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Argentina crushes the Wallabies 48-17 in the Rugby Championship at the Estadio Bicentenario in San Juan

Argentina crushes the Wallabies 48-17 in the Rugby Championship at the Estadio Bicentenario in San Juan

The Pumas get revenge for last week’s Rugby Championship loss to the Wallabies, thrashing Australia in San Juan.

Look back at the action in our blog.

live updates

By Simon Smale

Dave Rennie: ‘We’re better than that’

Dave Rennie is speaking to Stan Sport.

“Massive disappointment,” he says.

“It’s not good enough.

“We conceded four tries with kicks in behind us and certainly got dominated in the collision area.

“We created opportunities but we’ve got to be patient our ruck is not a disaster and we just weren’t clinical enough.”

He says that the Wallabies lacked cohesion in the match and looked desperately frustrated, adding “We’re better than that.”.

“We want to earn the respect of the country and you’re never going to do that with performances like that.”

By Simon Smale

James Slipper: Wallabies ‘Probably fell short of standards’

Here’s the skipper, James Slipper.

“Clearly disappointed,” he says.

“Off the back of a good performance last week we wanted to back it up.

“Probably fell short of today’s standards.”

He says that the Argentinans were just the better team on the day.

“They got the momentum and the crowd behind them and they’re a tough team to play catch up football against,” he says.

With all teams sitting on one win each, Slipper says the Rugby Championship is even poised, but the Wallabies are excited to get home.

“I think we’re excited to get home. It’s been a really tough tour for us.”

By Simon Smale

Key Event

Argentina beat Wallabies 48-17

Wow, what a stunning result and a brutal scoreline for the Wallabies to stomach.

The Wallabies were tactically outclassed by former coach Michael Chieka and there’s no hiding it.

The Argentinians kicking out of hand was better, the breakdown was better and they capitalized on the big moments better than the Wallabies.

It’s the biggest ever win by Argentina over Australia.

By Simon Smale

Key Event

80+2′ What a try Argentina!

Oh that’s magnificent from both Tomas Cubelli and try-scorer Tomas Albornoz.

Cubelli took the ball off the back of the scrum and darted through a gap, chipping ahead and that allowed Albornoz to collect and score.

The kick is successful and it’s 48-17!

By Simon Smale

Man of the Match: Thomas Gallo

The player of the match has just been announced to a raucous ovation.

It’s the Argentina prop, Thomas Gallo off the back of his two-try performance.

By Simon Smale

Key Event

78′ Try Argentina!

Lovely try to seal the win from Emiliano Boffelli!

The Wallabies lost the ball at a ruck and then Lucio Cinti put boot to ball, rolling it in behind and Boffelli ran around Markia Koroibete to dot down the bobbling in the corner.

The kicking game has been superior all day, the Wallabies have been punished for mistakes, and that’s the game in a microcosm.

By Simon Smale

77′ Wallabies scrum

Argentina were pushing for another score but lost the ball forward thanks to some solid Wallabies defense on their right edge.

By Simon Smale

74′ Penalty Argentina

Reece Hodge is on and his first involvement is to tackle an Argentinian in the air from another up and under contestable kick.

Argentina put a couple more phases together but we’ll come back for that infringement on half way.

They’ll kick for the corner and have a lineout on the 22.

By Simon Smale

72′ Penalty Argentina

The Wallabies were on the charge, looking to build some phases but Ikitau threw the ball over the line while being tackled and it will be an Argentina line out.

Nope, it will be a penalty, Tate McDermott pinged for a push off the ball as frustrations boil over.

By Simon Smale

69′ Argentina penalty!

Oh the Wallabies can’t keep their discipline!

The ruling is that the Wallabies did not release the ball in the tackle and the hosts get a relieving penalty.

By Simon Smale

67′ 50:22 from Tait McDermott!

Oh that will help the cause!

What a kick from the Queensland scrumhalf!

If the Wallabies score from here, a lineout on the five meters, then things could get very interesting!

By Simon Smale

Key Event

65′ Try Wallabies!

Len Ikitau dives over after being tackled – he popped back to his feet and strolled over the line unapposed.

So that’s the application from the referee just as with the previous try.

Funny, the commentators aren’t nearly as unhappy with that decision…

Can the Wallabies launch a comeback?

By Simon Smale

64′ Wallabies subs

I haven’t mentioned every sub, but Billy Pollard is on. Great story there, the Brumbies hooker has had a hell of a journey to get to Argentina on time and he comes on to make his Test debut.

By Simon Smale

Key Event

64′ Try Argentina!

11 phases of precise and incisive play by the Argentinians get the reward it deserves.

