Australia beat Argentina in Mendoza

Welcome to the second Test of the 2022 Rugby Championship between Argentina and Australia at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza.

Australia is undefeated in their last six Tests against Argentina (W4, D2). The Wallabies have won six of their last seven games against the Pumas when playing in Argentina (L1) including their last three in succession.

• Argentina has won three of their last five Tests (L2) and will be looking to secure back-to-back wins for the first time since November 2020 when they followed up a victory against the USA (47-17) with a historic 25-15 win over New Zealand.
• Argentina has scored an average of just 10 points per game across their last nine games in The Rugby Championship/Tri-Nations, picking up two draws and seven losses from that stretch.
• Los Pumas’ last home win in the competition came against South Africa in August 2018 (32-19).
• Australia have won just one of their last nine Tests played outside Australia (D1, L7), picking up a 32-23 win over Japan in October 2021 during that stretch; however, two of their last three defeats have come by margins of two points or fewer
• Australia has won only one of their last six Test matches (L5) and has not led at half-time in any match – five of those six games have been decided by margins of just eight points or fewer.

Recent stats:

• No side stole more opposition lineouts than Argentina (6); however, only South Africa (95%) won a greater percentage of their own lineouts than Australia during that time (93%).
• Argentina entered the opposition 22 more times per game than any other Rugby Championship side in July(10.7); however, the Pumas scored fewer points per 22 entry than any other Tier One nation (1.59).
• Australia made eight tackles resulting in a turnover won, the joint-second most of any Tier One team (France – 11) – no other Rugby Championship team logged more than three in this category.

Players to watch

• Guido Petti stole four lineouts in the Tests in July 2022, the most by any player from a Tier One nation; in addition, he won seven of his own team’s lineouts – more than any other Pumas player.
• Noah Lolesio had a 100% success rate on his conversion attempts in the July 2022 Tests (7/7), the most by any player from a Tier One nation without missing and the second most conversions kicked by any player during that time (Jordie Barrett – 9 for New Zealand).

BREAKING: Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper has withdrawn from Australia’s tour to Argentina for personal reasons. Rugby Australia released a statement saying Hooper would return to Australia.

The statement said the 121-Test veteran is “not in the mindset to fulfil the responsibility that goes with leading and representing his country at this point in time”.

Hooper said: “While this decision did not come easily I know it is the right one for me and the team at this point in time.

Match detail

Ahead of this match, the bookmakers give Argentina a 5-point start this match, so they expect the Wallabies to win by at least 6 points.

We are waiting for the kick-off.

In the meantime, have a look at the match preview.

PEEEP! We are underway in Mendoza, Argentina.

2.00: Tomás Lavanini charged down Nic White’s clearance, which led to a Pumas’ scrum after Len Ikitau knocked on Quade Cooper’s loose offload near the try line.

4.00: White makes no mistake with his clearance this time, booting the ball to the halfway line.

6.00: TRY! Pablo Matera powers through a big hole to open the scoring. The score came from a well-worked lineout move before some quick ball allowed the Crusaders’ forward to find a gap, beating prop Allan Alaalatoa, who had no chance from that close.  5-0

7.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good, Emiliano Boffelli adds the two. 7-0

9.00: Australia has a chance for some cheap points after offsides by the Pumas.

10.00: PENALTY! Cooper puts the Aussies on the board. 7-3

11.00: The Wallabies infringe, allowing Boffelli to take a long-range shot at goal from near the sideline.

12.00: PENALTY! Emiliano makes no mistake. 10-3

15.00: The Wallabies’ backline is caught offside before the lineout is over, Boffelli calls for the tee.

16.00: PENALTY! The kick is good. 13-3

18.00: TRY! Jordan Petaia scores after Australia opted for a driving maul from the lineout. Hunter Paisami ran at first receiver, playing Cooper on a looping run. Cooper drew the defenders before sending Petaia away. 13-8

19.00: CONVERSION! Cooper adds the extras. 13-10

22.00: PENALTY! Boffelli knocks over his third goal after another infraction by the visitors. 16-10

25.00: Darcy Swain sends Cooper through a gap, and the flyhalf races from halfway to the opposition’s 22 before a poor pass by Rob Valetini, is dropped forward into touch by Len Ikitau.

27.00: The Wallabies win a penalty to set-up an attack inside the opposition’s half.

