History Making Win for Argentina over Australia

This morning was like none other in Rugby Championship history. Both the New Zealand All Blacks and Australia Wallabies were defeated on home soil. South Africa won in Wellington and Los Pumas did so on the Gold Coast. It was a history making win for Argentina over Australia who ended a 35 year wait.

In Brisbane in 1983 Hugo Porta led Argentina to victory over the Wallabies. 35 years later and Argentina won again. Today’s 23-19 triumph saw history being made as it marks the first time in Rugby Championship history that Argentina have won two matches.

Mario Ledesma’s remarkable turn-around following the June Internationals sees Los Pumas rapidly climbing the world rankings. With an eye to RWC it has not only Tonga and the USA but also England and France watching on nervously in the Pool of Death.

Argentina’s win came despite the team putting in a performance that was far from being their best. This was underlined in the game’s first try with scrum-half Will Genia crossing after Nicolás Sánchez and Ramiro Moyano had been marking the same player, enabling a line break to set-up Genia.

Argentina, would strike-back swiftly. The opening Pumas try would be their second score of the match. The opening score game from the boot of Emiliano Boffelli. His kick from inside his own half would be the first of two for the match from the Rosario fullback.

Argentina’s response to Genia’s try was scored by Sánchez. With Los Pumas hammering away at the Wallabies try line a half break from center Jerónimo de la Fuente saw an off-load from the floor to Sánchez who dived over.

Australia hit-back through Israel Folau. The world’s best fullback moved this match to the right wing. In the 18th minute he scored a sensational solo try, beating four Pumas defenders in a sweeping run.

Folau’s try in prior Rugby Championship campaigns would have been an opening of the flood gates. Yet Argentina would score a great try of their own in response. A clean break from Pablo Matera from Los Pumas’ own half saw support from Marcos Kremer and individual brilliance from Bautista Delguy. The right winger fooled the Wallabies defense with an outside-in run to score.

Before Delguy’s try Los Pumas had been denied a try by the narrowest of margins. In a repeat of Matías Moroni’s non-score against New Zealand last week, Ramiro Moyano was adjudged to half had a foot in touch.

At half time Argentina held a 17-14 lead. It appeared to be expanded upon to open the second half as smart play from Matera and Delguy saw a second disallowed try.

The only try of the second half went to Australia. Fullback Dane Haylett-Petty crossed for an unconverted score. Argentina, meanwhile should score 6 second half points. Sánchez landed one penalty before Boffelli landed his son from long-range, doing so after great work from Matías Alemanno to win a penalty.

Trailing 23-19 in the final minute the Wallabies had a final chance. Folau went to within a meter but was tackled hard by Tomás Lavanini and lost the ball forward. With it the final whistle was blown and Argentina had victory.

Los Pumas now fly home to Argentina. Their remaining two Rugby Championship matches will be at home in Buenos Aires and Salta respectively.

Attendance: 16,019

SCORING

AUSTRALIA (19)
Try: Genia, Folau, Haylett-Petty
Conversion: Toomua (2)

ARGENTINA (23)
Try: Sanchez, Delguy
Conversion: Sánchez
Penalty: Boffelli (2), Sánchez

TEAMS

AUSTRALIA
15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Israel Folau, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Will Genia, 8 Pete Samu, 7 David Pocock (capt.), 6 Lukhan Tui, 5 Izack Rodda, 4 Rory Arnold, 4 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Scott Sio

Replacements: 16 Folau Faingaa, 17 Sekope Kepu, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Adam Coleman, 20  Ned Hanigan, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Bernard Foley, 23 Jack Maddocks

ARGENTINA
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Agustín Creevy (capt.), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Bautista Ezcurra, 23 Juan Cruz Mallí