Argentina breaks long drought
GOLD COAST: Australia slumped to its first home loss to Argentina in 35 years, falling 2319 in Saturday night’s Rugby Championship Test.
The Wallabies were once again left wanting in key departments as an energetic Los Pumas outfit continued its stunning rise under new coach Mario Ledesma.
Not since 1983, in the first test meeting between the two nations, has Argentina tasted victory on Australian soil.
But former Wallabies scrum coach Ledesma masterminded a droughtbreaking result that will pile enormous pressure back on his old boss Michael Cheika.
A longrange penalty from Emiliano Boffelli with three minutes to go sealed a famous victory for Argentina in front of a poor crowd of just 16,019 at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.
However, Israel Folau bombed a golden chance to win it for the Wallabies after the siren.
Folau had an unmarked Bernard Foley to his right, but inexplicably chose not to pass the ball to him and instead coughed up possession as he tried to score himself.
Australia spent most of the second half searching for the points that would have given them the lead after Dane HaylettPetty’s 54thminute try reduced the margin to 2019.
But repeated turnovers and penalties — trademark deficiencies of the Wallabies in recent years — saw them come up with nothing in what proved a miserable night at the office.
Meanwhile, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika does not expect Lukhan Tui will join the team for their Rugby Championship tour after indicating his desire to sit out the remainder of the season.
A distraught Tui told teammates he needed to take a break from rugby after his altercation with a spectator who had allegedly pushed his sister moments after Saturday night’s 2319 defeat to Argentina.
It was an ugly end to an already emotional week for Tui’s family — his stepfather died suddenly on Wednesday and the Wallabies wore black armbands in his honour during the game on the Gold Coast.
Tui was still able to start the game and played the full 80 minutes at blindside flanker. — Reuters/AAP