Les Kissā€™s unbeaten run continued as Australia posted a third straight win under the new Wallabies coach with a tense 27-21 win over Argentina in San Salvador de Jujuy.
The forwards yet again stood up for the Wallabies, scoring three of the sideā€™s four tries in a gritty performance that included a good share of close-quarter combat.
The Wallabies led 19-7 early in the game, but Argentina fought back to trail by just one point with 30 minutes remaining. But a 54th-minute try from Tom Hooper pushed the Wallabies back out to a six-point lead, one they held on to in a see-sawing final 25 minutes.
Australiaā€™s mistakes down the stretch allowed the Pumas to stay in the contest. But key turnovers won by flanker Fraser McReight in the dying stages saw the Wallabies stave off disaster and claim the tight victory.
It is the first time the Wallabies have won three straight games since Kissā€™ predecessor Joe Schmidt began with the Wallabies in 2024.
The victory came with several key players sitting in the stands – with captain Harry Wilson rested and Len Ikitau not used. It did come at a price, however, with in-form halfback Ryan Lonergan taken from the field in the second half with a shoulder injury.
The Wallabies led 22-14 at halftime after an opening half where they had the majority of possession and territory.
The Pumas defence had plenty of starch early for the Wallabiesā€™ one-out runners but some attacking space – and the first points – was finally found with some slick handling and running on the left edge.
And it was all performed by forwards, when Josh Canham got free as an extra man after quick hands on the left, before dropping a switch of play to lock partner Jeremy Williams, who also ran left and almost made the line. He offloaded to Brandon Paenga-Amosa just short of the line for a sixth-minute try.
The Wallabies marched back downfield straight away, after stealing a lineout and then winning a penalty from a contestable kick. A lineout drive was stopped, but Carter Gordon charged onto a ball from a goal line ruck and scored a second five-pointer for Australia.
At 12-0 after 10 minutes, things were going well, but the Pumas responded quickly.
A nice inside pass move near a midfield ruck found a gap and fullback GerĆ³nimo Priscinatelli surged over soon after off quick phase ball.
The Wallabies got the benefit of poor Argentina discipline in the next sequence when they were helped back down to the hostsā€™ line. Multiple lineout drives were repelled before a Fraser McReight pick-and-drive from loose play gave Australia a third try inside the opening 19th minutes.
The Pumas were told they were close to a yellow card, but it was the Wallabies who lost a man. Harry Potter was binned in the 24th minute when he stuck a hand out and knocked down a pass in his own 22.
The Wallabies were under pressure in the red zone for most of those 10 minutes but survived without conceding points. But as soon as Potter returned, they conceded a try when a quick tap from a scrum on their line was taken by Pumas No.8 Joaquin Moro. He powered through two low tackles and reached out to score in the 37th minute.
Australia grabbed last points in the half, however, when Ryan Lonergan knocked over a penalty goal from 30 out after the siren, for an eight-point lead at the break.
Lonergan was taken from the soon after play resumed when he was injured after making a try-saving cover tackle. An error from his replacement Tate McDermott then saw the Pumas score their next try. After a long-range counter-attack try was denied for a forward pass, McDermott had a box-kick clearance charged down, and with enough pressure on the line, Pumas prop Boris Wenger burrowed over.
The Wallabies handling was pressured by good Argentina defence, but nice short passing at the line paid off soon after when Hunter Paisami got through, and after some more hard-line running from the Wallabies, Tom Hooper eventually got over. Ben Donaldson missed a simple conversion, keeping Argentina within six points.
Iain Payten is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.From our partners
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