Rugby Championship
Wallabies in Argentina without luggage
September 29, 2014
Scott Fardy consoles captain Michael Hooper after their tough defeat to the Springboks © Getty Images
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The Wallabies have endured more suffering on their hellish trek from Cape Town, with the squad's luggage not making it to Buenos Aires. After leaving Cape Town at 4.30am on Monday, the Wallabies arrived in Argentina almost 24 hours later with only their carry-on bags.

Players and officials were walking around the team hotel in slippers and the same attire as they left South Africa in as they awaited the arrival of their gear, including training kits and equipment. Coach Ewen McKenzie was giving his charges most of the day off to relax and recover from Saturday's torrid clash with the Springboks before completing their Rugby Championship campaign this weekend against the Pumas in Mendoza.

The taxing three-flight journey from Cape Town to Buenos Aires is one of the toughest in world sport but prop Sekope Kepu said the Wallabies just had to suck it up and cop the latest hit on the chin.

"We've just got to regroup. I mean, it's not ideal that our luggage and all that stuff's not here, but that's life; you've just got to get through it," Kepu said. "It's just part of the obstacle of getting to the end goal and that's putting on a performance this weekend."

In the intensity and physicality stakes, Kepu rated Australia's 28-10 loss to South Africa - after the Wallabies led until the 69th minute - among the most torrid of his 46-Test career and said the challenge now was to immediately bounce back and be ready for the abrasive Argentines on Saturday.

"It's just a rollercoaster," he said. "It's an emotional rollercoaster where you build yourself towards the end of the week and you either win or lose and, regardless, you've just got to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and look forward to your next challenge.

"It's another Test-match opportunity to represent Australia and I guess bounce back. Going back to last year, it was a pretty similar result. We lost in Cape Town and came back and we won by 50 [in Rosario].

"I'm not saying that will happen this week but, as Ewen would say, a week in rugby is a long time. Anything can happen in a week."

© AAP

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