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Argentina v Australia: Everything you need to know
Australia will look to round off a disappointing Rugby Championship campaign on a high note when they face winless Argentina on Saturday.
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The Wallabies’ only victory of the competition came at the expense of the Pumas, though that 45-20 success was somewhat flattering as it came thanks in part to three tries in the last 10 minutes.
A pair of draws with South Africa and defeats to champions New Zealand have left Australia in third place, but they can leapfrog the Springboks into second with a win providing New Zealand make it six wins from six in their final game.
Michael Cheika has named an unchanged XV for the contest, the first time he has done so in his three-year tenure.
The upbeat head coach said: “We’ve created a bit of depth. It’s up to them to perform well each week when they cross the line and be fully focused.
“It’ll always change when players get an opportunity or maybe someone else is down. That’s what demands consistent selection.
“I am pleased with the group of players we have got, knowing that we’ve still got a few players to come back in. We’ve got a good group here.”
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The Pumas are aiming to avoid a first winless tournament since 2013 and have made four changes, with Martin Landajo replacing scrum-half Tomas Cubelli, who fractured a vertebra in the loss to the All Blacks last time out.
"Saturday is ultra important – it's a chance to finish second in The (Rugby) Championship."https://t.co/9jzEK2mfK0
— Qantas Wallabies (@qantaswallabies) October 6, 2017
HEAD TO HEAD
Argentina: 5
Australia: 22
Draw: 1
KEY PLAYERS
Martin Landajo (Argentina): The injured Cubelli brings the experience of having played in Australian rugby during a previous spell with Brumbies, but Landajo will instead have to fill the void and link up well with Nicolas Sanchez at fly-half if Argentina are to prevail.
Israel Folau (Australia): Not only can Folau become the first Australian to score six tries in the Rugby Championship, he can also take another step towards breaking the record for Test tries in a calendar year. Folau has 11 so far and is six short of the record of 17 shared by Joe Rokocoko and Daisuke Ohata.
THE LINE-UPS
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Argentina: Joaquin Tuculet, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Emiliano Boffelli, Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo; Lucas Noguera, Agustin Creevy, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Marcos Kremer, Matias Alemanno, Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio, Tomas Lezana.
Australia: Israel Folau, Marika Koroibete, Tevita Kuridrani, Kurtley Beale, Reece Hodge, Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Scott Sio, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu, Izack Rodda, Adam Coleman, Jack Dempsey, Michael Hooper, Sean McMahon.
PRE-MATCH TALK
Argentina’s dropped number eight Juan Manuel Leguizamon: “It is true that we are battling to achieve victories. However, no other group of rugby players in the world are playing Super Rugby for six months followed almost immediately by Tests. It is a very difficult situation, but offers us the opportunity to face some of the best teams in the world virtually every weekend.”
Australia assistant coach Stephen Larkham on Argentina: “Coming up against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia – three of the top five teams in the world – on a continuous basis is really tough. Their world ranking [10th] probably does not do justice to how good they are. They have slid down the ladder because they play such strong opposition.
OPTA STATS
– Australia have won 14 of their last 15 games against Argentina, including each of their last five clashes.
– Australia haven’t won any of their last four games away from home (D1, L3), the last time they went longer without an away win was a five-game drought from 2008 to 2009 (L5).
– Argentina are the only team to average more than one card per game this tournament (five yellow, one red), while Australia are the only team yet to have a player sent from the field.
– Australia have scored 14 second-half tries so far this campaign, more than any other team in the competition, while Argentina have scored just four in the same period.
– Israel Folau has crossed the try line five times this campaign, more than any other player in the competition; no Australian has ever scored more than five in an edition of this competition (Folau scored five in 2013).
Comments on RugbyPass
The movement of quality players back to SA is remarkable.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article, Nic. Am enjoying seeing the Rebels doing well, partly just to spite those who are working to wipe them off the face of the Australian rugby planet. But it is also good to see a team with somany good players beginning fire. LSL has benefitted so much from his move up to Northampton for the one year. I wonder why he did not stay on for another year. Does he now looks north and see his teammates of last year now doing so well, and have some regrets.
44 Go to comments“Over 80% of the World Cup squad are over 30” No it isn’t lol
2 Go to commentsTyrel Lomax the best AB prop since Carl Hayman. Absolutely destroyed the Boks in RWC Final and is monstering allcomers in Super this season. Should be a monster battle vs touring Poms, always deliver a power pack.
1 Go to commentsEye gouging seems like such a strong term for what can only be described as a poke in the eye. When I think of eye gouging I think of someone trying to intentionally pop someone’s eyeball out. it’s like calling a high-tackle attempted decapitation.
3 Go to commentsGreat article. No insights to add, just wanted to say that. :)
1 Go to commentsLeinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
44 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
44 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
44 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to comments