Nick Phipps says Wallabies are ‘back’ but warns of Pumas response

Nick Phipps has rated the Wallabies’ performance a seven to eight out of 10 after the 27-21 win over Los Pumas, but the 72-Test scrum-half believes the Argentinians will be back with a vengeance when the teams meet again.

It’s the fourth time the Aussies have taken out the first of two Tests away in Argentina, but the second match has historically gone the way of the home side. Los Pumas have been swept by the Wallabies in a multi-game series on home soil.

The Wallabies last visited the South American country two years ago, when they claimed a thrilling one-point win in La Plata on August 31, before finishing on the wrong side of a heavy 67-27 demolition a week later.

But there is some history that favours the men in gold ahead of the second Flight Centre Series showdown on Saturday evening, with the Wallabies 3-1 all-time against Los Pumas when playing at Mendoza’s Estadio Malvinas Argentinas.

Australia have been victorious the last three times they’ve visited the venue, dating back to July 25, 2015. The Wallabies currently remain unbeaten under new coach Les Kiss, who took over ahead of a two-Test series against Japan’s Brave Blossoms.

“We’re back… everyone loves wins,” Phipps said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“Everyone there, including the players, are just like, ‘We can get better here.’ The big challenge for them now is the next game in Argie.

“Selections will probably change a little big, that’s good, that’s a good thing. But the last few times that we’ve beaten Argentina we’ve then gone on to lose the game by 30 or 40.

“You know Argentina, like a woman scorned, they’ll be back. They’ll be well and truly back to put Australia to the sword at home because they play with passion, they play on emotion.

“They’ll want to come back there and it’s one of those things… the Argies did poorly, they’ll want to come up and we want to see two wins in a row over there.”

The hard-fought six-point triumph in Jujuy brought up a bit of history for the Wallabies, who have now won four on the trot in the same calendar year for the first time since 2021, when Dave Rennie was coaching the side.

Brandon Paenga-Amosa gave the Wallabies an early lead last weekend, benefiting from some eyes-up footy from locks Josh Canham and Jeremy Williams. Carter Gordon added another five to the away side’s score soon after.

Fraser McReight and Tom Hooper were Australia’s other try-scorers, but it was defence that proved the difference, with no points scored in the final 25 minutes. The Wallabies have since made their way to Mendoza, which presents another “tough” task ahead.

“It’s one of the soccer fields with the fence, moat, fence,” Phipps explained.

“It’s a very again hostile place again but passionate.”