Forget the fancy stuff, triumph is tops

FOR all their bravado about wanting to play a high-tempo brand of running rugby, the Wallabies know the only thing that really matters when they play Argentina today is winning.

There are just too many fundamental problems with the Wallabies right now to worry about the fancy stuff. What they need is a victory.

It doesn’t really matter too much how they achieve it, just as long as they do because the repercussions of another defeat could be terminal for the coaching staff and possibly some of the players.

Michael Cheika insists he’s working on a grand masterplan that will pay off at next year’s World Cup and Rugby Australia have said that he has their full support but the proof that things are heading in the right direction is in short supply.

Another loss will mean they’ve suffered nine defeats from their past 11 matches.

They’ll finish bottom of the Rugby Championship and will drop to eighth in the world rankings.

But the flip side is a victory over the Pumas should count for a lot.

Argentina aren’t in the same league as the All Blacks but beating them away from home is no mean feat, particularly when the match is being played in the foothills of the Andes where the high-altitude will suck the breath from the players’ lungs.

The Pumas are a well-organised team and coach Mario Ledesma has got them all humming the same tune so the Wallabies know this will be a real test of their character after their run of losses.

“It’s never a perfect preparation and we like it like that. You need to be challenged with things and we’ve been challenged for a few weeks but we’ve come here to win,” skip- per Michael Hooper said.

“Consistency is the key for us. Unfortunately we put in some really good solid hit-outs then we taper off a bit so this team needs to grow and want to grow.”

If self belief counts for anything, the Wallabies are at least confident they will win this morning. Will Genia and Cheika have both said they expected to win and Hooper said nothing has changed in his mind.

“We’re always confident. We’re always optimistic about how things are looking,” he said.

“You have to dust yourself off after losses and get back up and we’re really excited about what this team can bring.”

The key to Australia’s chances will revolve around their forward pack.

They allowed Argentina to get the better of them in their last meeting and the set pieces, particularly the lineout, have been poor.