The Great Escape.

This game would prove critical to both sides immediate and longer term futures. World #6 the Wallabies up against world #7 Argentina. With pride, Rugby Championship points and World Cup Pool seedings all on the line, what was to follow was 87 minutes of to-and-fro, pedantic officiating, scintillating set piece tries and a gold team that just keeps refusing to lay down and go away.

Special G&GR shout and and huge thank you to Stephen Tremain for the brilliant photos. Not only was Steve at the ground, but he loaded the media for us to use in a heartbeat. Thanks Steve.

Tale of the tape: first half

A fullish house, a dry track, a hot day and two sides who love to attack, what a spectacle awaited. Little could we know just what how good that spectacle might become.

2nd minute: referee ‘Pedantic’ Paul Williams started off as expected calling the little used ‘sealing off’ penalty against Throbba Robertson. And while technically the right call, technically he could’ve called the same decision for nearly every ruck by both sides all match, and he did, one more time in the second half against the Wallabies.

3rd minute: Tupou got involved early in the game for all the wrong reasons, mainly doing his best Owen Farrell impersonation: twice. The first leading to a Los Pumas penalty and an early 3-0 lead to the visitors. It could be argued he was perhaps a bit stiff on the first, but in the 11th minute TT was guilty as sin. And understandably Pedantic Paul issued a warning via Dirty Harry to TT. Again Carreras kicks the penalty and it’s Tupou minus 6, the Wallabies 0.

23rd minute: just after the water break, the Wallabies got on the board after an attacking lineout. What was noticeable early was the efficient Wallaby ‘cleaning out’ of the rucks, presenting quick and clean ball to The Lip. And so it was the case for this try that saw White cut back in behind a regrouping Argie defence and score the Wallabies first try. Sleepy Lynagh converts for a 7-6 lead. But the lead wasn’t to last.

29th minute: the danger of Los Pumas was on full display. From a midfield scrum 55m out, a sweeping right hand side attack and a bad read from Lynagh, because of the depth, pace and deception of a beautiful unders line cut against the grain from Chocobares lead to what was the first try for Los Pumas with Delguy scoring out wide. Carreras shades the post to the right with his conversion (with one second left on the shot clock) and it’s Pumas 11-7.

31st minute: the Wallabies must have enjoyed watching such glorious rugby, because again they coughed up the pill midfield, this time 60m front their line and Los Pumas struck again and again from a scrum, only this time they attacked wide left, culminating in a superb try to Mateo Carreras. The conversion was nailed from wide out by Santiago Carreras (Carreras must be Spanish for ‘Smith’) and it’s 18-7 Argentina.

35th minute: Kellaway gets pinged again for sealing off after he and Lynagh fluff their lines in backfield. Carreras steps up to the tee and converts and the teams head for oranges with Los Pumas up 21-7 and every Aussie fans anxiety levels through the roof.

41st minute: the Wallabies conceded another penalty and after some advantage Los Pumas call a 5m scrum and things are looking ominous. Concede here and it’s 26/28 – 7 at the break and our lot in all sorts. Step up Pedantic Paul. The ball gets fed and Williams calls a short-arm penalty to the Wallabies for no ‘break foot’ by Argies skipper and hooker Montoya. Fans breath a sigh of relief and it’s time for oranges and a recalibration for the Wallabies.

Key take aways: the first half saw the Wallabies, unusually so under St Joe, concede 10 penalties. Frustratingly for fans and coaches alike, as many of those were conceded on attack and time and time again relieved pressure on the Argies to march downfield and dictate terms. Also both of the Argentinian tries came from Wallaby errors. Then compounded with a combination of ordinary defence and scintillating attack.

Tale of the tape: second half.

The second half began with St Joe starting both replacement props with Bell and Nonggorr on. The Wallabies would also enjoy a stiffish breeze at their back for the half.

43rd minute: Suaalii get a turnover that sets in motion some much needed possession and territory.

45th – 47th minute: Corey Toole (who chased every kick all match and really put in the hard yards) retakes a Nic White box kick in the Pumas 22. Repeated short side raids by the forwards and four consecutive offside advantages sees Ikitau make a wonderful step and an even better left hand off load to centre partner JAS who scores his second try in two games, Sleepy converts and it’s 21-14 Pumas. Williams also places the Argies on an official warning for repeated offside in their 22.

57th minute: JOC on for Sleepy. Lynagh was ok, but played like a man who hadn’t played for a while. Fluffed a few lines, missed one kick for touch and that after patting Matera on the head after a penalty. Tom, lean in, let’s leave that stuff for the Kiwis mate, not from a Wallaby.

59th minute: Momentum changer. Unluckily for JOC he hits a sweetly timed clearing kick from his own 22. But with the dry track and warm conditions, it goes dead over the Pumas in goal. Scrum Argentina deep on attack just outside Australia’s 22 and this after not having a lot of second half possession. But, the TMO whispers sweet nothings into Pedantic Paul’s ear, late tackle by Chocabares on gold, Wallaby penalty on halfway. Phew.

