Australia v Argentina preview: ‘Hurting’ Pumas to exact ‘revenge’ over Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies
Wallabies winger Max Jorgensen and Los Pumas stars Juan Cruz Mallia and Mateo Carreras
It was ecstasy for Australia and utter heartbreak for Argentina when these two sides met in Townsville last weekend, but those emotions can be flipped in Sydney.
As has been the case throughout these early Rugby Championship rounds, revenge has been in the air between the teams, and that continues at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
In Rounds One and Two said revenge was exacted by Argentina and South Africa over New Zealand and the Wallabies respectively, and the former will be hungry to do so again. This after they had victory snatched from their grasp by Australia last week as Harry Wilson’s gamble paid off and the hosts claimed a memorable 28-24 victory.
The results six days ago left the Rugby Championship standings fascinatingly poised, and it feels this weekend is pivotal for every team’s title aspirations. A third win for Australia would send them into the Bledisloe Cup fixtures with genuine confidence whilst victory for Los Pumas would put them right back into the trophy conversation.
On paper, the latter feels most likely this weekend due to the Wallabies missing three top class players due to injury, while Los Pumas appear slightly stronger for the clash.
Where the game will be won
It was very much chalk and cheese from both sides in their first and second half performances last week, and therefore implementing an 80-minute showing will have been a real talking point in their camps leading up to Sydney. Australia can’t risk another early deficit, while Los Pumas simply have to pitch up after the break this time.
Both sides have demonstrated they are more than capable of doing damage at will, but who’s learnt most from Townsville in terms of game consistency? That will be telling.
Last time they met
What they said
Wallabies boss Joe Schmidt said that discipline was a focus point for Australia in the build-up to the second Test against Los Pumas. This was after his side gave the visitors far too many opportunities in the first half a week ago, and the Pumas were ruthless.
“I’d like to think they’re [Wallabies] feeling a little bit nervous because that edge is something we’re going to need,” Schmidt said.
“We’ve really pushed discipline this week, that first half, I think there were too many access points and that just allowed them to put scoreboard pressure on us. Obviously, making sure we’ve got a couple of solutions from those midfield scrums.
“There’s plenty of other things that I think the Argentinians have the potential to throw at us. So we’ve tried to cover some bases and we’ve also tried to build on our ability to score.
“We’ve got to try to make sure that we galvanise any of those opportunities to exert that pressure and then to finish it off. We’re at a sold-out stadium in our own home turf. That means something to the players.
“The players are very conscious of earning that support, and I know that they’ll work hard on Saturday to continue doing it.”
Meanwhile, the most-capped Wallaby of all-time, James Slipper, is bracing for backlash from the Pumas.
“We know Argentina will bounce back. They’re a quality team,” Slipper told reporters in Sydney.
“They’ve beaten the All Blacks, they’ve beaten the Lions this year. They took us right to the final whistle, they pretty much led the whole game.
“It’s not like we’re happy with how we performed – we’re obviously happy with the result – but we have a lot of improvement in us, so I think the focus for us has been on our preparation throughout the week to make sure that we get better.
“We understand that we’re probably not the finished product, but there’s been a lot of growth in the team as well with our performance.
“I know it’s boring, but it’s a very process-driven team. Week in, week out. Whether we win or lose, we’re going back to our preparation.”
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Players to watch
All eyes will be on red-haired Wallabies fly-half this Saturday as Tane Edmed is given a huge vote of confidence by Schmidt. Despite James O’Connor still being available ahead of his move to Leicester Tigers, it’s Edmed who gets the nod to start, and the veteran is yet again utilised as the handy bench option late on. Tom Lynagh’s absence is, of course, a blow to Australia and therefore a lot rests on the shoulders of Edmed and if he does not hit the mark, then O’Connor may feature much earlier.
Unfortunately, Edmed won’t have the in-form Len Ikitau to lean on in midfield as he, like Lynagh, misses the game due to injury. That means a return to Test action for Hunter Paisami, who will be looking to prove his worth. A similar player to Ikitau, Australia and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii will hope little changes in the number 12 shirt.
Skippering his country for the 50th time is some achievement for Julian Montoya, and he once again will be crucial to Argentina’s cause up front, not least at the breakdown. He has been an inspirational figure in a gradual assuming of the hooker jersey from Agustin Creevy, and he will want nothing more than a win on this occasion.
Elsewhere in the pack and the start for Joaquín Oviedo is a smart move from Felip Contepomi as he will offer plenty of go-forward, while it also gives Los Pumas an extra boost in the second 40 – a stage they struggled last week – when Pablo Matera enters the action. Alongside Juan Martín Gonzalez and Marcos Kremer, what a quartet.
Main head-to-head
We go to wing here, and what a battle it promises to be in Sydney between the electric Corey Toole and returning Pumas finisher Rodrigo Isgro. Two former sevens specialists who are an absolute joy to watch – the same can be said of Mateo Carreras and Max Jorgenson – and if these four players see plenty of possession, we are in for a real treat on Saturday.
Carreras and Jorgensen, in particular, have played leading roles for their respective nations of late and will no doubt light the fire in attack on more than one occasion.
Prediction
Looking at the team sheets and how revenge has featured so prominently this Rugby Championship so far, we’re feeling a real draw towards Los Pumas for this Round Four clash. They will no doubt be hurting by how they played after the break in Townsville and we expect a more complete showing in Sydney. Argentina by five.
Previous results
2025: Australia won 28-24 in Townsville
2024: Argentina won 67-27 in Santa Fe
2024: Australia won 20-19 in La Plata
2023: Argentina won 34-31 in Parramatta
2022: Argentina won 48-17 in San Juan
2022: Australia won 41-26 in Mendoza
2021: Australia won 32-17 on the Gold Coast
2021: Australia won 27-8 in Townsville
2020: Match drawn 16-16 in Sydney
2020: Match drawn 15-15 in Newcastle
2019: Australia won 16-10 in Brisbane
2018: Australia won 45-34 in Salta
The teams
Australia: 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Jeremy Williams, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Filipo Daugunu
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martín Gonzalez, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julián Montoya, 1 Mayco Vivas
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Franciso Coria Marchetti, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Justo Piccardo, 23 Ignacio Mendy
Date: Saturday, 13 September
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 14:00 (local), 4:00 (GMT), 16:00 (NZL), 6:00 (RSA), 1:00 (ARG)
Referee: Christophe Ridley (FFR)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (NZR), Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZR)
FPRO: Mike Adamson (SRU)
READ MORE: All Blacks v Springboks and Wallabies v Los Pumas: Team news, referees, kick-off times and more