Wallabies humiliated in heavy defeat as Argentina pile on record-breaking score

Argentina have run in nine tries to thump the Wallabies 67-27 with the biggest score that Australia have conceded in a men’s rugby union Test. Photograph: Mateo Occhi/AP

The Wallabies have fallen to a humiliating Rugby Championship defeat against Argentina, giving up the most points in their history in a shock 67-27 loss in Santa Fe. Despite leading 20-3 early, a second half implosion saw Australia leak 64 points to Los Pumas and sink to a defeat that, while not quite rivalling their 53–8 to South Africa in Johannesburg in 2009, will nonetheless leave new coach Joe Schmidt fuming.

Rueing the loss of key front-rowers Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou in the second half, Schmidt admitted his side “fell off a cliff” as the Argentinians ran in nine hot tries, showing the slick play that shocked New Zealand in the TRC’s opening round. A heavy reckoning must now follow as a shattered Wallabies squad tries to pick up the pieces before the Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand starts on 21 September.