Australia seeking further boost at Argentina’s expense in Rugby Championship

Argentina and Australia meet for a second successive Saturday in the southern hemisphere championship, this time in Santa Fe, after Australia kicked over a last-gasp penalty to win 20-19 in La Plata last weekend.

It was the Wallabies’ first success in this year’s competition after two home losses to South Africa and with two more tests to come against the All Blacks later this month, they need all the encouragement they can get.

Injuries have played some role in tempering new coach Joe Schmidt’s hopes of getting his tenure off a good start, but Australia have been spluttering for some time, notably failing to get to the knockout stages of last year’s World Cup in France.

Any positives are to be gratefully seized upon, as well as a chance to play in dry weather after difficult rainy conditions last week.

“We definitely see potential in our attack and I think dry conditions will probably suit us a little bit more to be able to play more expansive, but also really important that we get the fundamentals right around carry clean and that ball retention that you saw in the game on the weekend,” scrum-half Jake Gordon, who scored a try last week, said.

Argentina would have been hoping for much more from last week’s game after they stunned the All Blacks away in Wellington in their opening match of this year’s competition.

Saturday’s defeat, however, highlighted their inconsistency and left them with two defeats in three games and a solitary bonus point above Australia in the standings.

“If we improve on what was not good, this weekend we can be better. That is something I like about this sport, that it gives you the opportunity for revenge,” said loose forward Marcos Kremer.

Argentina are hosting a test in Santa Fe for the first time since a defeat against Wales in 2018.

The Pumas have won five of their last 16 home games against Australia, losing 10 and drawing one.