Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Wallabies second rower Jeremy Williams is pinged for slowing the ball illegally at the ruck, off his feet.
So both teams are down to 14.
The Wallabies are getting pinged by Doleman’s whistle. There’s an inevitability that the Pumas will score and they do.
Their captain Pablo Matera gets a try. It was absolutely coming for the Wallabies.
Franco Molina is also back on the field for the Pumas, not that they’ve missed him.
Wallabies 14 Argentina 7
Referee James Doleman has finally lost patience with the Pumas and has sent second-rower Franco Molina to the bin.
Curiously, from the penalty the Wallabies don’t take a scrum, but it doesn’t matter, they take it quickly, spread the ball and Max Jorgensen gets his team’s second try.
Ryan Lonergan makes it two conversions from two.
So far, so good in Mendoza after a shaky start.
Wallabies 14 Argentina 0 after 28 mins
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson got a rare break last week in Jujuy and marks his return with the game’s first try.
The Wallabies were patient, with Taniela Tupou unselfishly shipping the ball to Wilson close to the Puma’s line.
Carter Gordon is on at five-eighth with Filipo Daugunu leaving the field for an HIA which he’s subsequently passed, it’s forced a temporary reshuffle with Donaldson going to full back.
Wallabies 7 Argentina 0 after 21 minutes
Wallabies five-eighth Ben Donaldson makes a great break, chips forwards, Ryan Lonergan takes the ball, pops it to Fraser McReight who gathers and the touch judge puts up his flag for Lonergan.
Angus Bell pops the ball to Wilson who thinks he’s scored a try.
Lonergan looked to have been out and the try is rubbed out.
There is something in the cold air of Mendoza, both teams are making unforced errors and it is a brutal game to watch so far.
James Doleman lectures the Pumas pack for engaging too early in the scrum before his call.
Wallabies 0 Argentina 0
There are some big errors from both teams in a super scrappy start in Mendoza. Is it the freezing conditions?
Referee James Doleman has pinged both teams at the scrum, with the Pumas kicking the ball straight out from a resulting free kick.
A few phases later, Wallabies half back Ryan Lonergan totally mistimes his box kick and it flies off into the deadball area.
It’s not one for the purists.
Filipo Daugunu getting a rare start makes a poor error early, with the ball falling through his fingers from kick off deep in his half, when a chest mark was what was needed in the cold.
The Wallabies have to take a scrum metres away from their try line and gave away a free kick for early engagement.
Josh Canham saves his team with a steal at the breakdown. Cooler heads are needed.
The winger follows up with a knock on when the Wallabies looked like they had some clear grass. Taniela Tupou is pinged for changing his bind and going across the scrum. It’s nervy stuff here.
Wallabies 0 Argentina 0
This is from La Nacion newspaper yesterday, who think that this Wallabies team will present a tougher challenge in Mendoza.
“The second test of the series will present a tougher challenge than the one seven days ago. Several factors contribute to this: Australia has definitively overcome any lingering effects of jet lag, acclimatised to the country, and has accumulated another match under Les Kiss.
“Furthermore, they will field a more formidable attacking force today. Captain Harry Wilson , a key flanker known for his aggressive runs, will return, as will Taniela Tupou, the robust tighthead prop characterized by his powerful tackling ability.”
It’s been nice and warm all week in Mendoza, but a visibly cold captain Harry Wilson turned up pre-game on Stan Sport to report that the mercury is hovering just above four degrees. By Wednesday, it will go all the way back up to 20 degrees.
It’s a big open stadium with a capacity of 44,000, with the wind sweeping around it. The Pumas fans have got their mate flasks out and are already gathering.
We are almost ready to go.
This is a huge opportunity for Ben Donaldson. The Western Force pivot had a strong season in Super Rugby and reclaimed his spot in the Australian squad, but his time with the Wallabies has had mixed results this year, and throughout his career.
He has only started five games as the Wallabies’ No. 10, and some of them are infamous losses: the big defeat to Wales at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, and the last start in the spot for Donaldson was the record 67-27 defeat in Santa Fe against Argentina in 2024.
Donaldson must be a dominant voice, given he and Lonergan have not played together, and play at the line, he can’t afford to drop deep.
The Wallabies have a good side on the field, and have the power and the skill to get this job done. But they need their halves to be on top of the game management. Give Argentina a sniff and they’ll hurt you.
