1 hour ago
8
Key events
That’ll do from me for tonight.
Keep an eye out for the report coming from Jack Snape.
Credit to the Wallabies for digging deep.
Catch you next week.
Fraser McReight, who came up with that immense steal at the death, wins player of the match:
It was a back-and-forth sort of match.
Argentina were very good. I felt like we were pretty poor in some areas, but just really proud of the group and I’m happy we got the win over here.
Here’s a happy coach, Les Kiss:
That’s Test rugby, isn’t it?
We weren’t perfect; neither were they.
I think they really controlled the ruck well … I thought we didn’t manage that as well as we could have.
Their defence certainly tested us, we’re going to have to be better in that area next week.
Max Jorgensen knows what a struggle that was.
It was a very tough game. Everyone knows that coming over to Argentina is a bloody hard place to win. It’s you against them, plus the whole stadium.
It wasn’t near perfect, we’ve still got a lot of work to do, but to come away with a win in Argentina is very good.
Full-time: Argentina 21-27 Australia
NO! The ball is spilled and Australia win it!
Quite sloppy at times, especially from the home side in the second half, but that is a mighty win for Les Kiss and his Wallabies. They had to dig deep and they fully deserve it.
80 min: Chaos! Australia burst down the right from the scrum. Sua’ali’i into space passes back infield to Donaldso who fires a pass to McReight. But he spills it so Argentina have the ball in their own half. They have about 70 metres to go. Can they?
79 min: Cale steals the line-out! But the ball is ripped away. Argentina back on the ball! But Isgro spills in contact! Ah man, does either side want to win this? We’ll have an Australian scrum to see out the game.
78 min: A high kick takes a wicked bounce and suddenly Argentina are on the ball. But they kick away possession and Sua’ali’i has it and slows it down with a short run. McReight secures the ball before McDermott kicks from the ruck. Moyano rushes his return kick and hoofs it straight out. Oh, but Potter was offside so it’ll be an Argentine penalty. They kick it deep and out of touch. One last chance for the Pumas off this line-out about 12 metres from halfway inside Wallabies territory.
76 min: Argentina rake a kick ahead that forces Jorgensen to turn and collect. He does so just in front of his try line and does brilliantly to eke out some ground after taking contact. But the ball is turned over shortly after as McDermott’s box kick doesn’t go very far. Mendy runs it back and gets hammered. Then McReight stoops low and comes away with a potentially game winning steal! He is so good over the ball.
74 min: Gordon kicks too long and it dribbles over the dead ball line at the back. So we come a long way back for an Argentine scrum. This is their chance. They still have to go 60-odd metres, but they have a sniff.
73 min: Argentina survive! The scrum goes nowhere but Australia get a free kick. McDermott taps and goes himself and is over the line but he’s held up. He is adamant he dotted it down but nope, held up. Argentina still with a small shot of a win. They kick long to eke out some territory but Australia are on the ball and creeping back inside Argentina’s half.
NO TRY! Argentina 21-27 Australia
Williams spilled it! But they were playing under a penalty advantage and will scrum five short of the line down the right.
OH! Or did he? THey’re checking if Williams actually knocked on.
TRY! Argentina 21-34 Australia (Williams, 71)
Is that the game? It wasn’t pretty, but they’re over. Hooper hauled down the line-out and the maul made good ground until it stalled. Then it became messy as McDermott and Jorgensen got in a tangle befofre the winger ran through a hole between the bodies in front of him and almost got to the line himself. Australia regrouped and after some tussle, Williams dotted down himself.
69 min: Australia wiun a scrum penalty on Argentina’s 22 as Valetini comes away with it. He’s snapped up, no advantage. What do they do? They choose to kick to the corner and Gordon obliges with a good nudge. Another try should be enough to wrap this up. Pollard will ge to throw from five out.
67 min: Australia playing with a bit more pace. Perhaps no coincidence that Sua’ali’i is on the field and already has two good touches. Things slow down so McDermott box kicks. McReight comes away with it and Sua’ali’i plays scrumhalf to keep it moving on Argentina’s 22. Hooper shows good feet. Valetini carries. Wright joins the line. Argentina put pressure on the breakdown. Both sets of players are puffing. After all that Gordon tries to rake a kick to the corner as the shape on attack fractures. It started so well but became rather sloppy at the end.
65 min: Great read and strength from Jorgensen who times his tackle on Ruiz perfectly and then gets some help from behind to bundle the Pumas hooker out of touch. Australia’s defence has shone today.
64 min: After some neat play Carreras spills a ball – almost inexplicably – in midfield. He’s suddenly having a pretty poor game. Australia try and counter quickly down the right with Jorgensen taking on some defenders but they kick ahead. Argentina return the favour and Donaldson does likewise. Prisciantelli kicks as well. Wright also. Prisciantelli kicks again and it all ends with Wright slicing his kick.
What was that, eight kicks? The contest is won by Argentina who get a line-out on Australia’s 10 metre line.
62 min: After a couple of resets Argentina get a scrum penalty and a comfortable exit from their own 22. They win the subsequent line-out on halfway and get to work down the right.
60 min: Australia showing patience with the ball. McDermott is going right then left then right away. But they’re not going anywhere and a stray pass is picked off by Cruz. Canham tried to offload in the tackle for Donaldson, perhaps forcing the issue in the face of determined defence. Well done Argentina. They force the knock on and get the scrum feed inside their own patch.