29.00: Oh dear, the Aussies botch a guilt-edged chance at another try when the ball is lost forward on the Pumas’ try line.

31.00: This game is disjointed and filled with errors, especially from the restarts and exits. The handling has been poor as well.

33.00: The reset scrums are milking the clock, eventually, Argentina wins a scrum penalty.

35.00: Los Pumas turn down an easy three points. They, instead, go to the corner.

37.00: That is poor from the Pumas, who lose the ball forward trying to set up a driving maul.

40.00: Australia gives away their 10th penalty of the game after falling on the lifter at the lineout. Boffelli will take a shot from long distance.

42.00: PENALTY! Boffelli splits the uprights. 19-10

The halftime score was Los Pumas 19 Wallabies 10

PEEEP! We are back underway in South America.

44.00: Australia goes close, but good work at the ruck sees the Pumas win a turnover penalty on their try line.

47.00: Pressure from the Aussies leads to several penalty advantages on the Pumas’ try line.

48.00: Referee Mike Adamson from Scotland has had enough, he calls for some TMO assistance for foul play by the hosts. Nothing came from the reviews, so just a penalty to the Wallabies. Cooper leaves the field injured.

49.00: TRY! Fraser McReight is pulled over the whitewash by Jed Holloway after the driving maul splintered. 19-15

49.00: CONVERSION! Reece Hodge, taking over kicking duties, adds the extras. 19-17

53.00: Both teams empting the benches – these are, however, no “Bomb Squads”!

55.00: TRY! Juan Martín González finishes off a superb counter-attack starting inside the Pumas’ half. Juan Cruz Mallía returned a nothing kick from deep inside his 22. The fullback raced to the halfway line before sending a wide cutout pass to Matera. Matera collected and sped into the Aussies’ 22 before drawing Nic White and putting González away. 24-17

58.00: CONVERSION! Boffelli slots the corner flag conversion. 26-17

60.00: A mistake after the restart allows the tourists two shots at an attacking maul on the hosts’ line.

62.00: TRY! The pressure finally told. A powerful maul ends with the referee awarding a penalty try for another cynical collapse by the Argies. 26-24

63.00: YELLOW CARD! Matías Alemanno is off for 10 minutes for his second infringement in a row. 26-24

65.00: PENALTY! A third penalty in a row allows Hodge to put the visitors ahead. 26-27

69.00: The Pumas are fading again in the last 20 minutes; it’s all Australia at the end.

70.00: TRY! Try machine Folau Fainga’a barges over the whitewash after breaking from another driving maul. 26-32

72.00: CONVERSION! Hodge makes it an eight-point ball game. 26-34

75.00: Boffelli calls for the tee, he will take a shot from in front on the centre spot. [Arg pen 13, Aus pen 14]

76.00: MISS! The kick is wide. 26-34

79.00: Los Pumas search for a losing bonus point, but another penalty kills their chances of a point. Game over.

81.00: Hodge boots to touch.

83.00: One final attack ends with a penalty to Los Pumas at the ruck. Argentina kick to the 22.

86.00: TRY! Len Ikitau finishes off the game in style for the Aussies. 26-39

87.00: CONVERSION! Hodge brings up the forty-burger. 26-41

FULL TIME

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The final score is Argentina 26 (19) Australia 41 (10)

Scorers

Argentina
Tries – Matera, González
Pen – Boffelli (4)
Con – Boffelli (2)
Drop –
Cards –

Australia
Tries – Petaia, McReight, Penalty try, Fainga’a, Ikitau
Pen – Cooper, Hodge
Con – Cooper, Hodge (3)
Drop –
Cards – Alemanno (Yellow, 63′)

Match Officials
Referee: Mike Adamson (SCO)
Assistant Ref 1: Karl Dickson (ENG)
Assistant Ref 2: Chris Busby (IRE)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (RSA)

Teams

Argentina

15 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martín González, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Matías Alemanno, 3 Francisco Gómez Kodela, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro

Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Santiago Grondona, 20 Rodrigo Bruni, 21 Lautaro Bazán Vélez, 22 Tomas Albornoz, 23 Matias Moroni

Australia

15 Tom Wright, 14 Jordan Petaia, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Nic White, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Jed Holloway, 5 Matt Philip, 4 Darcy Swain, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 James Slipper (captain)

Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Rob Leota, 21 Pete Samu, 22 Jake Gordon, 23 Reece Hodge