The Wallabies fought back from a 21-7 deficit to beat Argentina in Townsville, with replacement prop Angus Bell muscling over for a try in the 86th minute after the hosts turned down a penalty goal that would have sealed a draw.
The Wallabies were outclassed by a ruthlessly efficient Argentina team in the first half, scoring two tries to Australia’s one. In the second half, a different team emerged full of adventure and fight.
Two tries from the excellent Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Bell’s brilliant try deep in injury time not only won them the game, but crucially kept the Wallabies in sixth place in the rankings ahead of December’s Rugby World Cup draw for the 2027 tournament in Australia.
After Argentina scored a penalty after 78 minutes to give them a three-point draw, Wallabies skipper Harry Wilson was ultimately faced with a late opportunity to draw the game by handing James O’Connor the kicking tee, or backing his forwards to get the job done under immense pressure with a tap penalty.
“We could have gone for the goal there and taken a draw,” Wilson said. “Everyone there believed we could finish the job. The boys wanted to win the game. There was 25,000 people pleading for us to tap it and that really was probably the difference in the end.”
Coach Joe Schmidt cut a relieved figure in the post-match press conference and when asked whether he would have called for the kicking tee and gone for the draw, or gone for the win, the New Zealander replied that he simply trusted his captain, Harry Wilson to make the right call, which resulted in Bell’s match-winning try from a tap and go penalty.
“I would just back the captain. Harry’s out there, he has a feel for what’s happening,” Schmidt said.
“If he feels like there’s momentum, they [Argentina] would have been on a warning, you know that if we do a good job, we can get the result.
“Thankfully, with Angus Bell going over [for a try], we got that, but there was a fair bit of work that had to be done to get that.
“Probably the one time that I was a bit disconcerted is when James O’Connor was looking like he was going to kick for touch from about 30 metres, 40 metres in field.
“I’m thinking, I’m not sure about that option and thankfully, nor was Harry because he changed that decision. I’m not sure he even made that decision. I think it was always going to be a tap. But on the back of that, they did a good job.”
If Rugby Australia wanted to showcase their game to a new territory in Townsville, the opening 40 minutes was not a great advert.
The Wallabies’ discipline, normally such a strength under Joe Schmidt, melted under the Townsville sun, conceding eight penalties to Argentina’s three by the end of the first half.
The Wallabies are rarely strong starters and so it proved against the Pumas. In a scrappy opening 10 minutes filled with reset scrums and handling errors, Argentina got the first points of the game with a simple penalty from Santiago Carreras after tight-head prop Taniela Tupou was penalised for tackling without using his arms.
The Pumas’ second penalty was a direct repeat from Tupou, who again failed to use his arms. The tighthead prop had been battling a toe injury in South Africa and did not look comfortable on the firm Townsville field.
After 18 minutes, Wilson opted to kick for the corner rather than take a simple penalty direct in front of the posts. The Wallabies were then unable to convert their attacking lineout after being clinically dismantled by the Pumas’ defence.
Nic White’s return from a short-lived retirement has been a consistent highlight of the Wallabies’ last three Tests, and once again the halfback inspired his team when they desperately needed it. White sniped from a ruck to score his side’s first try and Tom Lynagh’s conversion gave the Wallabies a one-point lead.
At the captain’s run on Friday, the Pumas had spent most of their time inspecting the pitch, inspecting the grass and complaining that it was too long. The lawnmower was duly wheeled out and the field proved perfect for the Pumas’ famed running game.
The Pumas’ first try came after Santiago Chocobares cut through the Wallabies’ defence after a play from a scrum which was slightly misread by Lynagh in defence, and right winger Bautista Delguy was able to touch the ball down.
Argentina’s left winger Mateo Carreras is one of the world’s best broken field runners and scored the Pumas’ second try after causing chaos in the Wallabies’ defence.
The Wallabies’ attacking threats of Suaalii, Corey Toole and Max Jorgensen were completely shackled by a well-organised Argentina defence that was able to repel Australia out wide and then outmuscled the pack ruthlessly.
The statistics at half-time told a brutal story for the Wallabies. Breakaway Rob Valetini, normally such a destructive carrier, managed a measly three metres. Giant second-rower Will Skelton had devastated the British and Irish Lions and South Africa and he was badly missed against Argentina.
The Wallabies emerged in the second half as an entirely different proposition. Under Schmidt, they had overcome a 22-point deficit in Johannesburg and won. In Townsville, the team had belief they could repeat the trick. A far more physical Australian effort was rewarded with a try to Suaalii, who looks increasingly comfortable at outside-centre.
The platform had been laid by an immediate impact from Bell from the bench, with relentless carries that opened a gap for Len Ikitau to send through his centre partner.
The Wallabies kept exerting pressure, with Wilson chipping the ball through and charging down the Argentina defensive kick, almost getting rewarded with a try. It set the tone for desperate Argentina, with Mateo Carreras getting a yellow card for repeated offside infringements.
Suaalii’s second try was a brilliant example of speed, strength and footwork to muscle through the Argentina defence. O’Connor’s conversion levelled the game to set up a thrilling final quarter.
The Wallabies had opportunities to score, but metres from the Argentina line, the otherwise excellent Bell went into the breakdown at the side and the Pumas celebrated.
In front of their sold-out away section, Argentina roused themselves with a final attack.
Carlo Tizzano desperately tackled, but couldn’t roll away in time and was penalised. Juan Cruz Mallia nailed a penalty with two minutes left.
In injury time, the Wallabies had an opportunity to draw the game with a simple penalty twice. Both times Wilson backed his pack. The first time it came up short, but in the 86th minute with the clock in the red, Bell muscled over to secure an incredible comeback win.