Australia v Argentina - teams and prediction

ROUND THREE PREVIEW: With an eye to nine more Tests before December, Wallaby captain Harry Wilson reckons Tom Lynagh’s brutally enforced absence will prove to have long-term benefits.

The 22-year-old will return from a nasty concussion to play in Saturday’s Test against Argentina in Townsville.

It will be the first time in the 22-year-old’s Test career that he’s started against a team other than the British and Irish Lions.

Those three Tests earlier this year were emotionally and physically torrid; Lynagh’s series abruptly ended by a Dan Sheehan elbow in a ruck that was only penalised retrospectively.

The subsequent concussion ruled Lynagh out of the two-Test tour of South Africa that immediately followed.

But the fit-again son of former World Cup-winning flyhalf Michael has been thrust straight back into the starting side, with veteran playmaker James O’Connor benched.

Tests in Townsville and Sydney next weekend against Los Pumas are crucial both for world rankings points ahead of December’s Rugby World Cup draw, and the Wallabies’ hopes of ending a 10-year Rugby Championship title drought.

Wilson, back from his own knee injury to lead the side, said that time away would serve Lynagh well.

The preview continues below…

“Tom looks pretty refreshed, to be honest,” Wilson said.

“He had a big couple of months, the back end of Super [Rugby] into Lions.

“The way he stood up in those periods was awesome, a starting debut in some of the biggest matches you could have.

“He’ll take plenty of confidence from that, and it’s like he’s had a little pre-season the last three, four weeks. He looks really fit and excited to get back out there.”

Wilson admitted to some “dark fears” after hurting his knee while scoring his second try in the Wallabies’ historic Ellis Park defeat of the Springboks last month.

He missed the next Test in Cape Town, but was cleared of structural damage and is confident he’ll handle temperatures that could approach 30 degrees on Saturday.

“It’s great to be back; a bit of a scare in Johannesburg, and when you have a non-contact knee injury, you have some dark fears there,” he said.

“Lucky to just bang a bit of cartilage. It was pretty sore for a few days to a week, but it settled really well when I got back to Australia.

“I trained all last week and had a good week’s prep to give me plenty of confidence.

“We had the altitude in South Africa, and now a good, tough week’s prep in the heat is a nice change.”

Los Pumas beat the Lions before the tourists arrived in Australia and defeated the All Blacks for the first time in Argentina a fortnight ago.

Last year, the Wallabies, in Wilson’s captaincy debut, won 20-19 in La Plata, before the wheels fell off in a 27-67 loss – after they’d led 20-3 – in Santa Fe.

“I’m expecting the best of the best of the Wallabies,” Argentina skipper Julian Montoya said.

“That game [in Santa Fe] was a year ago, even more.

“And you see the path they’re on now; an amazing series against the Lions, beat the Springboks at Ellis Park and almost beat them again in the last game.

“It’s a world-class team and we’re expecting the best of them, a proper Test match.”

Teams have the option of taking a drinks break at the 20-minute mark of each half.

Players to watch

For Australia: Nic White’s retirement tour will continue in Townsville when the scrumhalf partners with returning flyhalf Tom Lynagh and captain Harry Wilson against Argentina. Andrew Kellaway has won the battle to fill the injured Tom Wright’s boots at fullback in the other change to the side that lost narrowly in Cape Town a fortnight ago. James O’Connor steered the ship in the two-game South African tour but will come off the bench behind 22-year-old Lynagh, who was badly concussed in the third Lions Test. Tom Hooper will shift to the second row to replace Will Skelton, who has returned to French club duties, while Wilson has overcome a knee issue to wear the No.8 as Rob Valetini moves to No.6.

For Argentina: Argentina have made three changes, with prop Joel Sclavi, flank Marcos Kremer and flyhalf Santiago Carreras all coming in. The team will be skippered again by Julian Montoya in the front row. Hard man Kremer returns to the back row, with Pablo Matera shifting to No.8. Carreras, who came on early for the injured Tomas Albornoz in Buenos Aires against the All Blacks, is again entrusted with the playmaker role in the only change to the backline. It will be a long afternoon for the Wallabies if Carreras starts to dictate play, while Matera can cause chaos at the breakdowns, disrupting the home side’s flow in the game.

Prediction

@rugby365com: Australia by seven points.

Teams:

Australia: 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 Tom Robertson.
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Filipo Daugunu.

Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo García, 8 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julián Montoya (captain), 1 Mayco Vivas.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Joaquin Oviedo, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 23 Benjamin Elizalde

Date: Saturday, September 6
Venue: North Queensland Stadium, Townsville
Kick-off: 14.30 (01.30 Argentina time; 04.30 GMT)
Expected weather: It will be partly cloudy and warm with a temperature around 29°C.
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley (England), Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)

AAP, AFP & @rugby365com