Key events
20 min: Faessler finds Frost and Australia set the platform for Gordan to box. He lands it near the touch line in Argentina’s territory. Bertranou box kicks as well. Ikitau has it and shovels it on for Koroibete on Australia’s left wing. Nice tempo to this game. Both teams are getting a move on. The sequence ends with Australia winning a penalty as Gordan milks it at the back of a ruck, insisting that he couldn’t get the ball out.
NO TRY! Argentina 3-10 Australia
It’s been ruled out! And rightly so if you ask me. Lavanini definitely took out Wilson right as the Wallaby skipper was lining up a shot on Kremer. Let off for Australia. I think Kremer would have scored anyway.
Oh hang on, they’re going to check this. Might be an obstruction call against Argentina…
TRY! Argentina 8-10 Australia (Kremer, 18)
So easy! Argentina opt to tap and go from right in front of the poles. They shift the point of contact which disguises Kremer’s perfect line. He receives the ball and bashes over with a mighty heave.
17 min: Australia get in a tanlge at the restart – just like last week – and in a flash Argentina are crashing over men in gold. Gallo and Sclavi both with big carries as they get within five of the line. Australia stray off-side as they scramble back and Argentina have the penalty right under the poles.
TRY! Argentina 3-10 Australia (Tizzano, 15)
Yes he can! It’s Tizzano who wriggles it over. Koroibete tried but couldn’t get there so the flanker had a go himself. Lovely carries in the build up from Bell who was just immense. Donaldson adds the extras.
15 min: Better from Australia. Kellaway, Faessler with big carries. Gordan has them thrumming, They’re inches away, can someone wrestle it down?
13 min: Free-kick to Australia from the scrum. Which means they can’t choose to scrum again. So Donaldson hoofs a kick into Argentina’s 22 and Mallia marks for a free kick of his own. He kicks long. Donaldson kicks it back. Albornoz kicks. Someone run it! Kellaway does and now we’re around half-way near the left wing.
12 min: Argentina have it back but then lose it again. They just can’t work through the phases. Australia don’t kick from their own half and invite the onrushing Pumas. We’ll come back for an Argentine knock-on.
Both teams are energetic but someone needs to calm down and maybe take the contact and go to ground. All feels a bit rushed at the minute.
10 min: From a secure scrum Argentina’s midfield gets in a knot and spill the ball for almost no reason. Just a mess from first phase ball. Australia counter down the left but it’s Tupou who is the last man to receive the ball and he’s bundled out.
9 min: Argentina play an odd routine at the line-out, going to the front but making no yards. They soon knock-on and Australia counter with Jorgensen and Kellaway steaming up field. Thank they’re building well until Koroibete knocks on. Scrum to Argentina outside their own 22.
7 min: Last week the restarts were a mess but so far the receiving team has managed to exit well. Australia do so again with a carry but soon after Gordan’s box-kick is charged down. Then, under pressure, Australia give away a penalty as they try to mop up. Argentina kick towards the 22.
Penalty! Argentina 3-3 Australia (Donaldson, 6)
Easy does it. Loving this so far. Great contest.
5 min: Faessler has the throw and goes over the top and finds Frost. Nice variety. Tupou is in the line and tips on for Koroibete who finds space on the left wing. He takes the tackle and tries to off-load but can’t find his man. There’s a penalty advantage though fir a no-arm tackle against Montoya. So Donaldson will have an easy shot to level things.
Penalty! Argentina 3-0 Australia (Albornoz, 4)
On the board! A great start for the home side. From left to right, easy through the poles.
2 min: Penalty for Argentina as Australia lose their composure at the deck. Jorgensen made a few stiff tackles to keep the Pumas at bay. Matera in the tram offered an option and almost stictched an off-load but no advantage.
2 min: What a strong carry from Wilson from the kick-off, motoring about 15 metres up field. But after a box kick M Carreras is screaming up the wing. Ding dong start!
The Argentina anthem is a long one, isn’t it? No complaints, I’m South African and ours also stretches a bit. But when the “Argentine National Anthem” – yes, that’s it’s official name – gets going it keeps going!
Anyway, we’re all done now. Time for some footy.
Time for the anthems. As far as I can tell everyone is singing.
[If you know, you know]
100 Test caps up for Julian Montoya. What a moment for the skipper as he walks out with his child in his arms, soaking in the applause of the packed stadium.
There’s more than a game on the line today.
