Argentina break their duck
Argentina finally secured their first Rugby Championship win, after three years of trying.
They edged Australia 21-17 in dramatic fashion at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, in Mendoza, on Saturday.
That gave them a win in their 18th Rugby Championship match, after their previous 17 attempts brought them just a solitary draw – against South Africa in their debut year, 2012.
It was not a classic Test, more of a brutal arm-wrestle littered with penalties and errors. However, the Pumas will care not one iota how they did it – they finally have a win.
The biggest problem for the Wallabies was their lack of discipline, especially at the breakdown – where they took too many liberties from the freedom afforded by referee Nigel Owens.
After two well-constructed early tries – by Tevita Kuridrani and Scott Higginbotham – the Wallabies looked as if they would run away with the game in the face of some haphazard defence by the home team.
However, that 14-0 lead was no indication of the real drama that was to follow.
Once the Pumas got into their stride and their forwards got in the ascendancy, the Argentineans dominated both possession and territory to narrow the gap to just 8-14 at the break – with Leonardo Senatore going over for Argentina's first try, after a strong build-up by the forwards and Nicolas Sanchez slotting a penalty right on half-time.
Sanchez – after Nick Phipps was yellow carded for repeated breakdown offences – and Bernard Foley exchanged early second-half penalties, before another powerful Puma scrum saw Juan Imhoff go over in the right corner. The conversion from Sanchez gave the Pumas the lead for the first time in the 54th minute.
The referee then changed his mind, after sending Wallaby fullback Israel Folau to the bin for foul play, and allowed him to stay on the field – but still awarded the penalty.
Foley missed one from 45 metres out and then had another shocker from about 25 metres out, when hen hit the upright from almost in front – although there were suggestions that he had a lazer shone in his eye as he lined up the kick.
The Wallabies were again reduced to 14 men when captain Michael Hooper was yellow carded for foul play, jumping into a player in the air.
And from the resulting penalty Sanchez made it a four-point game – 21-17, with just over five minutes remaining.
And the Pumas hung on against a desperate Wallaby team for a famous win.
Man of the match: Israel Folau and Tevita Kuridrani attempted their best to spark the Wallabies. Nicolás Sánchez kicked the winning penalty, while Juan Imhoff and Leonardo Senatore scored invaluable tries. However, our award goes to the Argentinean front row – Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Agustín Creevy and Marcos Ayerza – for their destructive scrumming power, which set the tone for a famous win.
Moment of the match: This one is easy. It goes to the Juan Imhoff try in the 52nd minute – when a powerful scrum set up the opportunity for the wing to go over in the right corner, a score that allowed the Pumas to claim the lead. Their confidence soared and they claimed their first win on the back of it.
Villain: Will Skelton made a big effort to win this award with some late thuggery, Nick Phipps also should learn that you don't win matches with your mouth. However, our award goes to Wallaby captain Michael Hooper – who was yellow carded at a crucial stage in the second half, with what was a blatant act, despite claims from some that he was already airborne. He knew exactly what he was doing when he launched himself into the air in the direction of the kicker, and even turned his back just before making contact.
The scorers:
For Argentina:
Tries: Senatore, Imhoff
Con: Sanchez
Pens: Sanchez 3
For Australia:
Tries: Kuridrani, Higginbotham
Cons: Foley 2
Pen: Foley
Yellow cards: Nick Phipps (Australia, 43 – repeated infringements at the breakdown), Michael Hooper (Australia, 74 – foul play, playing a man in the air)
Teams:
Argentina: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Juan Imhoff, 13 Horacio Agulla, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Lucas González Amorosino, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Benjamín Macome, 6 Rodrigo Báez, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Mariano Galarza, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Matías Cortese, 17 Bruno Postiglioni, 18 Ramiro Herrera, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Marcelo Bosch, 23 Jerónimo De la Fuente.
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Scott Fardy, 5 James Horwill, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Saia Fainga'a, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Benn Robinson, 18 Ben Alexander, 19 Will Skelton, 20 Jake Schatz, 21 Matt Hodgson, 22 Nic White, 23 Rob Horne.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Leighton Hodges (Wales)
TMO: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
