Australia beat Argentina 20-37 at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza in the Rugby Championship.
- Reece Hodge scored a brace, while Bernard Foley helped himself to 17 points.
- Marika Koroibete and Will Genia also crossed the try-line.
- Matias Alemanno and Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias scored for Argentina.
- Nicolas Sanchez kicked two penalties and conversions for 10 points.
- Marcos Kremer was yellow carded for a dangerous tackle.
- Seven points separated the two teams with 10 minutes remaining.
- Australia finishes second in the Rugby Championship
- Los Pumas ends the tournament without a win.
This was a strange Test, closer than the final score suggests.
Los Pumas kept up with Australia, yet never looked like winning.
Argentina clawed back three deficits, but could not stop the bleeding.
Koroibete scored in the 20th minute, extending his team’s lead to eight after Foley’s early penalty.
Argentina hit back through Alemanno, five minutes’ later. Sanchez’s conversion made it 7-8.
Michael Hooper was penalised for going off his feet and Sanchez made it 10-8.
It was tit-for-tat as Australia continued to score points.
Foley was having another bad day from the tee, missing two penalties and a conversion.
It was an error-strewn display from both teams. The handling was poor.
Argentina could barely put two phases together.
Hodge scored his first try, taking Genia’s long, skip-pass, before speeding away from Emiliano Boffelli.
Sanchez levelled the scores before half-time.
Argentina made double the number of tackles as Australia did in the first-half.
The Wallabies scored three tries after the interval. As a result, Argentina wilted.
The Wallaby pack was starting to dominate, winning a scrum-penalty, which Foley missed.
Genia was superb.
Kurtley Beale caused havoc in Argentina’s midfield.
Hodge and Foley were excellent, both on attack and in defence.
Australia’s increased their intensity at the breakdown, quickly recycling the ball.
Foley crossed for his team’s third try. His conversion pushed the lead to seven.
The lead did not last long.
Iglesias collected Sanchez’s pass, cutting back inside Koroibete, before scoring. Sanchez levelled the scores.
Tomas Lezana was injured by a high tackle from Koroibete. The lock left the field on a stretcher.
Mathieu Raynal should have awarded a penalty.
Agustin Creevy was displeased.
Instead, the referee awarded Australia a scrum.
Genia scored Australia’s fourth try.
Hodge created the try, straightening before sending the scrumhalf away.
Foley added the extras.
Kremer was sin-binned.
Foley extended the lead to 10 points with another penalty: Game over.
Hodge scored his second try with three minutes to play. And that was that.
Final Score: Argentina 20 (13) Australia 37 (13)
Scorers
Argentina
Tries – Alemanno, Iglesias
Pen – Sanchez (2)
Con – Sanchez (2)
Drop –
Cards – Kremer (Yellow, 70th minute)
Australia
Tries – Koroibete, Hodge, Foley, Genia
Pen – Foley (2)
Con – Foley (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Ref 1: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Ref 2: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Teams
Argentina
15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Tomas Lezana, 7 Javier Ortega Desio, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Marcos Kremer, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustin Creevy (captain), 1 Lucas Noguera Paz.
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Benjamin Macome, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Santiago Cordero.
Australia
15 Israel Folau, 14 Marika Koroibete, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Reece Hodge, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Sean McMahon, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Jack Dempsey, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Lukhan Tui, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Samu Kerevi, 23 Henry Speight