The Puma Cup is also up for grabs. In case you need reminding, that’s the floating trophy awarded to the winner of these sides across the two matches in the Rugby Championship.
Last year Argentina won it for the first having done the double over the Wallabies, who held the gong for 13 years in a row before.
Sky have just switched over. For some reason the scheduled kick-offs for these two games haven’t aligned with the actual kick-offs.
Anyway, I’m now looking at a capacity stadium bathed in brilliant sunshine. Looks like a cracking day for some running footy.
Remarkable. Slipper goes level with Gregan on 139 Test caps and joint-sixth on the all time list.
Here’s who’s ahead of him:
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Alun Wyn Jones (Wales & Lions) 171
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Sam Whitelock (NZ) 153
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Richie McCaw (NZ) 148
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Sergio Parisse (Italy) 142
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Brian O’Driscoll (Ireland & Lions) 141
Should be noted that Harry Wilson skippers the Wallabies for the second game in a row.
Given how the captaincy has been treated like a game of musical chairs, this points to some sort of consistency. And when you’re starting a rebuild project, having consistency is key.
Just catching up with today’s rugby action? We’ve got you covered:
Sarah Rendell was at Kingsholm stadium as the Red Roses thwacked France.
And earlier, the Springboks tightened their grip on the Rugby Championship by claiming a fourth win on the bounce against the All Blacks.
Pumas on the hunt for revenge
Argentina need a response and they need one now. They’ll have to find one without their most-capped player in their history as Agustin Creevy took his 110 Test caps with him into retirement.
Also missing from the squad is the lock Pedro Rubiolo and scrumhalf Lautaro Bazan Velez. Oh, there’s also loose forward Bautista Pedemonte on the injury table. Not ideal, I’d say.
Like Australia there’s a big change at flyhalf as Santiago Carreras – more of a fullback if you’re asking me – has been replaced by Tomos Albornoz.
Argentina: Mallia; Delguy, Cinti, Chocobares, M Carreras; Albornoz, Betranou; Gallo, Montoya (cap), Sclavi, Petti, Lavanini, Matera, Kremer, Gonzalez.
Replacements: Ruiz, Vivas, Bello, Molina, Oviedo, Grondona, Garcia, S Carreras.
Donaldson handed the keys to No10
Ben Donaldson starts at fly-half in the most prominent of the four changes to the side from last week.
Max Jorgensen gets his first start on the right wing, and there’s a new-look second row Jeremy Williams and Nick Frost combining.
Joining the heavies from the bench will beames Slipper who equals George Gregan’s record as the most-capped Wallaby of all-time with 139 appaearnces for te gold and green.
Australia: Kellaway; Jorgensen, Ikitau, Stewart, Koroibete; Donaldson, Gordan; Bell, Faessler, Tupou, Frost, Williams, Valetini, Tizzano, Wilson (cap)
Replacements: Nasser, Slipper, Alaalatoa, Canham, Gleeson, McDermott, Lynagh, Flook.
Preamble
Daniel Gallan
Are we allowed to ask if the Wallabies have turned a corner? Look, I know it’s early days. I know that Joe Schmidt has only been in the job for a hot minute. I know that the twin wins against Wales and the solitary – and sketchy – win over Georgia barely proved anything given the weakness of the opposition. I know that they got spanked twice at home by the Springboks. And I know that some might argue that last week’s win in Argentine rain was a scrappy, ugly, unconvincing affair.
But my goodness, when last did so much positivity swirl around rugby union in Australia? If we can’t allow ourselves to see the sliver of light that bursts through the gloom, then what is the point of all this head bashing and bone crunching?
As I said, last week’s triumph over the Pumas, procured after trailing once by 10 points and again by nine points, wasn’t exactly a humdinger. But as Angus Fontaine noted, it showed a lot of heart.
They’ll know that a win here at the ominously named Brigadier General Estanislao López Stadium, popularly known as The Elephant Graveyard, would catapult them to second place on the Rugby Championship log. Of course there’s still the small matter of two games against the All Blacks over the horizon, but that is a problem for another day. For now, another morale-boosting win is within touching distance.
Not if Argentina have anything to say about that. They’ll be smarting after that narrow loss that many suggested was little more than a consequence of some dodgy time-keeping at the death.
This should be a good ‘un with some scores to settle and cases to make. Hope you’re as amped as I am.
Kick-off at 8pm BST/5am AEST/ 4pm local time.
Teams and more updates to come.