The Wallabies have scored a wet and wild comeback 20-19 win over Argentina to revive the new-look side’s Rugby Championship campaign.
It took a penalty from substitute Ben Donaldson on the buzzer to secure it and snap an eight-game Rugby Championship losing streak.
Australia trailed 10-0 and 16-7 at Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi in La Plata, just south of Buenos Aires on Sunday (AEST), but found a way in driving rain to improve to 1-2 in the four-team tournament.
Centre Len Ikitau was a bright spark in attack despite the conditions, halfback Jake Gordon impressed, props Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou and loose forwards Carlo Tizzano, Rob Valetini and first-time skipper Harry Wilson were influential.
Centre Hamish Stewart, the Wallabies’ 15th debutant this year, was also rock solid.
‘Really proud; we made a few things hard for ourselves, giving them a big start at home, big crowd, difficult conditions,’ coach Joe Schmidt said.
‘We put ourselves straight back under pressure by dropping restarts, but we fought … scored tries and created some other chances that would have been great.’
The teams will meet again in seven days in what is expected to be better weather in Santa Fe.
Australia’s Jake Gordon scores a try in the Wallabies’ tense win over Argentina
The Wallabies celebrate after defeat Argentina’s Los Pumas in the Rugby Championship
‘Hopefully it’ll give us a little bit of a springboard, but in very different conditions we’ll be playing a different Pumas side,’ Schmidt said.
‘At the very top level the margins are fine and things can swing very quickly.’
The Wallabies had scored just one try in two comprehensive losses to South Africa to begin the series and their offensive punch was again lacking early, unable to score despite making just five tackles to the hosts’ 75 in the first 15 minutes.
They held the ball for 27 phases in the opening minutes, wary of playing too expansively in driving rain.
But they only went backwards, five-eighth Noah Lolesio’s eventual grubber kick easily collected and Argentina gaining territory and opening the scoring with a penalty.
Los Pumas then marched down-field again, Juan Martin Gonzalez scoring from a driving maul as they went ahead 10-0.
Ikitau provided the spark for the visitors, breaking the line after a strong Valetini run and offloading to Tom Wright.
The fullback then flipped a pass to Gordon, who collected around his boot laces and scored under the posts.
Lolesio’s narrow penalty kick miss on halftime left the visitors 13-7 down at the break.
Los Pumas flanker Marcos Kremer is tackled by Australia’s Wallabies flanker Rob Valetini and hooker Matt Faessler
Wallabies flanker Carlo Tizzano is tackled by Argentina’s Los Pumas flanker Marcos Kremer
Australia defended stoutly on resumption but lost a scrum against the feed and the hosts went ahead by nine.
Wilson then regretted his decision to attack the blind side off a five-metre scrum when he was pushed into touch.
But again Ikitau made something happen, beating two players before Valetini crashed over for a vital try to make it a two-point game with 30 minutes to play.
Ten minutes later Lolesio’s penalty kick put Australia ahead 17-16 but the No.10 then put his side under pressure, going himself from a kick return then throwing a wobbly pass to an isolated Nick Frost that led to a turnover and penalty.
Argentina edged back ahead, by two points, with 10 minutes remaining and missed a chance to seal the result when Gonzalez had the ball knocked from his grasp as he dived to score.
Lolesio then found space after Argentina chipped ahead but freshly-introduced winger Max Jorgensen spilled the pass as he tore down the right flank.
Australia pressed on though, hammering the Argentina line in the centre of the field until winning a penalty with one minute on the clock.
Substitute Donaldson, with his first touch, then soaked up the remaining seconds lining up his kick before slotting the winner as the full-time buzzer sounded.
