Young Pumas see Argentina past Australia XV

Argentina were winners today. The young Pumas side defeated the Australia XV 19-15 in Sydney. In what was a great match, Argentina’s domestic-based line-up completed a comeback against Australia’s next senior XV.

Both teams had seasoned players and talented youth. Folau Fainga’a, Isi Naisarani, and Jack Maddocks played for the Australia XV while Julián Montoya, Tomás Cubelli, and Emiliano Boffelli did so for Argentina.

The match was as much a warm-up as it was a trial; This is true for both teams. On the one hand, Australian players may yet play in the Rugby Championship. On the other hand, Argentine players had this game to stamp their mark before the 13 European-based players begin training together with them.

RWC 2019 winger Santiago Carreras impressed at fullback. He and uncapped fly half Domingo Miotti were the pick of the Argentine backs. Of the forwards, 19-year-old Joaquín Oviedo scored a try and Ceibos second-rower Rodrigo Fernández Criado played well. Neither player has played Super Rugby.

Argentina started the game well. Mario Ledesma’s team were within striking distance of an early try. The forwards got them into within five meters of the Australia try line. There were attacking scrums and lineups, but the defense was ultimately resolute.

The Australia XV had the better of play in the second quarter. They broke the Argentine defense and came away with two tries. Backs Len Ikitau and Tom Wright were the scorers. With neither try being converted the Australia XV were 10-0 leaders at half time.

The Australia XV score again in the second half. The 72nd minute score follows three Argentine XV tries. The first of them saw Oviedo touching down. The teenager scored in the 53rd minute from close range. Carreras scored next, dotting down in the corner. It was the result of forwards pressure.

Carreras went from try scorer to creator. The Córdoba outside back punished an Australian XV knock-on by counterattacking down the sideline. He ran 60 meters before quick recycling saw space opening on the left. Emiliano Boffelli attracted the remaining defenders to offload to Francisco Gorrissen who scored.

The 2020 Rugby Championship begins this weekend. Australia host New Zealand in Sydney. The same teams will meet in game two in Brisbane on November 07. Argentina’s first match will be against New Zealand in Sydney on November 14.

 

SCORING

AUSTRALIA XV 15
Tries – L. Ikitau (28′), R. Wright (38′), A. Other (72′)

ARGENTINA 19
Tries – J. Oviedo (53′), S. Carreras (61′), F. Gorrissen (66′)
Cons – D. Miotti 2 (54′, 62′)

 

TEAMS

AUSTRALIA XV
1 Angus Bell, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 5 Trevor Hosea, 6 Lachie Swinton, 7 Liam Wright (capt.), 8 Isi Naisarani, 9 Jake Gordon, 10 Will Harrison, 11 James Ramm, 12 Tepai Moeroa, 13 Len Ikitau, 14 Tom Wright, 15 Jack Maddocks

Replacements: 16 Connal McInerney, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Tom Hooper, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Joe Powell, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Alex Newsome, 24 Josh Kemeny, 25 Triston Reilly, 26 David Porecki, 27 Rob Valetini

ARGENTINA
1 Mayco Vivas, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 4 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 5 Lucas Paulos, 6 Francisco Gorrissen, 7 Santiago Grondona, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 9 Tomás Cubelli (capt.), 10 Domingo Miotti, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 12 Juan Cruz Mallía, 13 Santiago Chocobares, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Santiago Carreras

Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Ignacio Calas, 20 José Luis González, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Tomás Albornóz, 23 Sebastián Cancelliere, 24 Federico Wegrzyn, 25 Joaquín Oviedo, 26 Lucio Cinti, 27 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 28 Tomás Lezana, 29 Felipe Ezcurra, 30 Lucio Sordoni

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)