Australia hold off Argentina 27-21 in hard-fought Test

Australia held off Argentina to win 27-21 in a men’s rugby union international on Saturday, completing a hard-earned away victory after the Pumas threatened a second-half comeback. The Guardian’s live match report said Tom Hooper scored the decisive try in the 54th minute, two minutes after Boris Wenger had brought Argentina to within one point.

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The Wallabies built their advantage through a productive opening half. Brandon Paenga-Amosa crossed in the eighth minute and Carter Gordon followed with another try three minutes later. Argentina responded through Gerónimo Prisciantelli in the 14th minute, but Fraser McReight’s score restored Australia’s momentum. Australia then had Harry Potter shown a yellow card in the 25th minute.

Argentina narrowed the margin when Lucio Moro scored in the 38th minute, yet Australia still carried a 22-14 lead into halftime after Ryan Lonergan landed a penalty. The report noted that the visitors had made efficient use of their opportunities in Argentine territory during the first 40 minutes, even as both teams struggled for consistent control.

The Pumas increased the pressure after the interval. A dangerous counterattack in the 49th minute ended with a forward pass, ruling out a possible score, but Wenger forced his way over three minutes later. The successful conversion cut Australia’s lead to 22-21 and left the match finely balanced.

Australia answered almost immediately. Rob Valetini broke the defensive line and combined with Hunter Paisami as the Wallabies kept the attack alive near the posts. After further carries stretched Argentina’s defence, Hooper used a dummy and scored from close range. The conversion was missed, leaving Australia six points ahead at 27-21.

The visitors had chances to make the result safer. A potential try by Williams in the 71st minute was overturned after review because he had lost control, and Tate McDermott was then held up over the line. Argentina retained a route back into the contest, but McReight made an important late breakdown steal and the Pumas spilled possession on their final attack. The Guardian reported that Australia coach Les Kiss acknowledged the performance was imperfect, while Max Jorgensen stressed the difficulty of winning in Argentina.