Wallabies deny Pumas
|Published
MORALE BOOST: Wallabies winger Reece Hodge. Photo: Dan Peled/EPA. MORALE BOOST: Wallabies winger Reece Hodge. Photo: Dan Peled/EPA.
Australia held off a late fightback from Argentina to secure a much-needed 16-10 victory in a scrappy Rugby Championship contest in Brisbane on Saturday.
Winger Reece Hodge scored Australia’s only try in the first half but Pumas No.8 Facundo Isa crashed over in the 74th minute to set up a tense finish.
The home defence held firm to secure the twice world champions only a fourth victory in their last 14 Tests and give them a chance of winning the championship for the first time since 2015, the last World Cup year.
Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper says of the win: “It was a really tough game.
“Our trust and commitment in defence was really great.
FIGHTING BACK: Facundo Isa. Photo: Darren England/EPA.
“We’re playing a little bit different in attack and I’m really pleased with how we grew there.”
Argentina, who ran the All Blacks close on home soil last week, will be disappointed with a seventh straight Test defeat as they look to build towards the World Cup in Japan.
Their captain Pablo Matera says: “We lost too many balls in the contact.
“We had many chances to score but we didn’t and that’s why we see this result. We are growing and getting stronger and we have a tough game against South Africa in a couple of weeks. Hopefully we can get the win there.”