‘Atrocious, horrendous’: Wallabies savaged over Argentina heartbreaker

The Wallabies have lost a heartbreaker to Argentina in Sydney but Australia has unloaded as the side’s World Cup preparations lay in tatters.

The Wallabies have been left stunned by Argentina. Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

For the third time in history, Argentina have defeated the Wallabies in Australia, claiming a 34-31 in a thriller at CommBank Stadium.

It’s not the first major scalp the Los Pumas have claimed at the ground, famously defeating the All Blacks 25-15 at the ground in 2020.

It was also the first time the Wallabies had lost back-to-back matches against Los Pumas, having lost 48-17 in San Juan last season.

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But as always, it’s not without controversy as fans pointed to a late controversial penalty before Juan Martin Gonzalez scored the match winner, although the commentators claimed the Wallabies were appealing for a knock on in the lead up. Post-match, the suggestion was that the Wallabies had held Gonzalez up.

Referee Jaco Peyper decided it did not need MRO intervention however and awarded the try without sending the decision upstairs.

One of the commentators said: “You have to have a look”.

However, the try stood and ex-Wallabies turned Argentina coach Michael Chieka tasted victory over his former side.

What a win for Los Pumas. Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Speaking after the match, Wallabies skipper James Slipper didn’t want to blame the call on the loss.

“I haven’t spoken to the boys about that particular try,” he said. “At the end of the day we lost that Test match, there is no point looking backwards.”

He was also under no illusions that the Wallabies had let a golden opportunity slide with poor discipline in the match.

“We kept taking the pressure off the Argentinians, and they kept coming back,” he said.

“Ill-discipline really hurt us again tonight. You just can’t win Test matches playing that kind of rugby.”

The loss sees the Wallabies fall to 0-2 under Eddie Jones with time running out to turn the form around before the World Cup with Australia’s first game on September 10.

Having now lost to South Africa and Argentina ahead of a pair of Bledisloe Tests against the red hot All Blacks — one at the MCG on July 29 and the second on August 5 in Dunedin, the Wallabies have just one warm up against France before the World Cup kicks off.

Speaking after the game, Jones said the side was “feeling the weight of the loss”.

“It was a bad loss, that was not a game we should have lost,” he said. “We’ve only got ourselves to blame.

“It’s more than discipline, a lot of it is about decision making around the ball. We gave the ball far too many times back to them and we weren’t able to put any pressure.

“Test match rugby is about putting pressure on the opposition whether you’ve got the ball or haven’t got the ball and we weren’t able to maintain that pressure.”

Australia have a lot of word to do. Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images

On social media, fans weren’t too impressed by what they saw from the Aussies, with the Argentinians seemingly controlling much of the game.

Several believed that the score flattered the Wallabies in the end and took aim at the side.

The Daily Telegraph’s Jamie Pandaram posted: “Australia is no chance at the World Cup playing like this. Getting beaten physically, discipline atrocious, poor decision making at key moments, and vulnerable defence. Eddie’s going to need a whole box of replacement headphones.”

ABC News’ Tim Ayliffe commented: “I’ve always been a glass half full guy with the @wallabies but that was horrendous tonight. I’ll stop typing now. Good night.”

Former Federal Treasurer and Australian Ambassador to the US Joe Hockey said: “I understand that the @wallabies seriously lack discipline. But the refereeing is inconsistent, aggressive and soul destroying.

“It’s bloody hard loving rugby.”

The Evening Standard’s Chris Jones tweeted: “Crucial 34-31 win for Argentina against

@wallabies which serves as a lesson in discipline for Eddie Jones side and a warning for @EnglandRugby at the @rugbyworldcup”.

Edge of the Crowd co-founder Dan Coppel wrote: “TMO insertion -> manufactured penalty -> match winning try -> wallabies lose.

“They didn’t deserve to win, but to lose in this way is a bad advertisement for the game. Honestly. Killing the game completely.”

The Roar’s Jock Cudmore added: “The #Wallabies don’t deserve the fans who have stuck by them through some of the worst years in living memory. I stuck by them through 2016-2019 when we were at our lowest ebb hoping we’d turn a corner. Hasn’t happened and it won’t happen. Fans deserve more than this.”

Wallabies never cease to amaze. Find ways to lose the un-lose-able. #AUSvsARG#Wallabies

— Ryan Selvage (@ryanselvage) July 15, 2023

And there you have it, the @wallabies are an embarrassment to the nation. Unable to show my face in public for a second weekend in a row.#AUSvsARG

— Guy Arnel (@GuylArnel) July 15, 2023

Australia thought it was in the bag. Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Although the Wallabies got out to an early 10-0 lead, Argentina responded, sending the sides to the break 10-all.

Argentina finally pulled away in the second half, opening up a 27-17 lead in the 69th minute, before the Wallabies hit back.

A brilliant try for Samu Kerevi brought the Wallabies back into the game before winger Mark Nawaqanitawase scored a length of the field intercept to snatch the lead and, it appeared, the game.

But the late matchwinner has broken the Wallabies’ hearts at the death.

“You can only stand and applaud the Argentinian team,” Morgan Turinui said on Stan.

“Trailed early, fought their way back, trailed late and fought their way back.

“They don’t give up, they are a fine rugby nation. An emotional night for the head coach Michael Cheika, against his country, on Australian soil, gets the victory.”

Post-match, Tim Horan said Chieka’s game plan was “superb” and “put the Wallabies under enormous pressure”.

“For the Wallabies, they just couldn’t put Argentina under pressure,” he added.

“They couldn’t get past five, six, seven-plus phases. And the penalty count really went against the Wallabies. That stopped any momentum that they could get in the match.”