Rugby Championship LIVE updates: Argentina v Australia, second Test
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Wallabies attack ratchets up
Argentina 14, Australia 10.
Australia have played themselves into this Test match and they’re finding holes in the Pumas’ defence.
They’re five metres out from Argentina’s line and win a penalty and take the shot at goal for five-eighth O’Connor, who slots it from straight in front.
While I’m here, this is a lovely image of Cheika and Pumas great Felipe Contepomi from the warm-up. They’ve been close friends for many years after Cheika’s time coaching in Europe.
Michael Cheika and Felipe Contepomi share a moment in San Juan.Credit:AP
McReight wins key turnover, Australia score
Argentina 14, Australia 7.
It’s taken 10 minutes but Australia’s won a moment in San Juan, No.7 Fraser McReight snaffling a ball at the ruck to hand the Wallabies their first attacking opportunity off the lineout.
Lonergan’s first throw in is good and Rob Valetini runs off the set piece before prop James Slipper recycles and scores next to the posts. O’Connor converts and Australia’s in the contest. Welcome, fellas.
Fast start faster
Argentina 14, Australia 0.
The Pumas score again on the back of two missed tackles from the Wallabies. Loosehead prop Tomas Gallo scores after some determined pick and go. Boffelli adds the extras to make it a 14-0 lead with seven minutes gone. Australia need to compose themselves and hit back.
Try time
We’re underway in San Juan and it’s a try to the home side with just a minute gone, winger Juan Imhoff picking up a loose ball and sprinting towards the try line.
Australia looked to have turned it over on the back of a grubber kick on the right flank but a pass from Jordan Petaia didn’t find Tom Wright and Imhoff pounced.
No.14 Emiliano Boffelli adds the conversion to make it 7-0 to the Pumas.
Baby hookers
It’s a big moment for Lachlan Lonergan and Billy Pollard, who are both playing this week after yet another injury hit Rennie’s squad, this time No.2 Folau Fainga’a playing.
After a two-week tour that has already seen Dave Porecki, Michael Hooper, Quade Cooper, Hunter Paisami and Allan Ala’alatoa all fly home, Fainga’a suffered a head knock at the Wallabies’ training session on Thursday. He reported symptoms and failed a test on Friday morning.
Time to consolidate
Dave Rennie has fronted the pre-match broadcast on Stan Sport, telling them O’Connor’s experience was important this week.
“No [Michael Hooper], no Allan Ala’alatoa … he’s worked really hard over the last month, got himself in good shape, ready to go,” Rennie said.
“[Nic White] has been great, there’s a fair bit of competition at 9, Whitey has a big role for us today, and I guess the guys up front are going to give them an armchair ride.”
Rennie also said – in response to a question from England defence coach and NRL coach Anthony Seibold, no less – that the Wallabies would be rolling out (excuse the pun) their maul as an attacking weapon but also changing it up on Michael Cheika’s side.
“They’re going to have to put in a bit of time to defend that [but] we’ll certainly vary it a bit,” he said.
Hot, dry track
Iain Payten is on the ground for us, and sent this just now:
“In contrast to the often freezing conditions in the training week spent in Mendoza, the conditions in San Juan for the game are sunny, hot and dry. The temperature is north of 20 degrees and players did their walk around in t-shirt and shorts.
“Like last week, the stadium backs onto the Andes but this one in San Juan – the Estadio Bicentennial – is almost the foot of the range. It is a grand old soccer stadium with terraces on three sides, and she had a fresh lick of paint and an overhaul last year before Argentina and Brazil played a 0-0 draw here in a World Cup qualifier in November. Led by Lionel Mesi, the home side qualified for the World Cup with that result so the locals will be hoping this venue can produce a similarly good result for the Pumas. Michael Cheika made changes at halfback, centre and winger but all his talk during the week has been about Argentina needing to muscle up in the forwards, and deny the Wallabies any pay from their rolling maul. Cheika was livid that the Aussies scored three of their five tries through the maul in the first Test, and hasn’t hidden the fact he wants more from his forwards.
The Wallabies, of course, have spent most of the tour splashing liquid paper all over their team lists, such is the number of people unavailable through injury and personal issues.
“On top of the absences of Dave Porecki, Michael Hooper, Quade Cooper, Hunter Paisami and Allan Alaalatoa, the Wallabies lost Folau Fainga’a on Thursday. That has brought Lachlan Lonergan, 22, into the starting team at hooker and Billy Pollard, 20, onto the bench for a possible debut.
The front row reserves on the bench have ten minutes Test experience between, with Pollard and Pone Fa’amausili on debut and Matt Gibbon in his second Test.”
Buenos dias from San Juan
Hola, welcome to the second Test of Australia’s two-leg Rugby Championship mini tour of Argentina. We’re awake before dawn to see if the Wallabies can make it two on the trot against Los Pumas, with James O’Connor in the driver’s seat at No.10.
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