Injury worry for star playmaker after Wallabies botch chance against 13-man Pumas

The Wallabies have botched a chance to claim back-to-back wins in Argentina in a 28-all draw in Mendoza, after failing to make the most of a two-man advantage over the Pumas in the last ten minutes.

Australia won back the Puma Trophy for the first time since 2023 and continued their unbeaten run under new coach Les Kiss, but it was a hollow result in a game the Wallabies had ample opportunities to win.

Having led 14-0 deep in the first half, the Wallabies allowed the Pumas to rally back through ill-discipline and a pile of mistakes. And the home side even took the lead in the 63rd minute after a second try to inspirational skipper Pablo Matera, going up 28-21.

With less than 10 minutes on the clock, the Pumas then lost two men to the sin-bin for deliberate knock-downs, and the second one was also a penalty try which locked up the scores again. It offered the Wallabies a gift-wrapped chance to now sweep home and win.

But despite being up against 13 men for eight minutes, the Wallabies then couldn’t manage to press home their advantage. Needing to hold the ball and build pressure, the Wallabies instead rushed and turned the ball over.

Fullback Tom Wright capped a forgettable 50th Test by kicking the ball away with one opportunity, and then knocking on another pass later on.

It didn’t help that halfback Ryan Lonergan was playing no.10 after reserve pivot Carter Gordon had come off injured.

The Wallabies managed to stop the trend of losing second Test matches in Argentina after a big first-up win, but there was no celebrating after a game where their own mistakes and inability to efficiently exit their half allowed the depleted Pumas far too much opportunity to build pressure on their line, and stay in the game.

The scores were locked at 14-all after the Wallabies raced to a lead early, but were pegged back by the Pumas.

The opening exchanges were plagued by errors and turnovers, and neither side was able to get any meaningful flow going in attack.

The Wallabies found their groove first, and Harry Wilson appeared to go in for an opening try in the 15th minute after a nicely worked front-of-lineout move that saw Ryan Lonergan and Angus Bell put the skipper down the right sideline and a try.

The touchie had his flag up, however and it was scrubbed out when the TMO ruled Lonergan put a foot in touch.

The visitors - and Wilson - didn’t have to wait long for another crack, though. Four minutes later, a scrum penalty saw the Wallabies kick to the line and fast, strong running from the forwards towards the line saw the Wallabies skipper eventually charge over from close range.

The Pumas ill-discipline cost them a man soon after, when Franco Molina was binned for repeated offences in their own 22, and the Wallabies made them pay. Two tap moves saw more route-one barging at the line, before the ball was shifted wide and Max Jorgensen had open space to the left for an easy try in the 27th minute.

The home side rallied, however, and Australia invited them to do it with poor discipline and decision making.

Defending their own, Jeremy Williams was also sin-binned for slowing the play down, off his feet at a ruck.

And the Pumas did exactly what the Wallabies had done: made them pay. A strong scrum set up a chaotic goalline defence and Australia eventually conceded, with Argentina captain Pablo Matera scoring next to the posts in the 35th minute.

The Wallabies then shot themselves in the foot and conceded a second straight after, when Tom Wright made the poor decision to try and run out a simple exit, and then kicked open. He got the ball back but put his foot out when trying another kick, and from that lineout the Pumas ran a nice inside-pass move in the close channel that saw winger Ignacio Mendi score.

Yet another unnecessary brain fade from Wright almost cost the Wallabies another try, after halftime, when he collected and the kick and grounded the ball in goal, to end the half. But shoved off the Pumas halfback to the face, and conceded a penalty.

The hosts scrummed to score, and the Wallabies had to defend grimly. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii saved the day when he went for an intercept and knocked on. That ended the half.

The Wallabies came out with the better intent and Puma’s indiscipline allowed them to attack straight away. Again they turned to the tap, and close charges, and the dynamism of Fraser McReight saw him pick and drive through the middle for a try.

The visitors then turned in a terrible sequence where they botched multiple chances to exit their half, and though several turnovers saved them, another penalty at scrum saw the Pumas snatch another equaliser in the 54th minute.

Scores were locked again but the home side went ahead in the 63rd minute via another Matera try. The Wallabies allowed the Pumas into their half with a mistake on attack, and they ended up defending 23 phases on their line. But time and pressure cost them, and they couldn’t stop the Argentina captain from burrowing over.