ve got. We’ve got the process of today, we’ve got the process of tomorrow. So that’s a continual balancing act but obviously Saturday’s the priority.”
Wallabies: 1 James Slipper (c), 2 David Porecki, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 4 Richie Arnold, 5 Will Skelton, 6 Jed Holloway, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Rob Valetini, 9 Nic White, 10 Quade Cooper, 11 Marika Koroibete, 12, Samu Kerevi, 13, Len Ikitau, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 15 Tom Wright.
Reserves: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Matt Philip, 20 Rob Leota, 21 Josh Kemeny, 22 Tate McDermott, 23 Carter Gordon.
To provide a little more context to last week’s results and tonight’s clash, the All Blacks have just run out comprehensive winners at home to the Springboks. New Zealand streaked into a 20-3 half-time lead, playing some scintillating ruby, but South Africa fought hard in the second half.
Freedom Cup stays in Aotearoa 🖤
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 15, 2023
What a test, thank you @Springboks 🤝#NZLvRSA pic.twitter.com/9Qr6PqAqgY
Angus Fontaine wasn’t overly impressed with the return of the prodigal Eddie in Pretoria.
After all the hoopla about Jones returning as the saviour of Australian rugby, his Wallabies barely fired a shot in their 43-12 walloping by South Africa in Pretoria. Despite scoring the Test’s first try with fast hands to Marika Koroibete, they imploded to leak 43 unanswered points, falling to their heaviest defeat against South Africa in 15 years and getting the much-vaunted Eddie Era: Part 2 off to the worst possible start. That this defeat came against a second-string Springboks side, with the first XV dispatched to New Zealand to counter the All Blacks, only salted the wound.
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Argentina in round two of The Rugby Championship. Kick-off at Sydney’s Commbank Stadium is 7.45pm.
It might be early days in the international season, but this already has the feel of a must-win clash for both sides. The Wallabies were hammered in South Africa last time out, while the Pumas were thumped on home turf by the All Blacks. With the World Cup just around the corner, now is not the time to be playing catch-up.
It’s anyone’s guess where Australian rugby is at the moment, with changes in the boardroom and a Hail Mary sent Eddie Jones’s way after he was sacked by England. It’s a familiar pattern for a sport that long ago lost its foothold as Australia’s team and seems unsure how to win back the armchair fans.
Jones’s first XV was hardly a massive departure from the Dave Rennie era, suggesting selection alone has not been behind Australia’s inability to win a TRC since 2015. However, the positives to take away from Pretoria came off the bench with Carter Gordon’s try-scoring debut hinting at a bright future for the young playmaker. Otherwise it was a familiar tale with ill-discipline yet again costing the Wallabies dearly.
I’ll be back with teams news and insights from the two camps shortly. If you want to get in touch at any point you can always send me an email.