Thomas Gallo looked like he was tackled short, perhaps the referee said he hadn’t been held, but he got up and dove over the line…

Hmmm, not sure about that on replay, but the officials were happy.

There were two penalties in the move through against Fraser McReight we heard the referee say, adding that the Reds man going to be sent to the bin.

The conversion is good and the lead is now 26, Argentina 36-10 ahead.

By Simon Smale

62′ Penalty Argentina

The Wallabies are really struggling to beat this blue and white defensive line, being forced to kick deep while the Argentinians have time to kick high and contest

Rob Valentini closed the gap that Juan Cruz Mallia tried to run into, and gives away the penalty by blocking him.

Again, the commentators seem to think that Valentini didn’t close that gap, but I don’t think they’re quite right. He didn’t do much, admittedly, but he did close out that lane for him to run in to.

Argentina kick deep for a lineout.

By Simon Smale

58′ Knock on Argentina

Oh the Wallabies get away with one there.

Argentina were flooding forward again, Matias Moroni with a decent run initially.

There was an intercept thrown to Petaia, who almost apologetically gave it straight back to the Argentinians.

Taniela Tupou put a thumping tackle in the midfield that barely interrupted the Pumas’ mometum.

A chip in behind isolated James O’Connor and the Argentinans counterrucked to win the turnover, but then knocked the ball on five meters out from the Wallabies line.

By Simon Smale

55′ Penalty Argentina

The Wallabies are caught offside as Argentina flood forward with some nice passing plays.

The hosts are swarming all over the breakdown to create that quick ball which resulted in the offside penalty.

The penalty is just inside the Wallabies half, but they’ll kick for touch this time.

By Simon Smale

Key Event

53′ Penalty goal Argentina!

The Argentinians kicked deep straight away off the lineout after seeing a big gap in behind.

The Wallabies get back through Tom Wright but as he runs the ball back he gets isolated.

The kick from the ten-meter line is good from Emiliano Boffelli and the gap is out to 19 points, 29-10.

By Simon Smale

52′ Wallabies turn the ball over

Some good ball movement right and left from the Wallabies but then a pass out the back goes behind and it will be out for a lineout, that Argentina takes quickly.

By Simon Smale

50′ Penalty Argentina

Gee, the last couple of scrums have been all over the place.

That one moved sideways at a rate of knots before Taniela Tupou was pinged.

They kick up towards halfway.

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All Blacks v Springboks: South African writer slams ‘whinging’ Ian Foster and All Blacks over Kurt-Lee Arendse red card

All Blacks v Springboks: South African writer slams 'whinging' Ian Foster and All Blacks over Kurt-Lee Arendse red card

Beaudy talks about Sunday’s scary collision and looks ahead to this week’s game at Ellis Park. Video / All Blacks

A South African rugby writer has called out the All Blacks’ “whinging” over Springboks winger Kurt-Lee Arendse’s poor tackle on Beauden Barrett during last weekend’s test in Mbombela.

Arendse was red carded – and subsequently banned for four weeks – after he collided with Barrett mid-air during an aerial contest, causing the All Blacks first-five to fall dangerously on his head.

In an article on South African website Super Sport, rugby writer Brenden Nel admitted it was a “clumsy” challenge but said Ian Foster and the All Blacks were “trying to claim victimhood” and detract from their poor performances in their post-match reactions.

“They have tried to turn the attention to Kurt-Lee Arendse’s poor aerial attempt that left both him and Beauden Barrett leave [sic] the field after the horror clash,” Nel wrote in a piece titled ‘All Black whinging unbecoming of a great side’.

“No South African fan, pundit or anyone watching the game from these parts has defended Arendse. The team even said – politely – he got his timing wrong.

“The referee saw red – rightly so – and the judicial committee gave Arendse four weeks. It was deserved and he was a bit lucky not to get more.

“It was at best clumsy, at worse negligent and it was dealt with. End of story.

“On Sunday though, Foster came out firing, trying to claim victimhood in an arena where he needed something to cling to. So he took aim at Arendse.”

After the match, Foster said the tackle was “one of the worst I’ve ever seen” and claimed the All Blacks needed “more protection” in the air.

Beauden Barrett is tackled by Kurt Lee Arendse. Photo / Photosport
Beauden Barrett is tackled by Kurt Lee Arendse. Photo / Photosport

But Nel claims Foster’s reaction was “cynical” and “desperate”, after what was a disappointing performance leading to the All Blacks’ fifth loss in six tests.

“This after they won just six of the 16 aerial battles during the game. There were no other incidents even close to what happened in the 77th minute, and none warranting such an outcry. Yet here we are,” Nel wrote.

