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Hello and welcome to our coverage of the Test between Argentina and Australia in Mendoza, where Los Pumas trump the Wallabies last year to achieve their only Rugby Championship victory to date. The Wallabies are certainly primed to claim "revenge" and set up a winner-takes-all Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney, while the Pumas now they must improve on their first outing against the All Blacks.
We've just had Advance Australia Fair sung, and great to hear the correct rendition after last year's horror show.
We're under way with Nicolas Sanchez kicking off. Australia collect the short kick and immediately look to spread the ball at pace either side.
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1 |
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Huge midfield bust from Greg Holmes, running over and through three Pumas. Great starting phases come undone when one-on-one midfield and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe steals a turnover before coughing up the ball.
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2 |
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First scrummage of the game.
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3 |
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First collapsed scrummage of the game. Australia go directly into first-phase backline attack after Greg Holmes owns Marcos Ayerza at the set-piece.
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5 |
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Australia racking up the phases with good handling skills but not threatening the line just yet. Argentina yet to gain a foothold and now Wallabies have attacking lineout maybe 10 metres from goalline. Easy win for Rob Simmons and Wallabies attempt rolling maul, but goes nowhere.
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6 |
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Wallabies come right and Israel Folau beats his man easily. Ball goes back left and Matt Toomua launches a high crossfield bomb under advantage for Israel Folau, who takes out Pumas defender Nico Sanchez in the air. Penalty for offisde overruled for dangerous play after Matias Moroni swings a couple of punches at Folau on the deck.
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8 |
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Argentina clear lines and win subsequent lineout, and Australia lose Matt Toomua to a heavy hit in midfield. Midfielder stays down before limping off for concussion test.
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9 |
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Australia have had 88% possession and 94% territory so Pumas have done well to keep them out. Pumas now putting phases together in Australian territory before Wallabies effect turnover after initially holding up the attacker in a maul.
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11 |
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Argentina looking to counter-attack and to send the ball wide, as we're set for another attacking extravaganza. Certainly Pumas showing more intent than against New Zealand in Christchurch.
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12 |
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Second scrum and second collapse - and a third - with James Slipper at fault for both. Pumas tap quickly and go with Nicolas Sanchez launching a super looping cutout ball to Santiago Cordero. Ball comes back left and Pumas try a chip bomb that Quade Cooper marks. Cooper clears with a wobbyly kick and Sanchez attempts a drop goal from halfway, but the ball slides past the right-hand upright.
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13 |
0 - 0 |
Sanchez -
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15 |
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Pumas are getting more of the pill now, but the Wallabies get on the board with a wonderful counter-attack.
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16 |
0 - 5 |
Israel Folau collects a poor clearing kick in his own half and runs wide to link with Bernard Foley, whom he feeds and who then passes immediately to Joe Tomane to streak clear for the tryline.Score a direct consequence of a contested box kick and huge pressure at two subsequent breakdowns. Great try for Australia.
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20 |
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Australia back on the attack from halfway, with Bernard Foley kicking for a 10m lineout as the goals are out of range.
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22 |
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Australia win the set-piece and look to put ball through hands once again. Playing deep behind the advantage line too often, however, with Argentina's defence rushing up. Perhaps need some more direct running around the fringes to offer some punch.
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Jaco Peyper reverses penalty to Australia after Will Skelton takes Martin Landajo around the neck.
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25 |
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Australia's scrum continues to falter under pressure, with Jame Slipper really struggling.against Ramiro Herrera. Penalty for Argentina.
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26 |
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Argentina attack in midfield from lineout won off the top, but Martin Landajo wastes the opportunity with a poor chip kick and Australia clear their lines.
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27 |
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Matt Toomua has failed the concussion test; interesting to see how Cooper and Foley combine.
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28 |
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Pumas bring the crowd to life with an attack sparked by Gonzalo Camacho, who sniper through a ruck, and they have an opportunity to get on the board with Australia penalised for not releasing the tackled player.
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3 - 5 |
Nico Sanchez chips the pill over the black dot from straight in front.
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30 |
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Great work from the Wallabies to collect the short kick-off, with Israel Folau climbing highest.
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31 |
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Australia making ground with direct running around the fringes before winning a penalty for offside.
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32 |
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Bernard Foley misses a horrible kick from the 22m line 10 metres from touch. He pushes that one right after pulling his previous conversion left from a similar spot. Goalkicking has potential to become a real Achilles heel for the Wallabies.
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34 |
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Wonderful scrum from Argentina, and Australia can't hold the push with the second row buckling and James Slipper struggling. Slipper was poor against South Africa so he may be really playing for his spot now.
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37 |
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Huge bust from Will Skelton but the opportunity goes begging as Nick Phipps loses the ball at the back of the ruck. Penalty Australia, however, with Pumas penalised for not rolling away. Interesting comment to Scott Fardy: "If you want to get anything out of me that's not the way to do it."
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39 |
3 - 8 |
Bernard Foley: third time lucky. Almost immediately from the kick-off, Scott Fardy gets isolated and concedes a penalty. Dumb play and likely to gift Argentina points.
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40 |
6 - 8 |
Easy for Nicolas Sanchez, and that's all she wrote for the first half. Both teams trying to play football, but both guilty of going wide too early too often without first getting over the gain line.
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James Slipper has failed a concussion test at half-time, so Scott Sio will stay on the pitch.
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40 |
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Bernard Foley gets us underway. Kicks deep but chase is good and Pumas pinned in 22. Great start as Scott Fardy effects and turnover then win a penalty under the posts. Jaco Peyper issues final warning to Argentina for another breakdown offence, Agustin Creevy pinged for not releasing the ball in the tackle. Looked harsh decision.
