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Australia fight back to tame Pumas 20-19 in Argentina / Photo: © AFP
Australia fight back to tame Pumas 20-19 in Argentina
Australia fought back to earn a nail-biting 20-19 victory over Argentina on Saturday as the Wallabies snapped their eight-match losing streak in The Rugby Championship.
Back Ben Donaldson landed the winning penalty in injury time as Australia came from 10-0 down to claim their first championship win since stunning South Africa 25-17 in 2022.
Tries by Wallabies scum-half Jake Gordon and flanker Rob Valetini cancelled out one for Argentina by No 8 Juan Martín Gonzalez.
After back-to-back home defeats to the Springboks last month, Australia head coach Joe Schmidt was rewarded for blooding fresh talent in his squad.
Western Force centre Hamish Stewart made his debut in Australia's midfield, the 15th new cap this season for the Wallabies.
Despite Australia shading the territory and possession in the first half at the Estadio Uno, a football stadium in La Plata near Buenos Aires, the Wallabies were 13-7 down at the break.
Fly-half Santiago Carreras landed an early penalty and converted a try after Gonzalez touched down, mauled over the line by the Pumas pack as Argentina took an early 10-0 lead.
The Wallabies struck back quickly to stay in the hunt.
Full-back Tom Wright punched a hole in the defence close before Gordon took an inside pass to cross inside the posts for a converted try.
Carreras extended the hosts' lead with a penalty after the break, but the Wallabies narrowed the scores to 16-14 when Valetini barged over for a try after Australia carved holes in the defence.
The Wallabies took the lead for the first time with 20 minutes left when fly-half Noah Lolesio landed a penalty.
Australia had a massive let off when Pumas prop Thomas Gallo picked up from a close-range ruck and charged over, but lost control of the ball as he dived over the line.
Replacement back Tomas Albornoz restored the Pumas lead to 19-17 with ten minutes to go in pouring rain when he stroked a penalty between the posts.
Veteran hooker Agustin Creevy, 39, earned loud applause when Argentina's most capped player came off the bench in the final stages for his 110th and final appearance for Los Pumas.
Donaldon held his nerve by landing the winning kick in the 81st minute.
M.A. Pereira--JDB
