The Brumbies upset the Jaguares 15-39 at the Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, extending their lead at the top of the Australian Conference after a bonus-point win.
Tom Banks and substitute Andy Muirhead both grabbed two tries apiece.
Wharenui Hawera, who did not have the best day from the kicking tee, kicked nine points in the six-try to two dismantling of the Argentinians.
Banks scored two first-half tries as the Aussies took a 10-20 lead into the break. Skipper Sam Carter scored as well and Hawera added five with the boot.
Tomas Lavanini scored the home team’s only try of the first-half as they trailed by 10 points.
Things did not get better for the Jaguares after Henry Speight and Muirhead’s brace of second-half tries eased the visitors to a comfortable 24-point victory.
The Argentinians missed tackles and were sloppy with the ball in hand, where the tourists were clinical and had made only one handling mistake inside an hour of play.
Guido Petti Pagadizaval scored with 90 seconds to play, but the Aussies held on for a superb victory.
Stephen Larkham’s team were excellent, winning all 19 of their set pieces and stealing three of the Jaguares’ lineouts. controlling the game both territorially (62 percent) and with 57 percent possession.
They controlled the game both territorially (62 percent) and with 57 percent possession. Larkham’s men made 10 line breaks to four and this showed in the final tally as they were rampant with ball in hand.
Nicolas Sanchez opened the scoring with a penalty, but the Brumbies struck when their skipper dotted down after a driving maul in the 13th minute.
The Jaguares did hit back through Lavanini. Banks’ poor footwork did not help his team. Jeronimo De La Fuente collected the loose ball and the Jags set up the quick ball from the ruck. The Jaguares went 90 metres down the field and scored.
Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias’ conversion gave the home team a 10-7 lead at the start of the second quarter. That would be the last points for the Jaguares until the 78th minute.
Banks scored his first try moments later. Joe Powell made a break to the right, passed to the fullback on the loop, and behind Tevita Kuridrani.
He sped away through the gap with ease and Jeronimo De La Fuente could not get to the flying fullback.
Four minutes later, Banks had a double. The 22-year-old collected Chris Alcock’s kick and dived over in the corner.
The fullback managed to stay on the field of play and dot down near the corner flag. It all came from Bautista Ezcurra’s knock on, and the flanker’s innovation with the boot.
Hawera missed the conversion, but he did kick a late penalty and the Australians led by 10 after the first 40 minutes.
The start of the second half was scrappy as both teams struggled to finish off some promising moves. Speight crossed before the end of the third quarter to extend the Brumbies’ lead to 10-27.
The penalties were mounting on Raul Perez’s men. They wilted under the Australian pressure.
With time ticking down, Hawera put in a lovely weighted grubber which Muirhead flopped on to get his first try. The flyhalf took the conversion quickly, attempting a dropkick, but it was wide. No matter.
The Brumbies had put the game to bed. Three minutes’ later, Muirhead collected his second try after bouncing two defenders and reaching out to score.
Hawera’s conversion stretched the Aussies’ lead to 29 points before Pagadizaval’s late score. This was as emphatic a win for the Australians in a long time and on the road.
Final score: Jaguares 10 (10) Brumbies 39 (20)
Scorers
Jaguares
Tries – Lavanini, Pagadizaval
Pen – Sanchez
Con – Iglesias
Drop –
Cards – Creevy (41st minute)
Brumbies
Tries – Carter, Banks (2), Speight, Muirhead (2)
Pen – Hawera
Con – Hawera (3)
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 1: Federico Anselmi
Assistant Ref 2: Jose Covasi
TMO: Santiago Borsani
Teams
Jaguares
15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo De La Fuente, 11 Bautista Ezcurra, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Tomas Lezana, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matias Alemanno, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Lucas Noguera Paz.
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto Heilan, 19 Guido Petti Pagadizaval, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Gonzalo Bertranou, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Matias Moroni.
Brumbies
15 Thomas Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Aidan Toua, 10 Wharenui Hawera, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Jordan Smiler, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Mann-Rea, 1 Ben Alexander.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Nic Mayhew, 18 Les Makin, 19 Blake Enever, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 De Wet Roos, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Andy Muirhead