The Wallabies' charitable performance handed Argentina a 28-28 draw in Mendoza, ending Australia's winning run at four but securing a first series victory in Argentina. Optimists will point to the unbeaten run under Les Kiss, now the longest since 2021, yet the reality is less flattering.
Promising Start Fades
Australia looked dominant for the first half-hour, thanks to a hard-working pack, and led 14-0 with five minutes remaining in the first half. However, they were fortunate to go into the break level at 14-14 after a series of errors allowed Argentina back into the contest.
After conceding the lead, the Wallabies fought their way back into the match. With 10 minutes to go, they levelled at 28-28 and appeared certain to win, with Argentina reduced to 13 players due to two yellow cards. Yet poor execution let the home side escape with a draw.
Captain and Coach React
Captain Harry Wilson acknowledged the disappointment: “In that last 10 minutes, they played the conditions really well, knowing they’re a few men down, it’s a bit slippery on the deck, and they just tried to hold on to the ball for as long as they can. The boys were hurting with the result. We really wanted to win that, and there’s a lot of disappointment.”
Wilson also looked ahead to the upcoming Springboks match in Perth, saying: “We’ve obviously had a few wins in a row, and to get a draw tonight is not ideal. But to bring another trophy home, it hopefully brings a bit of momentum and some confidence in the group going to the Springboks.”
Historical Context and Key Errors
Historically, Australia has had the upper hand in Argentina. Over 18 matches between the sides in Argentina, only six had been won by the home side. However, the Wallabies' past two visits ended in humblings, including a 67-27 defeat in 2024—their heaviest ever in Test rugby—which recalibrated expectations.
Coach Les Kiss expressed mixed feelings: “The boys are a little bit disappointed that they just didn’t go on with it for sure. Mixed feelings in a way, but there is something that we did come here to achieve, and we got that, that’s for sure – the areas of the game, the rugby bit, trying to get some areas of our game a little bit better and a bit more robust. And we’ve got things to work on for sure.”
Key errors included a subpar performance from scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan, with head injury assessments forcing Ben Donaldson and Carter Gordon to rotate outside him. Gordon could not finish the game after clutching his leg following a tackle; Kiss said the injury was from impact, with severity unknown until after a scan. Winger Filipo Daugunu also had a mixed night, knocking off from the kick-off, while fullback Tom Wright made a wild end to the first half, taking the wrong kicking option and then stepping out when trying a clearing kick, which handed Argentina a lineout to level the scores. Wright was also penalised for elbowing an opponent just before halftime.
Need for Better Game Management
Kiss stressed the need for improved game management: “We’re not going to catastrophise it, but there’s one or two key moments, three moments, that just allows them to stay in the game. The boys are talking about it. They know there’s a little bit more we can improve in terms of establishing how we get our exits properly, how we turn the ball back in front of our forwards at the right time. Two or three moments is all we’re talking about, but that’s Test rugby, it comes back to bite you.”
A strong start to the second half helped Australia regain the lead, but a charged-down clearing kick from Lonergan pinned them in their 22, and Argentina soon levelled. Kiss praised the defensive line speed and aggression, but warned it would count for little if decision-making with the ball does not improve.
“The problem is at times we’re probably not managing the game [to get] away from our third of the pitch enough times. When we get up to the other [attacking] third, we’re definitely making sure we make hay while the sun shines and those opportunities we get up there, we do convert well,” he said. “We’re just probably, two steps, three steps forward and controlling the game. And then suddenly … we’re back on our back foot again.”
The Wallabies must address their wastefulness before facing the Springboks, who defeated the All Blacks this weekend and remain the standard bearers in world rugby.
