Wallabies escape London with gutsy 33-21 win over Argentina

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This was published 7 years ago

Wallabies escape London with gutsy 33-21 win over Argentina

By Tom Decent
Updated

London: A Samu Kerevi double has guided the Wallabies to an improbable 33-21 win over Argentina at Twickenham given the amount of adversity they had to overcome during the bruising encounter.

Two yellow cards in the first half and a measly 34 per cent of possession meant the Wallabies well and truly had their backs against the wall but managed to grind out one of their toughest wins since the World Cup with a four tries to two display.

Kerevi crossed for his second and third Test tries in the 39th and 50th minutes before Dean Mumm ran away with the match-winner in the 77th minute in a fixture the Wallabies were able to come good on their promise of executing when they had ball in hand, even if that was as rare as hens teeth at times.

The win is the Wallabies' third of 2016 and sees them finish second overall in the Rugby Championship behind New Zealand. ​

Samu Kerevi helped steer the Wallabies to victory.

Samu Kerevi helped steer the Wallabies to victory.Credit: Getty Images

"It's always pleasing to win the game," said Wallabies coach Michael Cheika. "I thought we got a little rattled during those times... when Michael [Hooper] got sent to bin, we lost our way a little. We hung in there for large parts. We played [with] 14 for 20 minutes there so I'm proud of the effort. We've been on the road for couple weeks. It was nice to get the result."

While both teams had travelled from different sides of the world to converge on Twickenham Stadium for the first ever Rugby Championship match in the northern hemisphere, there was no mistaking who the local crowd were barracking for.

English rugby fans couldn't buy Pumas jerseys quick enough when they came down for a look on Saturday evening, happy to support anyone other than the Aussies.

The larger than expected crowd of 48,515 were treated to a tasty teaser for later in the year when the Wallabies seek revenge against Eddie Jones' England on December 3, but Michael Cheika's men will need to be much better, particularly in attack.

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Samu Kerevi's double guided the Wallabies to an improbably win.

Samu Kerevi's double guided the Wallabies to an improbably win.Credit: Getty

You will do well to find a more frenetic opening two minutes of Test rugby. Pumas winger Matias Moroni dropped Bernard Foley's kick-off to start the match. Then seconds later the Wallabies No.12 knocked on before Will Genia made a major blunder as his kick was charged down that led to what appeared to be Argentina's first points of the evening.

Luckily for Genia, an offside penalty saved him from the embarrassment and Michael Cheika from ripping out all of his hair.

Matias Moroni of Argentina clashes with Nick Phipps of Australia.

Matias Moroni of Argentina clashes with Nick Phipps of Australia.Credit: Getty

Australia's clumsiness wasn't reflected on the scoreboard though, with Adam Coleman scoring his second Test try on the back of a powerful, direct hit-up from Dane Haylett-Petty – exactly what Cheika has said he wants from his players.

Replays, however, were inconclusive as to whether Haylett-Petty had knocked-on in what could have been perceived as some luck going the Wallabies way for once.

Samu Kerevi of Australia celebrates a try.

Samu Kerevi of Australia celebrates a try.Credit: Getty

But the momentum changed in a moment when Michael Hooper was shown a yellow card for a high shot on Matias Orlando in the 17th minute, making him the most sin-binned Wallabies player in history.

Australia's vice-captain was visibly displeased with the decision and his fury would have only have been exacerbated when the Pumas finally made the most of good territory - thanks to another lazy high tackle from Rory Arnold - by crossing courtesy of second-rower Matias Alemanno to trail 10-5.

Australia's ill-discipline was a concern and a number of further high shots gave referee Mathieu Raynal no other option but to send Coleman marching as well, meaning the Wallabies played with 14 men for 20 of the first 40 minutes.

The half-time score of 18-8 could have been far tighter had new Pumas five-eighth Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias's kicking not been so wayward. He missed his first three attempts but finished with four from seven.

Meanwhile, Nick Phipps was involved in one of the more bizarre moments we have seen in recent years with the score at 25-18 and Argentina once again with front-foot momentum.

Phipps pushed an Argentina team medic to the ground, thinking he was trying to kick a ball away during a break in play.

It sparked an all-in melee with plenty of confusion as to what had ensued.

Australia's reserve halfback was given the benefit of the doubt but it gave the Pumas a chance to kick a penalty and go within a converted try.

When Bernard Foley hit back with three points off his own and then Mumm ran away with a grin from ear to ear for his five-pointer, the Wallabies knew they had dodged a major bullet in one of their more courageous defensive efforts.

Despite all this, there was a game beforehand that would have caught the Wallabies eyes.

The All Blacks' 57-15 demolition of South Africa, in South Africa, has only further highlighted the mountain the Wallabies will have to climb next week in Eden Park - a venue they have not won at since 1986.

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