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Australia will play New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup Final next Saturday after defeating Argentina by four tries to zero in London today. All is not over for the South Americans who now have four days to prepare for the Bronze Final against South Africa on Friday.
Coronados de gloria vivamos, O juremos con gloria morir. Words of the Argentine national anthem which in English translate to mean ‘We live crowned in glory or share to die gloriously’ are true of many a Pumas match and today was no exception. Los Pumas were eliminated but gave it their all, earning nothing but praise.
The manner of their play was to attack and it offered Australia opportunities too. Following a near intercept from Drew Mitchell Argentina did not earn the lesson as Rob Simmons intercepted a Nicolás Sánchez pass. Just two minutes in Australia led 7-0.
The frantic start from Argentina continued with Santiago Cordero knocking-on from a free-kick. Argentina, though, got back into Australian territory and opened their account in the 7th minute with Sánchez landing a penalty which followed a Marcelo Bosch break from a set move.
Yet to calm down Cordero attempted a quick tap from a mark call only to knock-on and hand Australia and attacking scrum. It proved fatal as Adam Ashley-Cooper latched onto a Bernard Foley pass to score in the right corner. Foley landed the extras to make it 14-3 after 11 minutes.
A second Sánchez penalty in the 24th minute narrowed the lead to 8 before referee Wayne Barnes yellow carded Tomás Lavanini for tackling without his arms.
A man down Argentina’s scrum held form with James Slipper penalized for a second time. A retreating Wallaby scrum, though, got back the ball minutes later and after mounding phases of attacks Ashley-Cooper dived over in the left corner for his second try.
Additional concerns for Argentina saw the team playing without captain Agustín Creepy who was replaced by Julián Montoya after 30 minutes. It was a second opening half loss after Juan Imhoff had also been forced off hurt, replaced by Lucas González Amorosino.
Lavanini returned in time for Argentina to be back to 10 points behind as Sánchez added his third. He returned not to an altered strategy but to one of more attack and Bosch and Cordero continued to threaten but a questionable knock-on call against their team let Australia off the hook. The resulting scrum collapsed but in their being no call from Barnes or assistant Jaco Peyper, Foley kicked the ball out to end the half.
Following an early second half Foley penalty miss Argentina got back into Wallaby territory and Sánchez cut the deficit with his fourth penalty. It came from a collapsed scrum with Slipper again singled out. Foley, though, found his target to respond with a 48th minute penalty.
Hot on attack Argentina continued to run everything and Sánchez made it 22-15 with another penalty. In the lead up Fardy had been penalized for cynical play on the floor but the officials opted against a yellow card. It may have been a turning point.
With 20 minutes remaining the difference was still seven but Daniel Hourcade had emptied his bench with Lucas Noguera Paz and Juan Figallo coming on. It threatened to see Argentina run out of gas but the South Americans played all the rugby in the following 10 minutes but in being unable to score Australia sealed the match with a third Ashley-Cooper try, Australia’s best of the match.
Foley added the conversion to go fourteen points clear as Hourcade held his head. With time running our Hourcade was in tears but social media was alight with comments of support for the man who took Argentina from 12th to 4th in the world in quick time.
Scorers
Argentina
Penalty: Sánchez (5)
Australia
Try: Simmons, Ashley-Cooper (3)
Conversion: Foley (3)
Penalty: Foley
Argentina
1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 Agustín Creevy, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 4 Guido Petti Pagadizábal, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 9 Martín Landajo, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Juan Imhoff, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 14 Santiago Cordero, 15 Joaquín Tuculet
16 Julián Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Facundo Isa, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Jerónimo De la Fuente 23 Lucas González Amorosino
Australia
1 James Slipper, 2 Stephen Moore (Captain), 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Kane Douglas, 5 Rob Simmons, 6 Scott Fardy, 7 Michael Hooper, 8 David Pocock, 9 Will Genia, 10 Bernard Foley, 11 Drew Mitchell, 12 Matt Giteau, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 15 Israel Folau
16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Toby Smith, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Dean Mumm, 20 Ben McCalman, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 Kurtley Beale
