Wallabies suffer agony against Argentina with third Rugby Championship draw

Wallabies star Reece Hodge was left inconsolable after his nightmare played out all over again in Australia's dramatic draw with Argentina.

Reece Hodge nightmare. Photo: Getty

It happened again. For the third time this Rugby Championship, the Wallabies have suffered the uncomfortable anguish of a draw after a nail-biting finish against Argentina on Saturday night.

The Wallabies dramatically drew level with less than 10 minutes to play - and had a chance to win it off the boot of Reece Hodge in the final minute. 

The star fullback, who admitted to having demons after hitting the post in the Wallabies' dramatic Bledisloe Cup draw against the All Blacks, must have seen the ghosts all over again as he sprayed a tough penalty kick from almost 50m out in a golden chance to have won the game. 

Instead, his kick with just 30 seconds left saw the Wallabies held to a 16-16 draw - after also drawing with Argentina just two weeks ago.

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Hodge and his superboot have been the sad symbol of the Wallabies' frustrating Rugby Championship campaign which ended with three draws from six games, including the four Bledisloe Cup Tests with the All Blacks. Despite the signs of promise, the Wallabies ultimately finished last in the Rugby Championship.

After hitting the post against the All Blacks after the final siren in New Zealand, Hodge also had the chance to win the game for the Wallabies when they drew with Argentina in Newcastle two weeks ago.

Hodge has been a standout for the Wallabies this campaign, but his nightmare goalkicking at the death is now a gorilla on his back.

Reece Hodge missed the tough kick. Photo: Getty

Hodge said after the first draw with the Pumas he felt like he had "let Australia down". 

He was hurting even more on Saturday night. 

"You can't blame him. You can see he is laughing, frustrated and crying at the same time," Wallabies legend Matt Burke told Channel 10.

Wallabies legend George Gregan insisted Hodge didn't lose the contest for the Wallabies.

"He’s obviously heart broken," Gregan told Fox Sports.

"It’s like the curse you see at the golf tee sometimes.... He’ll get back on the horse. That’s what champions do – and he’s a wonderful player."

Veteran rugby commentator Gordon Bray said Hodge looked "shattered".

Bray described the freak anomaly of the Wallabies enduring three draws in six games as "absolutely astonishing".

The Wallabies needed to earn a bonus point and crush the Pumas by an unlikely 101 points to overhaul the All Blacks in the tournament’s final game, while Argentina needed to win by 93 points. Another missed opportunity was written all over captain Michael Hooper's face at full time.

“We’re not happy with the performance, we’re disappointed we can’t get a win in our last game,” Hooper said.

“It was hard conditions tonight. I think we were smart with our kicks there, we won the territory battle but we just couldn’t convert.” Australia’s discipline again let them down in the first half with Argentina going to the break 13-6 in front, scoring 10 points when Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper was in the sin-bin for a high tackle.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto was then sent off with 20 minutes left but the Wallabies dug deep to save face.

“We showed a lot of character tonight, seven points down and reduced to 14 men. We controlled it pretty well and played in the right areas of the park and got rewarded,” said Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.

The battle got off to a fiery start on Saturday night as Aussie captain Michael Hooper was sent to the sin bin in a moment of controversy.

Australia were instantly under the pump after Hooper was issued a yellow card for a high shot.

Hooper was given his marching orders after making a clean-out on a Pumas player, but the referee ruled he made high contact, using his shoulder.

Argentina scored the first try of the match through Bautista Delguy, who produced a strong palm-off on his way over the try line.

Aussie legend Matt Burke said the decision to put Hooper in the bin was "baffling".

"I'm really torn between the rules at the moment," he said in commentary for Channel 10.

"You could argue that was just a perfect cleanout… and when you are looking at a training drill, that's what you do. I'm baffled, I don't quite get it."

Wallabies great Phil Kearns called the yellow card "rubbish".

The drama continued in the second half when Salakaia-Loto was given a straight red card after he took out a player with a high tackle.

The dramatic decision saw the Wallabies reduced to 14-men for the rest of the game. Salakaia-Loto's shoulder made contact with an Argentinian players' head. He was the third player shown a card for a high shot in the game.

It left Wallabies' great Phil Kearns fuming.

“Seriously, do they not learn?” Kearns asked in commentary. 

It comes as the Wallabies hit back with a try to Michael Hooper to tie the game up at 16-16 with less than 10 minutes to play.

They just couldn't land the killer blow at the death.

Here's how the drama unfolded.