Wallabies finish last after Hodge fires wide again
REECE Hodge’s lastminute penalty flew wide to leave the Wallabies bottom of the pile in the 2020 Tri-Nations.
It is the second time the sides have ground out a draw in the championship – and the Wallabies’ third in recent weeks following their Bledisloe Cup tie with New Zealand in October.
Argentina led 13-6 at half-time after Bautista Delguy’s try and while a Hodge penalty and skipper Michael Hooper’s converted try hauled Australia level, their task was made all the harder by Lukhan Salakaia-Loto’s red card on the hour mark.
Their 14 men finished strongly but Hodge could not supply the winning touch.
The result means New Zealand are champions. Argentina, who beat the All Blacks earlier in the tournament and drew 15-15 with Australia two weeks ago, finish second.
“Argentina are a tough cookie to crack,” said Hooper. “We’re not happy with that performance – it’s disappointing not to get a win in our last game.”
As with the match a fortnight ago, Australia failed to capitalise on a wealth of possession and territory due to handling errors.
The Australian national anthem was sung in a local indigenous language for the first time at an international sporting event before kick-off.
Argentina, under scrutiny for the way they handled the social media scandal surrounding captain Pablo Matera and teammates Guido Petti and Santiago Socino, fell behind to a Hodge penalty after lock Marcos Kremer was sent to the sin-bin for a dangerous tackle at a ruck.
Nicolas Sanchez kicked a penalty from around halfway to draw the Pumas level and when Hooper was shown a yellow card for a high tackle Argentina responded with ten points with him in the bin.
Domingo Miotti – with Sanchez off the field for a concussion check – put the Pumas ahead and then from a lineout deep in their own half, Argentina drove back the Wallabies back 40m before scrum-half Felipe Ezcurra broke away. He flipped the ball to Delguy, who handed off a desperate tackle to race over the line for a 13-3 lead.
Miotti kicked a penalty in the second half as Argentina eyed victory, but Australia fought back despite replacement lock Salakaia-Loto being sent off for a dangerous tackle on 60 minutes.
When Lucas Paulos was sent to the sin-bin for offside while defending on his try line, Australia took advantage to drive Hooper over for his 20th Test try.
The Wallabies piled on the pressure in the closing stages but as he did in the 15-15 draw, Hodge missed his chance to secure victory, firing wide from 45m.
The full-back also had a potential match-winning kick come back off the post in Australia’s 16-16 draw with the All Blacks.
“We had no rest in the middle for the tournament while the other teams were resting, we kept going four weeks in a row,” said head coach Mario Ledesma.
“Without playing the whole year, a lot of injuries throughout, sickness, Covid, the whole lot, I couldn’t be prouder of this team.
“After the difficult week we had – I don’t know if you can imagine how tough it was – to come out with this effort is awesome.”