The Wallabies capped off their Rugby Championship campaign with a 37-20 win over the Pumas in Mendoza. It was scrappy throughout, but enough to sneak into second spot with an extra bonus point, just ahead of the Springboks.
So, what were the main talking points?
1. Bernie’s boot goes missing
It’s never advisable to talk up records prior to kick-off, and the Fox Rugby team put the mocker firmly on the Wallabies flyhalf. Foley came into the game having slotted 18 consecutive shots at goal, with Matt Burke’s record of 23 in sight.
Things started well enough ‒ Foley popped his 19th from right in front. But then the wheels fell off big time. He missed his next four attempts, before finally getting the radar working late on. Success brings its own pressure. We’ve quietly packed away the bunting for next time.
2. Pumas follow a familiar pattern
Argentina’s losing scorelines in the Rugby Championship read as follows: 37-15, 41-23, 39-22, 45-20, 36-10, 37-20. In all but one of those game, the game has been in the balance at half-time. They had the Wallabies scrambling in the first half, but fell away once again. With just 31 per cent possession, it’s no wonder they ran out of steam.
Whether it’s an issue of fitness or discipline, coach Daniel Hourcade has a clear problem to solve. The Pumas world ranking (currently 10th, between Fiji and Japan) has taken a hit since joining the competition, but there’s no better place to identify their shortcomings.
There’s enough aggression and set piece finesse for Argentina to match the world’s best ‒ we’ve seen that in their World Cup displays. Sustaining the effort for 80 minutes is the next frontier.
3. Reece Hodge, Australia’s Mr Reliable
Seeing Hodge’s name on the team sheet probably prompts most fans to wonder where all our wingers have gone. He may not look spectacular, but he’s deceptively quick and provides versatility, particularly with his distance kicking.
In Mendoza, Hodge bookended a slick assist for Will Genia with two tries of his own. He even had another disallowed for a forward pass in the previous phase. His rise is a testament to hard work and doing the simple things well. He may have won the jersey through injuries to others, but he’s looking more and more at home with the 11 on his back.
(AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
4. A tale of two tackles
There were nervous moments for the Wallabies in the second half when the referee stopped play for an injury to Tomas Lezana. Receiving the ball from the restart, Lezana crouched slightly, looking up just in time to meet a flying Marika Koroibete.
A lengthy stoppage and several angles later, Mathieu Raynal and the TMO were satisfied that there were arms in the tackle and the contact was an accidental head clash. Assistant Jaco Peyper stepped in to point out that the contact was actually with Koroibete’s shoulder. No penalty was awarded and the Wallabies continued in possession while Lezana left the field with concussion.
Shortly after, Marcos Kremer was yellow carded for a lifting tackle on Allan Alaalatoa. It might not have looked great, but Alaalatoa landed on his back and was unharmed.
There were a few contentious calls each way, but this sequence did the Pumas no favours. The right call probably would have been a penalty for both and no cards. Neither tackler was reckless in their intent.
Meanwhile, the TMO reviews throughout the game, both for foul play and forward passes, took far too long and robbed the game of momentum. A few exhausted players might have appreciated it, but it’s a practice that can’t be allowed to persist.
5. Physicality the order of the day
The collisions in this game were pretty brutal. The Pumas came out swinging in the early stages, with heavy shots on the likes of Sean McMahon and Izack Rodda. Pumas captain Agustin Creevy was in the thick of the action, while his opposite number Tatafu Polota-Nau did his usual impression of a wrecking ball.
Perhaps the most pleasing sight for Michael Cheika, however, was the abrasive display of Jack Dempsey. Cheika has a penchant for tinkering with his squad week-to-week, but Dempsey staked a strong claim for more opportunities.
He stood up to the early onslaught and came out on top. He ran 15 times for 100 metres, including four tackle busts, three line breaks, and an offload. Add to that three lineout wins and young Jack has earned himself an extra party pie after the game.
TCD
Guest
No penalty for that tackle on Lezana was ridiculous. We're in an era of greater recognition of brain damage that results from those kinds of hits, trying to keep kids in the game, and ever more problems with injury/attrition and the ref/commentators see nothing wrong with coming into a tackle with at that height because the guy wrapped his arms? If we have any collective intelligence, those kinds of tackles will start to be discouraged. If you can't bend your knees when going into tackle, you deserve the penalty/card.
BOGGLES THE MIND
Guest
Come on . Hold your water lads. Hanigan will never play test rugby again, we know that is a given. Jack Dempsey is still not proven.He was monstered by the Boks and only looked good against the Argies,everyone looked good against the Argies ( even Foley ) Watch Dempsey be obliterated on the 21st.
