The Wallabies will return home with their tails between their legs after letting slip a golden opportunity in Argentina.
Dave Rennie’s men were left frustrated by an overturned try midway through the opening half, but they didn’t lose 48-17 in San Juan because of the moment.
Instead, not for the first time the Wallabies were slow out of the blocks and fell behind 14-0 after six minutes.
The Wallabies felt like they should have taken the lead midway through the first half when James O’Connor touched down, but referee Karl Dickson instead sought the assistance of his TMO and it was deemed James Slipper had illegally cleaned his opponent out.
Former All Blacks star Andrew Mehrtens deemed the decision “ridiculous.”
Michael Cheika’s men rubbed salt into the wound by scoring two quick tries to open up a 26-10 lead at the break.
A penalty to Emiliano Boffelli and prop Thomas Gallo’s second try saw Los Pumas pull ahead.
While Len Ikitau hit back after 66 minutes, but two late tries saw the home side pull away and punish the Wallabies for their mistakes to grab a bonus point.
The Wallabies were tactically outplayed, with their back three exposed by Argentina’s shrewd kicking game where they put boot to ball on 28 occasions.
In particular Tom Wright, playing his second Test at fullback, was exposed in the air and with his decision making.
The Wallabies were beaten at the set-piece too, with their scrum struggling at times and although their attack looked good at times their lack of discipline also hurt while their defense was poor.
Rob Valetini was one of the Wallabies’ best, with the back-rower continually getting over the gain line.
O’Connor, meanwhile, had a frustrating return after he was denied a try.
The playmaker didn’t get nearly as much ball in his hands as he would have liked and Rennie has a decision to make regarding his playmakers, but it appears he has muddied the waters by turning away from youngster Noah Lolesio.
The loss heaps more pressure on Rennie, with the Wallabies coach losing men on and off the field and struggling to oversee victories.
Slipper described the loss as “disappointing” and a step backwards after a “difficult” tour where they lost their captain Michael Hooper (personal health) and Quade Cooper (ACL).
Nor are they likely to have Hooper back when they take on the Springboks in a fortnight at Adelaide Oval.
Rennie’s side conceded a try after just 60 seconds as Jordan Petaia passed a ball too hot to handle for his back three teammate Wright and the home side ran away to score.
Argentina had a second after just six minutes to leave the Wallabies shell-shocked. But the stunned Wallabies rallied, finally getting their hands on the ball after some Fraser McReight brilliance at the breakdown won the visitors some ball.
From a lineout soon after Valetini charged over the gain line and captain Slipper hit back to score.
Three points from the kicking tee saw the Wallabies close to within four points.
The Wallabies looked like they would go ahead, but O’Connor’s try midway through the second half was overturned after Slipper was pinged for an illegal cleanout.
Former All Blacks star Andrew Mehrtens slammed the call by referee Kael Dickson to reverse the decision, describing it as “ridiculous”.
The decision proved to be a 14-point swing soon after as Jeronimo de la Fuente scored in the 24th minute.
Seven minutes later Juan Martin Gonzalez scored to extend their lead out to 26-10.
The Wallabies had some luck of their own when Emiliano Boffelli was denied a try after the TMO Marius van der Westhuizen found no reason to overturn the initial no try ruling by Dickson. Boffelli’s lost ball came after some brilliance from Marika Koroibete in defence.
Mehrtens, however, disagreed, saying “I’m struggling to understand how the ball touching the ground is not compelling evidence”.
After a quieter start to the second half, at least from a points perspective, Wright’s inexperience at fullback was exposed again in the 52nd minute as the Brumbies back opted to run the ball back from rather than kick. It left him isolated as the Pumas got on the ball to win a penalty, which allowed Boffelli to add another three points from the kicking tee to see the home take a 29-10 advantage.
Ikitau hit back for the visitors, but two tries in the final five minutes of the Test saw the home side seal a convincing victory.
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