Plenty to think about as Pumas lose heavily against Australia

A competitive performance from Argentina for the majority of tonight’s match mattered not as the Wallabies ran-out 34-9 winners in Mendoza. The four tries to zero victory gives Daniel Hourcade plenty to think about as the South Americans were unable to create try scoring opportunities.

The Pumas performance was solid for around three-quarters of the match. On attack the team ran much more dangerously with Gonzalo Camacho completing multiple linebreaks while Santiago Cordero ran from the deep rather than cleared. Juan Imhoff and Juan Pablo Socino were other backs to break the line nonetheless no tries resulted seeing Argentina finish tryless against Australia for the first time in Rugby Championship history.

Early possession went Australia’s way and the Wallabies eagerness to spread the ball saw them gaining ground well into Argentine territory. An early scare, though, was avoided due to veteran back-rower Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe completing a turn-over. Such was the willingness to attack from both teams that Argentina looked to run it back only for Martín Landajo to lose the ball forward.

The resulting scrum was a sign of what was to come as the Wallaby feed had to be reset three times after the front-row collapsed on all occasions. All the play nonetheless continued well inside Pumas territory with Australia pressing for points.

Solid home defence led to two penlaties which enabled Nicolás Sánchez to clear to within metres of the half. Referee Jaco Peyper was challenged by both captains as tensions heated-up. Following two advantages in the Pumas 22 Stephen Moore asked for a yellow card only for Argentine to win a penalty after fullback Israel Folau ran into Sánchez while in the air.

Fifteen minutes in and the game was yet to see any points. Sánchez attempted to change this with a long-range drop-goal which just sailed to the right. Argentina, now having greater possession looked for opportunities but a kick down the center was not guarded against adequately which enabled a break to put winger Joe Tomane in the clear.

The Bernard Foley attempted conversion sailed wide but, the home union, appears to have responded to criticism from previous years as the laser controversy was not a factor at all this evening. From the restart attacking play continued with both teams competing ferociously at the break down.

Sánchez got Argentina on the board in the 30th minute before Foley had a chance to hit-back straight away. The Australian’s inaccuracy from 28 metres out let Los Pumas off the hook only for the home side to look to run the ball out from deep and be penalized in the tackle area. Foley was on target to make it 8-3 but good play in the closing minute from Fernández Lobbe saw Argentina winning another penalty which Sánchez turned into a two point deficit at the interval.

Australia opened the second half strongly. Deep inside Pumas territory the visitors were awarded a penalty from in front which Foley landed. Ten minutes later, in the 53rd minute, he added another making it 14-6 at which time Hourcade began utilizing his replacements.

The changes proved to be ineffective. Argentina’s scrum was not the same and the Wallabies were now able to make linebreaks rather than half breaks as hard been the norm earlier. Replacement second-rower Dean Mumm went over down the left wing after feeble defense from Santiago Cordero, Juan Imhoff and Matías Moroni saw him scoring.

Tempers were reignited following the try with Agustín Creevy less than happy with his players being held down off the ball. The captain was also not pleased with Michael Hooper’s pass to Mumm not being checked by the TMO. Replays appeared to suggest it had drifted forward.

Foley’s conversion attempt missed which kept Argentina in the game. Trailing 19-9 the South Americans had a strong opportunity to fight back following replacement Quade Cooper’s yellow carding for repeated high tackles from the visitors.

Argentina turned down a certain three points to kick for the corner only to fail to secure the resulting lineout. With 15 minutes remaining the incident was, in effect, the end of Los Pumas in the match. The team landing a penalty was Australia with Foley landing a penalty in which Peyper deemed there to have been Pumas obstruction.

The 22-9 lead was far from a true reflection of the match but things would deteriorate for Argentina in the final minutes with center Tevita Kuridrani and winger Adam Ashley-Cooper scoring run-in tries in which Argentina slipped off tackles.

The win sees Australia tied with New Zealand on nine competition points after two matches. They are now to meet in the tournament decider in Sydney on Saturday August 08. Third placed South Africa will host Argentina later that day in the battle to avoid the wooden spoon.

Scorers

Argentina
Penalties: Sánchez 3

Australia
Tries: Tomane, Mumm, Kuridrani, Ashley-Cooper
Conversion: Foley
Penalty: Foley 4

Argentina
15 Santiago Cordero, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Juan Pablo Socino, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Facundo Isa, 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 6 Javier Ortega Desio, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (Captain), 1 Marcos Ayerza.

16 Santiago Iglesias Valdez, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Matías Díaz, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Lucas González Amorosino.

Australia
1 James Slipper, 2 Stephen Moore (Captain), 3 Greg Holmes, 4 Will Skelton, 5 Rob Simmons, 6 Scott Fardy, 7 David Pocock, 8 Ben McCalman, 9 Nick Phipps, 10 Bernard Foley, 11 Joe Tomane, 12 Matt Toomua, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 15 Israel Folau

16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Dean Mumm, 20 Michael Hooper, 21 Nic White, 22 Quade Cooper, 23 Kurtley Beale