‘It’s a bad loss’: Woeful Wallabies snatch defeat from jaws of victory

The Wallabies snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Argentina on a night of woeful discipline at Parramatta Stadium, to continue a horror start to the Rugby Championship under returned coach Eddie Jones.

The Michael Cheika-coached Pumas scored in the final minute to claim the win after the Wallabies had appeared to get out of jail with two tries in the last 10 minutes.

After playing poorly for most of the game, the Wallabies trailed 27-17 with 12 minutes to go but tries to Samu Kerevi and Mark Nawaqanitawase – the latter coming via a 95-metre intercept – put the Wallabies in the lead with four minutes remaining.

But as they’d done all night, Australia conceded a penalty through an off-ball tackle by Kerevi, and the Pumas had one final crack at Australia’s line. No.8 Juan Martin Gonzalez dived over the pack to score, and despite pleas by the Wallabies for a held-up ruling, referee Jaco Peyper awarded it to seal a 34-31 win for the Pumas.

The defeat leaves Jones 0-2 in his return. To rub salt into the wound, star centre Len Ikitau was taken to hospital for scans on a potentially serious shoulder injury, raising doubts about his fitness for the World Cup.

“We feel the weight of the loss mate. It’s a bad loss. That’s not a game we should have lost. We’ve only got ourselves to blame,” Jones said. “It’s more than discipline. A lot of it is about our decision-making around the ball. We gave the ball far too many times back to them.

The Pumas celebrate after Juan Martin Gonzalez scores the winning try.Credit: Getty

“We’ve got to accept there will be a little bit of pain. It’s more about how we can [make] the team better decision-makers around the ball. We’re not where we should be but that’s no excuse for today’s performance. In 10 days we can be a completely different team and that’s the aim.”

After getting thumped by the Springboks first-up, there were major doubts about the Wallabies’ chances of success at the World Cup – and their chances of getting a win before they arrive at the tournament.

The Wallabies take on New Zealand in two Tests next up, and given the All Blacks were too strong for South Africa earlier in the evening, things do not bode well.

“Gutted is the one word that comes to mind,” Wallabies captain James Slipper said.

Nic White scores in the second half.Credit: Getty

“I thought we turned up and played some good rugby but we just kept taking the pressure off the Argentinians. Ill-discipline hurt us against tonight. You just can’t win Test matches playing that kind of rugby.

“There’s quite a few of us who have to look at those individual penalties and rectify them pretty quickly because, with performances like that, we won’t go far at the World Cup.”

Australia shot themselves in both feet against a spirited but limited Argentina side, continually placing themselves under pressure with unforced errors and awful discipline.

The Wallabies conceded 14 penalties and were awarded yet another yellow card. Combined with a frantic attack that lacked cohesion, the hosts put themselves under enormous pressure and the Pumas gratefully made the most of it by scoring points all night.

Carter Gordon leaps high for the ball.Credit: AP

Jones’ punt on a 6-2 bench was exposed by Ikitau’s injury, with Carter Gordon playing most of the game at No.12. The midfield combination looked at sea in both attack and defence.

A frustrated Jones was spotted throwing his headset in the coaches box after one of many Wallabies mistakes.

The scores were locked 10-all after an opening 40 minutes in which Australia were forced to spend a vast majority of their time defending. Argentina had the lion’s share of possession, with almost 70 per cent for the opening half, and the Wallabies had to make 115 tackles, compared to Argentina’s 36.

The visitors wasted the first chance at points with a missed penalty, giving Australia the opportunity to score first in the fifth minute.

Fraser McReight is tackled at CommBank Stadium.Credit: Getty

A quick tap by Nawaqanitiwase led to a surge upfield by the winger, and Quade Cooper threw a long cut-out from the next phase to Marika Koroibete on the left wing. He dropped the ball inside to Ikitau, who beat a desperate cover tackle from Emiliano Boffelli to score.

The Wallabies’ rolling maul began to make good headway but they settled for another three points in the 11th minute, via Cooper’s boot.

Things turned grim thereafter. Ikitau came from the field in the 16th minute, with what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury, and that exposed Jones’ gamble to have just two back reserves on his bench.

Gordon came on at inside centre, Kerevi moved out, and the Pumas quickly took advantage of the Wallabies’ new combination. The hosts’ midfield defence looked at sea on several moves, and though scramble defence saved blushes, the Pumas got on the board with a penalty in the 20th minute.

