Australia drew a game that they should have won with ease, sharing points with Argentina in the Tri-Nations match on Saturday as they failed to learn from the failure of the tactics employed by New Zealand against the Pumas a week earlier.
But the tiredness factor may put paid to any hopes Argentina holds of winning the title over the next fortnight.
Last week, New Zealand did not bother to try kicking many of the kickable penalties they were awarded – and Australia did the same this week, There were five in the first half which were well within standoff Reece Hodge’s range and they could have sewn up the game by halftime had they not taken it for granted that the Argentines would be a pushover in their search for a try.
Instead, Australia went in with a 9-6 lead which was whittled away by the diligent and accurate Nicolas Sanchez who, like Hodge, missed just one kick in the game. Hodge’s miss was more heart-breaking, coming with a couple of minutes left in the game and the teams level at 15-all.
The Pumas were not half as fluent as they were the previous week, but then it must be tough to play two of the better teams in world rugby on successive weekends. And they also had to cope with having only 14 on the field for ten minutes in the second half when Julian Montoya was given a card.
Rarely has a team enjoyed such dominance in the first half, both in possession and field position, as Australia did and come away with less to show for it. There was poor discipline, with both Taniela Tupou and captain Michael Hooper gifting away penalties unnecessarily. In the set pieces, the Australian scrum stood firm in the first half, but deteriorated a bit in the second stanza, while Argentina was able to pinch a couple of lineouts.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Even the draw involved some luck; in the run-up to the last penalty that Australia converted, referee Paul Williams missed a knock-on by Allan Alaalatoa a few phases earlier.
The two standout players for Australia were Jordan Petaia and Hunter Paisami, with the former coming within an inch of scoring the only try of the game just before halftime, chasing through on a Paisami grubber and grounding the ball only for the slow-motion replay to show that he had put his foot in touch while doing so.
Winger Marika Koroibete, who seemed missing for most of the game, also dotted down once, but that was off a pass from Tom Banks that went forward by a few miles, and one that would have even been spotted by the English referee Wayne Barnes, who is known for his inability to detect such things.
Argentina’s defence has improved by a huge amount over the last couple of seasons and they are now as efficient in using the line defence as many of the top teams, rarely letting holes appear. That fact does not appear to have become apparent to either Australia or New Zealand, but in the next two games both teams would probably take this into account.
Three points cannot be sneered at when playing a team that is as committed as Argentina – scoring a five-pointer will generally be only possible after a lot of push and shove. Those days of running in blithely and dotting down against the Pumas do seem to be over.
While the three teams are now level on six points apiece, Argentina have a disadvantage in that they will have to play four successive games.
It’s a cruel draw, but the organisers have had no choice as they have to end the tournament on December 5 in order that the teams can get back to their families before Christmas after the mandatory two-week quarantine. Australia is at the bottom with the worst points difference.
Of course, New Zealand can play spoilsport next week with a bonus-point win over Argentina. But given the current state of play in the shaky isles, it is difficult to visualise such an outcome. Australia needs to take a long, hard look at itself and come back with a stronger game on December 5.
Despite the poor showing on Saturday, the title can still be theirs.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I disagree... instead of panicking and passing immediately, he should have stepped back inside, away from the outside in shooter, and passed behind him. Easier said than done... I know.
Colin Fenwick
Guest
Hi GoldenEye, yes I agree, on my first viewing I thought it was clearly forward. I then decided to pay attention to where Banks ended up on the field when Koroibete caught it and have since changed my mind. The key is, with all things being equal, if the passer stays in front of the ball during it's flight, then physics dictate it was passed backwards. I have done this for many other 'forward' passes and have been surprised at how often I have had to question my initial view.
GoldenEye
Roar Rookie
Renly Baratheon? Explains the reason the lads are talking up the team bonding sessions. :silly:
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
Forward, but as mentioned at the time he did well to make the pass. But he needed Koroibete to be closer and deeper due to the outside in defence.
Hoy
Roar Guru
yeah, I call that a forward pass... by quite some way.
GoldenEye
Roar Rookie
Colin, unfortunately at the game live it looked forward. Great pressure from the Pumas caused it.
Colin Fenwick
Guest
I'm going to disagree with you re the forward pass. Tom Banks appears to maintain constant velocity towards the goal line during and after passing the ball. He also appears to be in front of Marika Koroibete when he catches the ball. This is important because if the ball was passed perfectly flat, the ball's forward velocity would be identical to the velocity of Tom Banks, at the time he passed it and ignoring air resistance. Long story short, since the ball was caught behind Tom Banks position on the field, it can be argued, he didn't pass it flat and instead he passed it backwards.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Yes. He tried, but for all the reasons given, was ineffective.
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
@Hoy Totally agree. Rennie said in post match interview the players stopped following the game plan in 2nd half saying they "appeared to get bored with it". I think he meant after White was subbed. But.....one of the captains roles is to keep players focussed on the game plan. Hooper failed there too (again) and does not appear to have the ability to think on the run.
Hoy
Roar Guru
THIS IS NOT A NEW ISSUE FOR HOOPER AS CAPTAIN AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT KEEPS HAPPENING???????
Yeah you would hope they have learnt. The Abs turned down a number of shots at goal in the 1st Arg test, particully leading in to half time....Im hoping trys are the name of the game but a win is the first aim.....Kicking goals may do that...
Mike Logan
Roar Rookie
Put Wright in charge now and build the team around him No8 would be his best position agree with the rest of your post
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
Yep with Banks it's just straight into the tackle every time. No attempt to step, draw defenders, run angles or create any doubt that he's going straight on and not going to pass.
Crusher_13
Roar Rookie
You said banks didn’t run hard enough or offer anything in attack. Yet he also tried to win the game with every touch?
Android-angler Cartman-brah
Roar Rookie
Yes only you can coach at test level. Aus plays far better and more consistent in a long time since having Renlie Baratheon
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Our troubles came from 11, 13, 14 and 15. None of these players showed patience. It looked like each was trying, too hard, for the match winner. Every run, kick, pass and forced pass had to be a try-scorer. Games aren't won by scoring a try with the first touch, nice but not necessarily a match winner. Patience, cool heads, sticking to the game plan (all players with the one team objective), good decision making and patience (yes it's that important), will go a lot further than what we saw last night. There was plenty of effort, now coordinate that effort ... and be pat...
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Petaia from 15.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
Is it just me, or does he seem to slow down as he gets closer to contact, then try to take two strong leg-drives to get through the first tackle? It also seems that, in running to the defence, he has very little, if any, intention of setting up support players by draw-and-pass or any other type of off-load. Petia doesn't seem to want to off-load too often either but he runs HARD, so slip him back to 15.
elvis
Roar Rookie
Unlike Australia I'm sure the ABs will take the points. They don't make the same mistake 2 weeks in a row.
Well they had opportunitues last game Elvis so now they need to take them all....