BOGGLES THE MIND
Guest
Ruckin' Oaf " Otherwise you might as well go down the league path where you can collar a bloke around the ears as long as the first contact is legal. " Has anyone died from the above league path ? I`ll wait for your link to serious injuries or those deaths . Union is going too soft.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I was amazed at the different visions seen by three parties during the game... To me, it was a chest on chest tackle, ball and all, shirt fronting, whatever you want to call it. The arms were wrapped, it was, as I said, chest to chest. The impact, and sheer force of conact with Koribete coming in so fast was that #8's body was stopped in motion, and through physics, his head was whipped forward, and then contacted the shoulder of Koribete. Koribete did not initiate any contact with the head. You seem to disagree, but the footage to me shows that Koribete made a good tackle, and unfortunately, the result of that tackle meant that old mates head was whipped forwards and then made contact with a shoulder... It then it would be a crazy harsh penalty, and not in the spirit of the rules to penalize him for that. Otherwise head clashes should be a penalty to someone shouldn't they?
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Using the Same argument, then the Lezana hit should be yellow or red too. Head contact is made, its a card. Contact appears on the point of the chin.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Definitely. It's so obvious Cheika probably won't do it.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
If Naisarani is in there then Clay Uyen who easily bested him when they went head to head a few weeks ago is certainly worth a look at.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Unlike Hannigan, at least Dempsey looks like he belongs on the field. He played well.
nutter
Guest
Yeah, but it doesn't happen if you're an inch lower in the tackle which is the point of the law - the protection of players. It doesn't matter that I deliberately lifted and drove him into the ground cos he's ok or I accidentally clipped his chin with my shoulder and KO'd him. The laws are there to protect players and they have sanctions to demonstrate the seriousness of this. To my mind, his shoulder clips his chin on the way into the tackle and KO's him. A good hit which was not legal but an inch lower and it would have been. I agree with the yellow card call, just like the tackle on Ala'alatoa was a yellow cos he went past horizontal and came down high on his back/neck. If you want to exploit the rules by leading with your head into every tackle then go and play soccer, they love rules exploitation and penalty milking over there. I suspect that no sane Rugby player is ever going to risk ongoing brain damage in the hope of getting a penalty...
nutter
Guest
That goes without saying but they're not all over the news as this week's golden boy. Also that just compounds the point, we've already got two guaranteed starters who are shaky defenders, do we need another? He's certainly got the technique and the size to be a defender but (as demonstrated last week where he didn't make the effort and Beale was steamrolled) lacks a bit of commitment in defence. From what I've seen it's mainly players at pace, he's good (as mentioned above) in the low speed tigher stuff.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
Read the law book. Not my issue, it is the law.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
This is the law: Reckless and accidental tackles November 2016 Reckless Tackle A player is deemed to have made reckless contact during a tackle or attempted tackle or during other phases of the game if in making contact, the player knew or should have known that there was a risk of making contact with the head of an opponent, but did so anyway. This sanction applies even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders. This type of contact also applies to grabbing and rolling/ twisting around the head/ neck area even if the contact starts below the line of the shoulders. Minimum sanction: Yellow card Maximum sanction: Red card
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
The result was unfortunate, and my well-wishes are with Lazana's recovery. But we are getting into some legal grey arias and a slippery slope. Apart from the fact that he leaned forward into contact lowering his head into harms way, technically, he head-butted Koribete. A stupid Preceipt, I know, your whiplash explanation in more valid, but if you start taking this sort of thing out of rugby, there won't be much contact left. It will be like playing golden oldies. Great to play, not much fun to watch.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Testify!
Rebellion
Guest
Would be interested to see this lineup for the Spring Tour: 1. Sio 2. TPN 3. Kepu 4. Coleman 5. Fardy/Rodda 6. Dempsey 7. Pocock 8. McMahon 9. Genia 10. Foley 11. Koroibete 12. Beale 13. Hodge 14. Naivalu 15. Folau 16. Uelese 17. Ala’alatoa 18. Tupou 19. Rodda/Fardy 20. Hooper/Naisarani 21. Powell 22. Toomua 23. Perese/Morahan I’ve selected a couple of players outside of the current criteria - but Chieka and the NSW board do that all the time (especially with provincial salary caps and national selection eg Moore Park over Form) Tupou and Perese probably aren’t ready but we badly need young players to put their hands up and they’re promising
ThugbyFan
Guest
G'day Carlos, its a perfect example of Newton's Third Law, and gives one an excuse to make megabucks suing their opponent after a fist fight. I can see the plaintiff in his address: "Your 'onour, the defendant's head viciously attacked my fist causing it much pain. Its irrespective that I may have swung a fist in his general area prior to this grievous assault by his face on my knuckles. I submit this vicious reaction force should be stamped on and that this litigation be a lesson made of the defendant and his ilk. Sir, only a settlement of at least $1 million can repair my anguish and embarrassment".
PiratesRugby
Guest
I didn't notice Dempsey in the Super comp but I certainly noticed him in Mendoza. Keep it up young man and you'll go far.
PiratesRugby
Guest
Hodge shaky on defence? Unlike say Foley and Beale???
rock86
Guest
Yeah no penalty for the tackle, but definitely for playing the ball on the ground
Redsfan1
Guest
Ridiculous a French ref with poor English with communication issues with South African TMO.