58 min: Potter does really well to gather a contestable but then has the ball ripped from him on the ground by Isgro. No matter as far as the Wallabies are concerned. Carreras boots a kick too long and it’s straight out. Australia get the line-out just beyond Argentina’s 22.
TRY! Argentina 21-27 Australia (Hooper, 54)
What a response from Australia! They were patient until – who else – Valetini burst through a gap after gathering a short pass from Canham and then offloaded to Paisami. They then kept things alive in the red zone. Valetini carried again. McReight had a dart. The defence fractured and Hooper dummied and scored from five out.
Donaldson somehow missed the conversion. Really not sure how he skewed that. Could that be costly?
53 min: Amazing how things can turn. Australia had the ball inside Argentina’s 22. Then they lost the ball, saw the counter, and McDermott had a kick charged down. Suddenly it’s all square.
Australia back on the ball. Good hands has Wright on a wraparound play down the left. McDermott fires to Gordon who shovels it on. They’re keeping the ball as they inch up the park. Valetini connects with an offload and then unfurls one of his own for the onrushing Paisami. In a flash they’re a metre short…
TRY! Argentina 21-22 Australia (Wenger, 52)
Inevitable! They choose to tap and go and shift the point of contact. Then Moro has a dart with a step and stiff carry. The crack opens and Wenger, who is having a great game, burrows low to wrestle the ball down. The conversion closes the gap to one.
51 min: Argentina can’t make it count but had multiple advantages there so will get another crack. Alaalatoa gets a talking to for repeat offences in the red zone. Argentina kept hammering the line but Australia held out. There’s more work to do as the Pumas are scheming in the shade of the Wallabies’ poles.
50 min: Penalty to Argentina inside Australia’s 22. McDermott had a box kick charged down and Elias went to tackle the covering Bell but was obstructed. Argentina go quick, they’re within three with an advantage…
49 min: A stunning try is chalked off! Australia lose possession shortly after the line-out and Argentina explode on the counter. The ball is flung to the left at pace where Prisciantelli steps one and feeds Cruz down the left. The 9 runs full tilt and runs out room so chucks a speculative pass back infield where Prisciantelli gathers again but the pass is forward. No doubt, despite the moans from the home crowd. Australia get the scrum deep inside their own patch and a big let off.
48 min: Argentina win the penalty but give away a penalty on the deck. Or rather, Hooper gets low after some robust defence from his mates and times his steal to perfection, He’s such a menace over the ball. Great steal. Gordon kicks this out between halfway and the Argentine 22.
46 min: Australia go back to basics. Canham rises and wins a line-out and Valetini is in the backline ready to carry into traffic. Much cleaner. McDermott then lifts a box kick that Jorgensen chases, catches but lands out of touch on the right wing.
44 min: Almost sublime from the Pumas. After a few stiff carries, Argentina went back towards the right touch. Wenger carries and offloads to Carreras who then unfurls a behind-the-back pass to keep it alive. Prisciantelli gathers but is bundled out just as he tries to fling the ball back infield. He can’t make it stick so it’ll be an Australian line-out five out from their own line.
Lonergan took a big hit so leaves the field for McDermott.
Argentina over overzealous at the line-out this time and give away a penalty. Silly stuff. Discipline really costing them.
43 min: Paenga-Amosa goes to the back of the line-out where Valetini gets a rare lift. The ball hangs in the air too long and Argentina manage to pinch it. Then Wright in the backfield skews a kick so in a blink Argentina are running at Australia’s 22 with Carreras and Wenger going to the line.
2 min: Then Australia get a scrum penalty. Wow, what a terrible start to the half for Argentina. Restart straight out and then a scrum penalty against Wenger. Australia will get a line-out on the Pumas’ 22.
Second half
We’re back! The home side have an eight point defecit to reduce. It’s not a great start to the second half as Carreras overcooks the restart and hoofs it straight out of touch.
Australia will get a scrum feed on halfway.
The statistics explain the Wallabies’ commanding start.
Australia have made just four visits to Argentina’s 22 but have scored 18 points, while Los Pumas have entered five times for only seven.
The Wallabies are also winning the breakdown battle, with 38 rucks won to Argentina’s 27. Interestingly, Argentina have been quicker when they retain possession: 78% of their rucks have been completed within three seconds, compared with 62% for Australia.
Half-time: Argentina 14-22 Australia
Lonergan lands the penalty to stretch the Wallabies’ lead beyond a converted try.
Some good work from the away side, some sloppy stuff from the hosts.
Not sure that’ll live long in the memory but some entertaining bits. Australia good value.
40+1 min: Another penalty, this one for straying offside at the line, will give Lonergan a shot at goal. It’s pretty much in front about 30-ish metres out.
39 min: Australia will have a final shot before the half time whistle as Isgro gives away a really soft penalty as he attempts to play the ball while on his backside on halfway. Gordon doesn’t have much room to work with as he kicks to touch in the left tram, but he kicks it out so the Aussies will work off the line-out.
TRY! Argentina 14-19 Australia (Moro, 38)
This time he’s over! Another scrum ends with an Argentine free kick. Moro taps and goes once again and finds soft shoulders, splitting Lonergan and Gordon with ease to dot down. Carreras could have back-heeled that over. So now it’s just a five point game.
