By Joe Santamaria
Just a week after a 20-19 victory appeared to reinforce Joe Schmidt’s modest Australian rebuild, they were humbled by a second-half Argentine rampage to lose 67-27 and likely confirm a wooden spoon in the 2024 Rugby Championship.
Needing a win to entertain the prospect of a third or second placed finish, Australia surged into a 20-3 lead by the half hour mark as they looked to capitalise on their scrappy win last week and consolidate themselves as the sort of high quality side that can win on the back-foot. However, complacency on their part and pressure on Argentina’s saw the deficit reduced to three at half-time before a second half Argentine clinic shattered the record books and sent the Australian coaching staff back to the drawing board.
Argentina ran in seven second half tries to score 67 points – the most Australia have conceded in their test history – and ultimately subject the tourists to their second heaviest defeat ever. Amidst news that South Africa and New Zealand are looking to distance themselves from their Rugby Championship counterparts, the two gave polarising arguments for and against the Springboks and Kiwi’s temptations.
The hosts began the stronger of the two sides, quickly settling into the game and threatening the Australia defence with their first touches of the ball. They were soon rewarded when fly half Tomas Albornoz slotted the posts to open the scoring after the visitors gave up an easy penalty. Australia immediately hit back with a penalty of their own to settle any early nerves.
The first half was punctuated by mistakes as both sides sought to move the ball wide with neither able to land a major blow. Argentina squandered several promising attacking positions, allowing Australia to get a foothold in the game. Unlike their hosts, the visitors took their opportunities accurately and scored the game’s first try from close range through industrious flanker Carlo Tizzano.
Perhaps sensing the crowd growing irritated, Argentina began overcommitting to contact and left themselves exposed on several occasions. A seemingly well worked try from Marcos Kremer was overturned for obstruction which did little to boost the mood among the more than 40,000 supporters. Despite having the better field position, Argentina struggled to capitalise and their opponents soon punished them for their profligacy. Fly half Ben Donaldson added a penalty before fullback Andrew Kellaway raced up the inside to grab his team’s second try and open up the lead to 17 points.
Argentina were in need of a boost and, as he has so many times before, Pablo Matera provided it. The backrower’s powerful carry ended with an offload to lively winger, Mateo Carreras, who dotted down under the posts. With the crowd firmly back onside, the pumas pressed home their advantage and quickly found the tryline again through captain Julian Montoya. The roar from the crowd was even louder than usual on account of the fact the hooker was making his 100thappearance in an Argentina shirt.
The hosts could and arguably should have led at the break after Pablo Matera’s lunge for the line was deemed illegal by the referee, allowing Australia to cling on to a three-point advantage going into halftime.
Argentina began the second half as the ended the first, putting Australia on the back foot from the first collision. They were soon rewarded after No.8 Gonzalez burrowed over from close range to give his side the lead for the first time since the game’s opening minutes.
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt went to his bench early in the hope of altering the course of the game, with replacement prop James Slipper equalling Wallaby great George Gregan’s record number of caps for the country. Slipper could do little to halt the advance however as the Argentinian forwards smelt blood, turning down an easy penalty kick in search of another try. They were soon rewarded as Matera found the whitewash to extend Argentina’s advantage, securing the bonus point in the process.
Things went from bad to worse for Schmidt’s side as they needlessly kicked the ball out on the full before giving up an easy three points from the resulting lineout. A rare foray into the Argentina half ended when Australia cheaply coughed up possession, with Argentina ruthlessly grabbing another try on the counterattack.
The game was fast becoming a horror show for Australia, who seemed unable to get themselves back into the game. Every mistake from the men in gold was greeted by huge roars from the crowd, bettered only by the reception given when centurion Montoya made his way back to the bench for a well-deserved rest.
Replacement scrum half Tate McDermott finally managed to get his team back on the scoreboard when he showed brilliant footwork to squeeze between three Argentinian defenders to score. Any hopes of a comeback were soon obliterated after Argentina scored a superb try in the corner, displaying the more expansive brand of rugby Felipe Contepomi is attempting to bring to the side.
Almost as soon as one great try was scored, the hosts produced another, with the fans scarcely able to believe their eyes. The Australia players looked forlorn however, as the scoreboard crossed the 50-point mark. Replacement flanker Oviedo brilliantly sold a dummy and jogged in almost unopposed in a clip that will sting when Australia conduct their defensive review next week. Some of the visiting players looked as though they would rather be anywhere else but inside the ground, where they were staring down the barrel of one of their worst defeats in recent times.
Argentina added one more try with the clock in the red, but some sections of the crowd barely seemed to notice, having already begun celebrating a remarkable 67-27 victory that will put the rest of the rugby world on notice.
Argentina:
Mallia, Delguy, Cinti, Chocobares, M. Carreras, Albornoz, Bertranou; Gallo, Montoya, Sclavi, Petti, Lavanini, Matera, Kremer, Gonzalez
Replacements: Ruiz, Vivas, Bello, Molina, Oviedo, Grondona, Garcia, S. Carreras
Australia:
Kellaway, Jorgensen, Ikitau, Stewart, Koroibete, Donaldson, Gordon; Bell, Faessler, Tupou, Frost, Williams, Valentini, Tizzano, Wilson
Replacements: Nasser, Slipper, Alaalatoa, Canham, Gleeson, McDermott, Lynagh, Flook
