Argentina cruise to win in final warm-up against Australia XV

Argentina enjoyed a dominant victory over an Australia XV at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney on Saturday. The game was played over three 30-minute periods with the final score reading 57-24, the South Americans outscoring their hosts nine tries to four.

Santiago Carreras opened the scoring at the end of a flowing attack that began at a scrum inside the Australian 22. A reply would not take long, however, as Triston Reilly showed his pace to touch down in the corner. Neither kicker would add the extras leaving it 5-all with a dozen minutes played.

Two tries from Tomás Cubelli in a span of seven minutes put the home side on alert. The first came from a wonderful swerve and offload by Santiago Chocobares, the second an individual effort that caught the defense napping.

A classic No8 pick from a scrum was next to yield points as Isi Naisarani bowled over three defenders to score in the second period. It was erased, however, as Pablo Matera wrestled over the line from close range not long after the restart. Nicolás Sánchez landed the conversion, his third, to bring his participation to an end. Domingo Miotti stepped in but before he had his say the Australians scored a third try.

Imposing winger Mark Nawaqanitawase popped up on the left side and was rewarded with a try after a cross-kick was bobbled in the air. Miotti was next over the line, handling a second time in an attacking move. Next it was Naisarani in for a double with another strong run.

Just before the second intermission a cross-kick from Miotti found Santiago Cordero wide open. That would signal the end for the Australians. Tries from Juan Cruz Mallía, Sebastián Cancelliere, and finally a second for Cordero closed out the game.

That concludes Argentina’s warm-up schedule ahead of the Tri Nations. They will play their first test of the year next weekend. Sydney’s Bankwest Stadium will host the Pumas and the All Blacks in the third match of the makeshift competition.

 

SCORING

AUSTRALIA XV 24
Tries – T. Reilly (11’), I. Naisarani 2 (37’, 51’), M. Nawaqanitawase (45’)
Cons – W. Harrison 2/4 (38’, 52’)

ARGENTINA 57
Tries – S. Carreras (8’), T. Cubelli 2 (22’, 29’), P. Matera (39’), D. Miotti (48’), S. Cordero 2 (59’, 87’), J. Mallía (73’), S. Cancelliere (82’)
Cons – N. Sanchez 3/4 (23’, 30’, 40’), D. Miotti 3/5 (49’, 60’, 74’)

 

TEAMS

AUSTRALIA XV
1 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Connal McInerney, 3 Pone Fa’amausili, 4 Trevor Hosea, 5 Caderyn Neville, 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Isi Naisarani, 9 Joe Powell (capt.), 10 Will Harrison, 11 Triston Reilly, 12 Irae Simone, 13 Len Ikitau, 14 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 15 James Ramm

Replacements: 16 David Porecki, 17 George Francis, 18 Darcy Breen, 19 Max Douglas, 20 Josh Kemeny, 21 Henry Robertson, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Lachie Anderson, 24 Harry Wilson, 25 Kristian Jensen, 26 Philip Potgieter, 27 Charlie Gamble

ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Francisco Gómez Kodela, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Matías Alemanno, 6 Pablo Matera (capt.), 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Juan Imhoff, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Santiago Carreras

Replacements: 16 Mayco Vivas, 17 Santiago Socino, 18 Lucio Sordoni, 19 Lucas Paulos, 20 Facundo Bosch, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Rodrigo Fernández Criado, 24 Juan Pablo Zeiss, 25 Tomás Lezana, 26 Francisco Gorrissen, 27 Santiago Grondona, 28 Juan Cruz Mallía, 29 Santiago Cordero, 30 Federico Wegrzyn, 31 Sebastián Cancelliere, 32 Ramiro Moyano, 33 Felipe Ezcurra, 34 Santiago Medrano, 35 Tomás Albornoz, 36 Ignacio Calas, 37 Joaquín Oviedo, 38 José Luis González, 39 Ignacio Calles, 40 Matías Orlando, 41 Juan Martín González