Carter Gordon tackles Santiago Corderes.Credit: Getty

The Wallabies’ perennial problems – mistakes and poor discipline – then piled up in multiples, and after allowing the Pumas onto their own line via three consecutive penalties, the Argentinians eventually crossed by sheer weight of pressure, with Jeronimo de la Fuente diving over.

Gordon had a chance to score after picking up a loose ball and racing away but he was denied by a desperate ankle tap from centre Lucio Cinti.

With attack cohesion non-existent, the Wallabies kept giving the ball back to Argentina and they lost a man to the sin bin in the dying stages when Richie Arnold was yellow-carded for a cynical foul on his own line.

Only a rearguard scrum win after half-time saved the Wallabies from giving up another try.

It didn’t take long for the same problems to resurface after the break for Australia, though – and for Argentina to capitalise with a second try.

Madcap attack forced the Wallabies to turn the ball over almost instantly after resumption, and several penalties led the Pumas to camp on Australia’s line again. With a man down, they eventually conceded when Julian Montoya charged over from in-close for a 17-10 lead.

The Wallabies finally settled and began building phases in the Argentina half that allowed them to flip the script. Under pressure, the Pumas gave away penalties and, after the Wallabies backed their scrum in front of the posts, Nic White scooted into open space to level the scores in the 52nd minute.

More discipline problems undid that work though, and Boffelli took another three points in the 62nd minute from another penalty.

When Carreras scored in the 68th minute, it appeared all over for the Wallabies. But it woke the hosts up, and they bounced back with two quick tries to lead.

They just couldn’t remain composed enough to finish the job.

New Zealand claim statement win over Springboks

New Zealand beat South Africa 35-20 to all but claim the Rugby Championship for the third straight year on Saturday, and disrupt the world champions’ build-up to the World Cup.

A shock-and-awe beginning led to two All Blacks tries and a 17-0 lead after 15 minutes. The Springboks were gasping but staged a huge comeback in the second half at Mt Smart Stadium.

Winger Will Jordan, returning from injury, had a hand in both early tries that came after the All Blacks carried the ball for long periods, stretching the Springboks’ defence on both sides of the field before finishing with precision.

New Zealand’s Will Jordan runs at the defence during the Rugby Championship test match against South Africa.Credit:

The Boks had only a late penalty to show for a mediocre first-half performance and the All Blacks took a 20-3 lead into half-time.

South Africa sent their bench into action, running out its “bomb squad”. Veteran hooker Malcolm Marx scored from a lineout drive in the 54th minute and the game changed complexion.

Winger Cheslin Kolbe scored out wide in the 62nd minute and, suddenly, it was 23-15. The Springboks were winning the physical part of the game, piling into breakdowns and disrupting the All Blacks’ ball.

The fast, front-foot ball of the first half was gone and the All Blacks found themselves back-peddling, living off scrappy possession.

But Jordan stepped up again and scored off a Beauden Barrett cross-kick in the 68th – his 22nd try in 22 Tests – making the game safe at 30-15.

Fly-half Richie Mo’unga scored on the short side of a strong five-metre scrum in the 77th to finish with 19 points.

The Springboks had the last say as flanker Kwagga Smith added a superb last-minute solo try to make the tally four tries to three.

“We got what we expected; it’s always difficult, it’s always a physical Test match against South Africa which we always look forward to,” New Zealand captain Sam Cane said.

Wallaroos claim spot in top tier despite loss

The Wallaroos will take their place in the top tier of World Rugby’s new WXV tournament despite losing to Canada in their final match of the Pacific Four Series.

A try from flanker Ash Marsters midway through the first half could not prevent Australia slipping to a 45-7 defeat to the dominant Canadians in Ottawa.

“Over the last two years the increased opportunity to play, and play at this standard, has been incredible for the growth of our team,” Wallaroos skipper Michaela Leonard said.

“It’s a new team and a new squad and we’re continuing to build.”

The Black Ferns’ 39-17 comeback win over the USA meant the Wallaroos finished the tournament third in the table, ensuring their place in the WXV I tournament scheduled to take place in New Zealand from October 21-November 4.

The tournament – introduced to raise the profile and competitiveness of women’s 15-a-side rugby – will pit the world’s six best teams together, with New Zealand, Canada and Australia joined by England, France and Wales from Europe’s Six Nations competition.

with AAP/AP