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42 |
6 - 11 |
Horrible kick from Bernard Foley but he finds the space between the posts. Just.
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43 |
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Argentina concede penalty from kick-off, joining the breakdown from the side, and Bernard Foley puts Australia past Pumas 10m line. Win lineout and go wide again, but again the attack is lateral. Good hands from Stephen Moore in midfield but Quade Cooper's pass is a shocker straight into touch.
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45 |
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Another outstanding scrum from the Pumas with Ramiro Herrera all over Scott Sio. Pumas on front foot, and they break with intent through the backs into Australian territory.
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46 |
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Argentina pick-and-go driving to make tight ground, but David Pocock wins a penalty with his strength over the ball and 12 phases come to nothing as Bernard Foley roosts the ball back to half-time.
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48 |
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Key half-hour for Hooper and Pocock. If Wallabies can perform in tight against Pumas with them they can reasonably expect to do so against anyone.
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49 |
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Big bust from David Pocock on the right wing, with strength and pace after collecting a looped pass from Quade Cooper. Four previous phases from the lineout had gone nowhere, however. Pumas clear lines but still awarded penalty as Wallabies were all offside in closing down Nicolas Sanchez.
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51 |
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Juan Pablo Socino makes a tremendous bust in midfield, running through a defender and bumping off another, but Argentina then concede ANOTHER penalty at the breakdown.
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52 |
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Ramiro Herrera has been immense for Pumas; interesting to see what his absence does to the scrum from here.
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53 |
6 - 14 |
Foley - penalty goal
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54 |
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Strong defence from the Wallabies, hitting the Pumas backwards and effecting a turnover to go deep in Argentina territory after Nick Phipps kicks deep from midfield. But a penalty undoes the good work and we're back on halfway with a Pumas lineout.
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56 |
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Australia concede a penalty with hands in the ruck and Sanchez going for goal from 39 metres.
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57 |
9 - 14 |
Discipline costing Wallabies. Both conceding kickable penalties and also those two kickable penalties reversed in the first half.
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58 |
9 - 19 |
Dean Mumm answers his critics with a strong run from outside the 22 to beat two players and carry two more over the line on the right wing. Australia defused a midfield bomb and then Nick Phipps went shortside from the ruck to feed Tevita Kuridrani, Michael Hooper and then Mumm. Good try although fair to say final pass from Hooper looked forward. Another poor kick from Foley from the conversion. For all his goal-kicking woes, however, his re-starts have been excellent - aided by a brilliant chase every time.
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62 |
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Wallabies playing with better tactics now; winning turnovers and then kicking for territory behind the Pumas. Soft penalty at a breakdown after the lineout relieves the pressure on Argentina, however, and discipline continues to be a real issue.
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64 |
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Great hands under immense pressure from Argentina, with Australia rushing hard and fast in defence. That pressure means Pumas are really struggling to break gain line and they kick deep to relieve the pressure.
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65 |
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Israel Folau collects and runs back but Argentina win a turnover. And a penalty with Quade Cooper late and high to "earn" a yellow card. No doubt Nicolas Sanchez milked that, but it was dumb from Cooper and Jaco Peyper had an easy decision to make. Argnetina have a lineout deep in Australia territory. Rolling maul anyone?
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66 |
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Rob Simmons lifted by Will Skelton steals the lineout and Australia clear deep. Argentina winger collects the ball in play then steps out to gift Wallabies lineout on halfway.
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67 |
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Good box kick from Nick Phipps, good kick chase, and Argentina concede penalty for blocking the Wallabies chasers from the catcher.
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69 |
9 - 22 |
Foley is on target, but again that was horrible. A dreadful strike but he got away with it.
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71 |
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Excellent scrum from Australia, gifting Nick Phipps front-foot ball and winning a penalty. Bernard Foley kicks to Argentina 10m line, and Australia dominating territory. Manuel Carizza steals the lineout however and Argentina get into Australia territory through power running from backs - in particular from Juan Pablo Socino.
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74 |
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Excellent defence from Australia with Argentina coming back tight, winning a penalty at the breakdown. Interestingly Argentina look more dangerous when they put the ball wide, but their comparative lack of pace and power is hurting them.Wallabies defending the narrow attacks brilliantly.
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75 |
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Another excellent scrummage from Australia, and they win a penalty through dominance. Bernard Foley kicks the pille to 5m line for a lineout.
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76 |
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Rob Simmons pulls the ball down and the Wallabies drive with David Pocock at the back.
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77 |
9 - 29 |
Australia go again from the ruck with Michael Hooper at halfback. Lovely inside ball from Kurtley Beale to Bernard Foley who then feeds Tevita Kuridrani with a two-handed basketball pass to score for the second time in as many games.
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78 |
9 - 34 |
Great try from Australia straight from the kick off. Collecting the kick-off ans spinning the pill to Israel Folau, who ran straight and fed Kurtley Beale, who slips a tremendous offload to Adam Ashley-Cooper to sprint clear and swan dive over the line.
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80 |
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Bernard Foley takes his time to kick post siren, but he hooks it horribly. Good result for Australia, the scoreline perhaps reflecting the gap between the teams if not necessarily the performance from the Wallabies. Australia got great reward from the bench again, while Argentina seemed to give up in the final 10 minutes. Certainly the Pumas look a dishevelled mob while Australia can go into the Bledisloe Cup series with confidence.
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