ARGENTINA v AUSTRALIA | MATCH REPORT | The Rugby Championship 2024 Round 3

so wow Australia get it right at the end 19 points to 20 in terrible conditions in Buenos Cirus Argentina will feel they should have closed that game out and they probably should Australia for a lot of that first half were pretty awful then they burst into life around halftime and played some really good rugby actually in bad conditions and then they couldn't get out of their half and it looked like their Basics their kicking game their catching game was going to cost them in the end it didn't so I think it's about honest even did Australia's tactics really match the conditions not so sure there but let's get into this game and the beginning of this game is pretty awful to be honest because first touch from both sides are a knock on Tom Wright who does great stuff and apping stuff does a terrible slice kick then Malia drops the first high ball and it's probably the worst skill start you could see to a game a lot was needed from tanella tupu the returning tight head for Australia and he worked really hard some decent stuff and he wins a penalty from the first scrum and the Australian scrum was pretty good Bell and twoo definitely a bit of an upgrade there in the propping stakes I'd say in the first 10 minutes Australia rolled through a lot of phases indeed 27 in one of their first attacks but what they don't do is get over the gain line at the beginning of this first half and Loos is forced to kick again and again and largely pretty rubbish kicks one too far over the the dead ball line another one chipping the ball away and they lose 60 M twice in a row there's a penalty straight away 3-0 so one visit quick points for Argentina Aussie's kind of battering away against a bit of a brick wall Australia's attacking is pretty sharp ball in hand T poo carrying tipping the ball on but again lso for a third time kicks away the ball completely to nothing and they lose that 60 M once again and then we get a try for gonzal is again very quick visits for Argentina lso compounds his bad kick with a bad pass takes it far too close to argentinians which is intercepted they get a 5 meter driving line out very tidy very easy Gonzalez goes over good kick and straight away there it is 10 n and at this point I'm thinking do you consider taking off lso right there and then Ben Donson is a good kicker his Basics are probably better LS instinctive attacking game is probably better but in these conditions considering that start did Joe SMI consider taking him off in the end he didn't and actually paid off on the very last play when lso broke away but anyway surely he'd have been thinking have I made a terrible mistake on 17 minutes Corin Betty with a brain dead tackle in the air and Corin Betty is that sort of player I call him the human missile because he flies into everything sometimes it's amazing and sometimes it's an absolute liability tucking his arms in shoulders first that sort of thing but it seems to be that Australia are gifting Argentina the game in the first 20 minutes on 18 minutes a brilliant athletic line out take from Gonzalez and Australia just fancy giving Argentina more present tupo coming around the side of a moall and the Argentina launch Play is pretty good they making gain line they're looking the better team as Australia press the self-destruct mode as they try and run the ball out of their own 22 in terrible conditions just no chance not sure what they're doing a few times Australia makes some terrible decisions although in the end they do manage to get the win the Argentinian line out is working well and to be fair Argentina were getting the bounce of the ball when it was bouncing around it was bouncing to them quite literally and their attack was building nicely but luckily for Australia they have some really sharp turnover guys there Tano is so laser sharp on the Jackal penalty and he gives much needy rest b a a couple of times then on 25 minutes the First Slice of Good Fortune for Australia as it's giio the prop going off his feet in a rock they get a line out 50 m out and it's a really good launch Play Toano again who is everywhere a lovely pop to a huge line for Bobby Valentini who just sits down krema with a massive hit denn it's a bit labored on the phases but then a really killer line inside liner to Tom Wright and Tom Wright can do this sort of thing in attack he breaks the line Gordon supporting it's a really really nice try so it's 107 and every time Australia do something good it seemed like they would drop that restart this time Wilson dropping the restart cold from that try and then Argentina get to batter away in the Australian 22 the Australian defense is pretty solid but clear hands on the ground from the new center Stewart who had a bit of a mixed game some good hands some good tackling but also some bad drops and this penalty here in the battle of the Box kicks it's berau that's beating Gordon but another good Jackal penalty saves the day again for Australia this time anger spell who had a decent game and then just before halftime Australia start to find their attack they're finding half holes they start mixing up their lines it's looking really sharp Bell Wilson involved they win another penalty it's kickable but tricky and lso pushes it just wide and they really could have done with that so it's 1337 at half time and Australia actually continue their Purple Patch argen a start the half with simple Runners quick Ruck ball looks pretty good but that Australian defensive line is seriously strong forcing knock on then they're a little unlucky to get a technical scrum penalty so they actually go further behind 167 but they're playing better thunderous defense Bell with one booming shot that ultimately wins a 5 meter scrum for Australia and it's a brilliant chance to score but just a terrible decision they have this huge open side they decide to go blind and it's literally like a meter or two and they get pushed into touch Wilson picks and goes and gets pushed into touch so just a shocking decision there from a great position and some good defense but Australia are playing better their phase attack is a lot better so much more deception ikit Tower with some great strength to bump off and spin round a couple of poor Argentinian tackles another big run from Bobby Valentini continues the momentum they keep going forward and forward and crash over the line good try 1614 so they're playing pretty well Angus Bell again that impressive match this time winning an important scrum penalty against Boo and Tazo follows up with another razor sharp tackle boy that guy is so quick onto the ball and they're in another good attacking position good launch Play from ikit once again but Stewart drops the ball really badly has it in his hands then he drops the ball really badly but grondona jumps across the line so they actually get the lead 1617 they probably deserve the lead for really picking up their game but Argentina can't go through that multiphas attack like they did earlier in the game the game is super close the conditions just get worse and worse and it's a day for playing in the opposition half with long kicks but that's not really lso's natural game and a couple of times he just is desperate to run the ball out of his own half he throws one terrible dead duck pass to Nick Frost gifting possession to Argentina and Argentina go into what looks like their match winning 10 minutes of the game as they camp in Australia's half exent carry off the base of the scrum from number eight Gonzalez Nick Frost is completely daydreaming and doesn't spot gajo who picks and bursts over the line to win the match but loses it over the line so that was a massive moment either side could have won this game to be honest but at this point Argentina do have the momentum and Corin Betty as I said the human missile can be aive abity tucks his arms and all that sort of thing and he plays the scrum half which gives a penalty six met line out big chance shifted drive from the front to the back Australia do well to stop it but they batter away at the line get a penalty big decision they go for the kick nice kick from alanos who is on now so they take the lead 1917 Argentina have been better on those restarts for sure makes a big difference then the finisher is on Augustine creevy the veteran hooker the problem is though he has to go onto the flank they've run out of Subs that definitely didn't help and the catching game is again punishing Australia lso again with another mistake can't take a high ball it looks like the game is gone but then lso gets what he wants some broken play his eyes light up and he gets round the edge with brilliant Pace tries to free Jorgenson the Winger he can't hold the pass but Australia are on the attack finally in the Argentinian half haven't been there for a good 15 minutes a penal y goal or a drop goal is going to win it 5 m in front of the post and Argentina give away a killer Ruck penalty easy kick 1920 Final Act of the game so there it is Australia get it done right at the death Argentina will be kicking themselves at home in bad conditions they should be backing themselves their kicking and catching game was better but they couldn't put that game away right at the end big win for Australia just a big moral boost to be honest they're going to have to think about some of their t tactics for sure but anyway pop down those comments below what you thought of that game like subscribe if you're into these sorts of match reports and I'll catch you next time