Wallabies show grit to edge Los Pumas in Argentina
MATCH REPORT: The Wallabies have maintained their winning run under coach Les Kiss, hanging tough against Argentina to post a 27-21 victory.
Playing in the mountain town of San Salvador de Jujuy, the Australians scored four tries to two to earn a gritty victory in the first of two Tests in Argentina.
After opening his Test coaching tenure with successive victories over Japan, the clash with the world No.7 Pumas was expected to be the first big battle for Kiss’s men.
The hosts were missing some key players while the Wallabies also had some new faces in the starting forward pack, with skipper Harry Wilson among the players rested.
His replacement at No.8, Rob Valetini, was a stand-out, putting the visitors on the front foot with some big carries while lock Josh Canham was also among the side’s best.
The Wallabies led 22-14 at half-time, with hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Carter Gordon and Fraser McReight all crossing the line.
Tries by fullback Geronimo Prisciantelli and Joaquin Moro kept Argentina in the hunt, with the No.8 taking a quick tap from a short-arm free kick to split the defence.
A penalty strike by Ryan Lonergan after half-time secured the eight-point lead.
The halfback was an early casualty in the second half, injured while making a try-saving tackle, with Tate McDermott entering the fray.
The margin was then reduced to one point in the 52nd minute with Pumas prop Boris Wegner burrowing over.
The visitors were able to kick away with an impressive team try three minutes later, with flanker Tom Hooper collecting the five-pointer.
It looked like they would have some breathing room in the final 10 minutes but a try by Jeremy Williams was denied upon review, and then McDermott was held up over the line to set up a nerve-wracking finale.
The desperate Pumas did their best to find another try but the scrambling Wallabies defence managed to hold them out to secure an important win away from home.
The scorers:
For Argentina:
Tries: Prisciantelli, Moro, Wenger
Cons: Carreras 3
For Australia:
Tries: Paenga-Amosa, Gordon, McReight, Hooper
Cons: Lonergan 2
Pen: Lonergan
Yellow card: Harry Potter (Australia, 25′ – cynical play, deliberate knock-on)
Teams:
Argentina: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Faustino Sanchez Valarolo, 11 Ignacio Mendy, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Simon Benitez Cruz, 8 Joaquin Moro, 7 Benjamin Grondona, 6 Pablo Matera (captain), 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Francisco Moreno, 2 Ignacio Ruiz, 1 Boris Wenger.
Replacements: 16 Leonel Oviedo, 17 Rodrigo Martinez, 18 Tomas Rapetti, 19 Efrain Elias, 20 Juan Penoucos, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Nicolas Roger, 23 Matias Moroni.
Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Isaac Henry, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 Isaac Kailea.
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Massimo De Lutiis, 19 Lachlan Shaw, 20 Charlie Cale, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: James Doleman (New Zealand), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Richard Kelly (New Zealand)
Register your interest to receive priority updates on RWC27 ticket releases. Don't miss out, stay in the loop!