62nd – 63rd minute: Wallabies deep on attack, again pounding the short side and Pumas #11 Carreras (the other one) gets pinged for offside. The team was already on a warning and he gets cheesed. From the ensuing lineout, our boys go wide right, creating time and a one-on-one for JAS and he proves too big, too strong and too classy, taking his tally to three tries in two games. If you watch the work JAS does to get into position, sweeping from his RHS to appear last moment off Sticky’s left shoulder, you appreciate the try even more. It’s the 9th outing for Sticky and JAS together and it’s starting to gel really well. JOC slots the conversion. 21-21. Better strap yourselves in peoples.

67th minute: WTF? The Wallabies on on attack after a break by Kellaway, only for it to fall apart as a retreating Kremmer runs into our attacking channel trying to get back onside and our attack ends with a knock on as a result. Skipper Big H approaches Williams who in turn informs Wilson that he ‘considered awarding a penalty’?

71st minute: Short arm to Australia for scrum free kick. Tate taps and darts. Williams blows full arm immediately after tap. Wallabies knock on seconds later and Williams says because Tate tapped it, advantage was over. TMO intervenes and asks Williams if he’s been drinking. Sanity prevails, back to other side of field for full arm advantage, penalty Australia..

79th minute: Don’t know about you, but I just couldn’t shake the feeling Pedantic Paul would wade into the contest and decide the result. And so it came to bare. Penalty Argentina. Tizzano gets pinged for not rolling away, despite clearly moving to the side of the ruck and with the ball fully and clearly available to the Argie halfback. Juan Cruz Mallia slots the 3 and it’s 24-21 with under a minute to go. We’re cooked for sure.

80th-85th minute: A short kick from the restart and pressure from Wallaby chasers sees an Argentinian knock on and the the dimmest flicker of an ember of possibility for the Wallabies. What was to follow was pure rugby porn. Relentless blindside pressure from the meat eaters putting pressure on Los Pumas who offended time and again. Each time the Wallabies would askew the three points and chase glory, sweet, unlikely, bloody minded glory. There was a lineout that yielded nought but penalty advantage, a tap was taken, pressure applied and further penalty advantage awarded. Spare a thought for the coaching team at this stage, it was hard enough being a fan. I must admit to screaming ‘take the 3’ at this stage. Oh me of little faith.

86th minute: Glory-glory. A second tap start, a couple of rucks and Lenny Ikitau picks up the pill and delivers a trademark ‘no look’ pass to Bell and the big unit is over the line. Try. Jubilation. Ecstasy, shock, disbelief and a victory built on belief, grit and never say die. JOC slots it. The great escape is complete. Wallabies 28 – Argentina 24.

Random thoughts.

• I thought it the best outing for Sticky and JAS as a combo. It was their 9th together and they looked in sync, perhaps for the first time so in defence. And they are extremely dangerous in attack
• Not for his two tries, but JAS was my Man of the Match. Impressive in defence, some critical tackles, a turn over, two tries and he has lost the urge to rush up in D. His most complete game in gold for mine.
• I wish I had staff who worked as hard as Corey Toole and Mad Max Jorgo. They chase every kick, compete for every rugby moment and play 15kg and 8″ taller than they appear. They are rugby Viagra, every time they’re near the ball, I get excited. Injury aside, they’re my wingers for the foreseeable future.
• The Wallabies ruck work is markedly improved. The accuracy of the cleaners and the speed of ruck ball availability has improved exponentially this season.
• Has Spanners Foley been teaching JOC how to take touch finders? Twice today, from good angles and with plenty of room to kick, he made 9 metres on penalty kicks for touch. Yep, 9 metres. He did similar in SA too. He looks to have changed his kicking action and looks stilted and horrible when kicking and the results match. He had a good impact on the match overall, but man, his touch finders suck at the moment.
• Bit of trivia for you. When Frost was replaced today, they were the first minutes for all 2025 test’s that he has not played. Big engine and now genuinely a world class lock.
• The win sees the Wallabies increase their score in the rankings by 1.10 points. Wallabies now 85.47: Los Pumas 82.84.
• Wallabies conceded 10 penalties in the first half, but overall penalties ended: Pumas 12, Wallabies 11. The forwards certainly put in too. Post contact metres: Wallabies 157: Argentina 74.
• Somebody talk to Tom Hooper’s overseas club and pay them out. On form, one of the best back rowers in the world right now. Plays big minutes. Has big, high quality impacts #keeptominoz
• Interestingly this win also broke a run of seven RC losses on home soil.
• My grandfather always said it was the size of fight in the dog that mattered: not the size of dog in the fight. These Wallabies have fight in them. If they can just address the slow starts, they could be anything.

The Golden G&GR.

Get you votes in for the Wallabies best as you saw it, on a 5-1 basis. Voting closes Sunday 6pm.

Current TRC ladder. Thanks to the Saffa’s for keeping Eden Park hoodoo intact for us: to end.