ARGENTINA SCORED THEIR first win over Australia on Australian soil in 35 years when they downed the Wallabies 23-19 on Queensland’s Gold Coast on Saturday.
After leading Australia 17-14 at the break, the Pumas held off a spirited comeback from the Wallabies to record a famous win.
The Wallabies scored three tries to two but were undone by their poor discipline, with Nicholas Sanchez and Emiliano Boffelli kicking three penalties between them.
It was Argentina’s first win over the Wallabies in Australia since 1983 and consigned the Wallabies to their fifth loss in their last six test matches.
In a match played in perfect conditions, both teams attempted to play attacking rugby throughout.
But a host of handling errors meant the second half in particular lacked fluency and developed into an arm-wrestle between two evenly matched sides.
Australia had plenty of chances to win the match in the second half but dropped the ball too many times to let the Pumas off the hook.
They should have scored the winning try after the siren when the otherwise brilliant Israel Folau held onto the ball instead of passing to an unmarked Bernard Foley three metres from the line.
Folau then lost possession when hit in a tackle by three Argentine defenders and the match was over.
The first half had featured some brilliant back play from both sides, who relished playing under clear skies and on a perfect pitch.
The Pumas opened the scoring in just the third minute thanks to a 52-metre penalty from fullback Boffelli.
The Wallabies hit back when scrumhalf Will Genia took an inside ball from Reece Hodge to score beside the posts.
Matt Toomua converted to make it 7-3, but the Pumas hit back immediately when inside centre Jeronimo De La Fuente broke the line and popped a ball to flyhalf Sanchez to score.
Folau then put Australia back in front with a brilliant individual try in the corner when he beat five players on his way to the try line.
However, Argentina had the last say of the half with a superb try of their own, Bautista Delguy dancing through the Wallaby tacklers to finish off a move that began on their own 22 when flanker Pablo Matera broke the defence and charged 50 metres upfield before finding his right winger.
Delguy still had plenty to do, but he stepped off his right foot then shrugged off the tackle of fullback Dane Haylett-Petty to put the visitors back in front.
Sanchez kicked a penalty eight minutes after the restart to open a six-point lead.
But the Wallabies came back to within one point thanks to a Haylett-Petty try in the corner, before a second monster Boffelli penalty took the score to 23-19.
Despite huge pressure from the home side, the Pumas held on to win for the first time since beating the Wallabies at Ballymore in Brisbane in 1983.
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Cheika’s screwed
Aussie commentators complaining about “contact made in air not being punished accordingly” gave me a good chuckle. Two good test matches this morning.
@MrPoopyButthole: The Aussie commentators are pieces of poo!
@grandslamkbo: Home team bias to be expected but I was delighted they lost in the end with all the moaning.
@MrPoopyButthole: it isn’t the bias. It is the terminology and brown nosing. “It’s….a…..ripppppppppppppppppper”
Incredibly bad decision making from Folau at the end but focusing just on that won’t sort out their problems. Australia were utterly woeful and it seems no-one wants to bother seeing them anymore.
@grandslamkbo: To be fair to Folau he only did what God told him too. He’s blameless in the situation
@Eddie Hekenui: Nonsense. The Lord would have stept off his right, danced around 3 defenders, and dotted down under the sticks. I think Folau just wanted to make sure Phil Kearns had a thoroughly miserable weekend. 3 cheers for Israel!!!
@buck turgidson: Yeah I’m not sure he’d be very keen on getting burdened with the sins of others, especially the homosexuals, and cast off into the outback.
I like that Argentina jersey. They’ve some great kits between the National team and the Jaguares.
As for the game Argentina really beginning to look at home in the Championship. That’s a pretty young team they have with some experienced heads in key roles. Matera at flanker is a serious player and they seem to churn out exciting wingers. I wonder when they’ll bring the likes of Isa, Herrera, Cordero etc back into the mix.
@Eddie Hekenui: Don’t forget Tuculet and Imhoff to add competition in the back 3 also
@MrPoopyButthole: Yeah Imhoff should be included in with those names. Serious player. Tuculet’s back in Argentina already but tore his ligaments so won’t be back till next season’s Super Rugby
@Eddie Hekenui: Big fan of Imhoff, Tuculet and Cordero since the World Cup but they will need to be at their best to displace Delgy, Boffelli or Moyano. Been great to watch in the Rugby championship.
@MrPoopyButthole: Agreed. They’re very exciting. They could move Boffelli into the centre if they wanted too but he provides them some much needed size at the back. I think they’d need one of Imhoff or Boffelli in a back 3 given the size of wingers today.
@Eddie Hekenui: Agreed. Ledesma used Boffelli on the wing with Tucolet at 15 until injury at the Jaguars so it’s interesting who he picks going forward, Great problems for a new coach.
I just watched the highlights. Incredible tries were scored but by God was that criminal by Folau. He’d scored a magnificent solo effort, but then undos all of that with trying to take all the glory onto himself instead of giving it to Foley.
Poor discipline from a Michael Cheika team…what a surprise!
You can tell how bad his attitude is from watching replays from the coaches box. Never his players fault and always the referee. He’s a joker
Australia butchered many opportunities but Folau will get some stick of his teammates for not passing to Foley.
No real surprise about the lack of Australian competitiveness anymore, 4th most commonly played sport in a small population!