Los Pumas player ratings vs Wallabies | 2023 Rugby Championship
Los Pumas certainly enjoy playing in Parramatta, beating the All Blacks in 2020 and remaining unbeaten against the Wallabies after a draw that year and a deserved 34-31 win on Saturday to close the second round in the 2023 Rugby Championship.
This was Argentina’s third away win against Australia, after much-celebrated wins in 1983 and 2018. Michael Cheika’s Pumas took their chances even if they had to come back in the 79th minute to secure the win. The win is a testament of a renewed hunger after a gritless loss against New Zealand in the opening round of the Rugby Championship.
They needed to recover from what might have been a match-winning try by Mark Nawaqanitawase in the 75th minute, but they did so strongly with a forward’s try that was scored by converted number eight Juan Martín González.
Bragging rights at the Coogee Oval will go to the former Randwick number eight who has gone two from two in the last encounters against an Eddie Jones’ coached side, having beaten England last November.
Player ratings
15. Emiliano Boffelli – 6.5 Hit the posts with the first kick and after that, converted the following six for a fourteen-point contribution. Injured his shoulder early on and it took him a few minutes to get back into the game. As always, dependable at fullback or wing, where he finished the game.
14. Rodrigo Isgró – 7 Was this the seven’s star first cap? It didn’t show. Chased kick-offs – won the second one -, competed well throughout, was hungry in looking for work. He came an inch short of scoring his first test try which would have crowned a stellar debut. Found out of his defensive position which led to a missed tackle on Koroibete that ended in Samu Kerevi’s try. Understandable as this was his first XV’s game since 2019. His sevens days might be fast coming to an end.
13. Lucio Cinti – 6 Broke the Wallaby defence in the first minute. Good footwork and played much better at centre than at second-five last week. He is still a winger but gives Michael Cheika more options in the backs. Stopped a certain Aussie try with last gasp tackle on Gordon around the half-hour mark. Is coming of age in the team.
12. Jerónimo de la Fuente – 6 Scored the team’s first try after a number of phases, crashing over and showing his mental strength. Did not shine on his return to the team but seldom put a foot out of place. His experience showed as he was instrumental in organizing Los Pumas’ defence.
11. Mateo Carreras – 6.5 Always a dangerous player in attack and defence but a quieter game than a week ago. His third test try confirms he has done enough in two Rugby Championship games to book his ticket to France. As in last week, it is not about size, it is about what you do with it.
10. Santiago Carreras – 5.5 Miss read many opportunities, choosing to kick when he should have passed, or with loose passes. Beautiful runner but not the complete first five. When Nicolás Sánchez came on in the final minutes, moved to fullback which should be where he plays his test rugby.
9. Gonzalo Bertranou – 4.5 Quick to the ball but mostly a distributor. Defences already know that he is unlikely to take another option than pass or kick. Sweet pass for de la Fuente’s try. He needs to be more of a threat around the fringes.
8. Juan Martín González – 6.5 Not comfortable as number eight, as it is clear he was a flanker in that position. If he is to stay there, he needs more time and a more solid scrum. He took his chance in the last minute to score the winning try. Only 22.
7. Santiago Grondona – 7 This test was the coming of age of the flanker. Did small things very well but was glued to the side of the scrum in Nick White’s try. Other than that, he was the team’s best forward.
6. Pablo Matera – 6 Always great for close-ups after turnovers. He was not his industrious best, but still a presence opponents always need to worry about. Gave away an unnecessary penalty on Nick White that eventually became seven points, but grew in the final minutes as a leader, charging against the Aussie defence constantly.
5. Tomás Lavanini – 5.5 First penalty was unnecessary, gave Australia the chance to exit their field leading to the first try in the fifth minute. He worked hard, as always, but needs to impose himself more on the loose.
4. Matías Alemanno – 6.5 The less you see of him, the harder work he has done. Read a defensive maul that was heading to a certain try four minutes from the break but right on the start of the second half took a heavy hit to the right knee. Fingers crossed it was only a knock with Rugby World Cup fast approaching.
3. Francisco Gómez Kodela – 5 His return to the team showed him needing to fight hard on his side of the scrum and competing well in rucks and mauls. Never shines but certainly works hard.
2. Julián Montoya – 6.5 One of the English Premiership’s top scorers, he scored his team’s second try and as always, led from the front. More visible than a week ago in Mendoza, his lineout accuracy was 100% which always gave his side a good attacking option. Players respond to his quiet leadership.
1. Thomas Gallo – 5 When in the scrum you have to put up with Alan Alaalatoa and Will Skelton on your side it is always going to be a hard night at the office. Had few opportunities on the loose, which is what he is known for. But never broken.
Reserves
16. Agustín Creevy – 99 tests-not out for the former captain that is the ideal replacement for captain Montoya. In his seven minutes, he came on with the team winning, saw the lead disappear and had to fight back in the final minutes leading from the front. Was involved in at least three rucks that lead to the winning try.
17. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro – A 13-minute return to the team brought a much-celebrated win. Not an impact player per se, but a solid, experienced performer you need to have in a close game.
18. Eduardo Bello – 5 Thirty minutes for the prop that is fighting for RWC survival. He will need more opportunities to secure his ticket to France.
19. Lucas Paulos – 6 Coming on a couple of minutes after the break, he worked hard, chasing, tackling, mauling. Made his presence felt and he ensure Alemanno was not really missed.
20. Rodrigo Bruni – The best forward a week ago, his ten minutes were not enough to make him visible. Yet, the game was eventually won by the forwards hard work in those final seconds.
22. Nicolás Sánchez – His seven-minute cameo could have been remembered for giving away the test win. His pass from the back of a ruck was read like a book by Mark Nawaqanitawase to run 90 metres for the try. Little more for the 98-capped flyhalf.
23. Matías Moroni – 6 He come on strongly for his 35 minutes of action and took over the role of de la Fuente in marshalling the defence and mentoring Cinti.
Comments on RugbyPass
I guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
43 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
3 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
43 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
43 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
3 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
6 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
6 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to comments