“Foster vowed to take the matter up with World Rugby and even sent Beauden Barrett out on Wednesday to front up in an interview and talk about how scared he was. Fair enough, it was a bad incident, and player welfare is always important.

“But the timing, along with the way the All Blacks have played it, has come across cynical, as if they want to influence referee Luke Pearce with their whinge. As if they want to deflect from their own failings by placing the spotlight on the Boxes.

“The aerial challenge is a part of modern rugby and most teams know it is coming when playing the Boks. In fact, normally the All Blacks use the tactic more than the Boks in these clashes, but they were outgunned in Mbombela.

“Still, when you think back to some of the All Black sides who have had controversy, who have shrugged and told their players to get on with it, the noise being made by Foster smacks of a desperate side looking for desperate measures to deflect from their own shortcomings.”

Ian Foster during an All Blacks press conference. Photo / Photosport
Ian Foster during an All Blacks press conference. Photo / Photosport

Nel also pointed to another aerial incident last year, when Jordie Barrett was red carded after his boot collided with Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete’s face during the All Blacks’ 38-21 win in Perth, suggesting Foster was hypocritical in his reaction to Arendse.

Barrett later had his red card expunged from his record and was cleared of a ban after the Sanzaar judicial committee found that the challenge was accidental.

“After all, it was the same Foster who denied the All Blacks had a problem when Jordie Barrett was rightfully red carded for a ‘kung-fu kick’ in the Bledisloe Cup test in Perth last year,” Nel wrote.

“At the time, this was Foster’s reaction to the red card – surprise.

“Fast forward to this week and you’d be right for seeing the irony in the whinging.”

Nel said SA director of rugby Rassie Erasmus, who tweeted a sarcastic response to a Beauden Barrett interview recounting the incident, was “perhaps a bit miffed” at the irony.

Nel also suggested Arendse and other Springboks chasers were consistently blocked by All Blacks players during aerial challenges.

“What Foster didn’t mention, and what the Boks could easily have complained about, are the blocking lines run by multiple players in their teams to try and put off chasers. An argument can be made that this – in all games – leads to the aerial contest being more dangerous, as players have to evade obstacles in their path while keeping their eyes on the ball.

“It’s something that is a blight on the game and all teams do it, but the All Blacks on Saturday did this multiple times which wasn’t picked up by the ref.”

Ultimately, Nel concluded that the All Blacks’ “victimhood mentality” was unbecoming and “desperate.”

“The bottom line though is, the All Black brand deserves better. They have been admired across the world for their style of play and success. The victimhood mentality doesn’t suit them and doesn’t suit the brand.

“We, as South Africans, are often faulted for complaining and are accused of playing victims. We have to get better as a rugby nation when things don’t go our way.

“But it was surprising to see the All Blacks so desperate to play this card this week. They should follow their own mantra and ‘just get on with it’.”

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All Blacks v Springboks: Duane Vermeulen back as South Africa change five for second All Blacks test

All Blacks v Springboks: Duane Vermeulen back as South Africa change five for second All Blacks test

Duane Vermeulen of South Africa speaks to his team during the Rugby World Cup final between the Springboks and England in Yokohama. Photo/Getty Images

Duane Vermeulen is back at No. 8 for his first test this year as South Africa made five changes to its starting lineup today for its second Rugby Championship game against New Zealand.

Two of those changes were forced, with Jaden Hendrikse at scrumhalf in place of Faf de Klerk, who was ruled out with concussion. Jesse Kriel is called in on the right wing to replace Kurt-Lee Arendse, who was sent off and also sustained a concussion in the Springboks’ 26-10 win over the All Blacks in Mbombela on Sunday.

Arendse was suspended for four weeks for the dangerous midair tackle on Beauden Barrett that led to his red card and his injury.

South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber also made two tactical switches in the front row for the game at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday by bringing in Ox Nché for Trevor Nyakane at loosehead prop and restoring Bongi Mbonambi as starting hooker in place of Malcolm Marx. Tighthead prop Frans Malherbe is set for his 50th test.

Herschel Jantjies was called up to the reserves as scrumhalf cover and Jasper Wiese dropped to the bench to make way for the return of the 36-year-old Vermeulen, who has recently undergone knee surgery.

“Duane has a massive presence on the field and there is no bigger game for him to make his comeback from injury than facing the All Blacks,” said Nienaber.

The Springboks are seeking back-to-back wins over the All Blacks for the first time since 2009 and another defeat for New Zealand is expected to see coach Ian Foster lose his job. The All Blacks have lost five of their last six tests to slip to an all-time low of No. 5 on the world rankings.

Foster is expected to name his team for Ellis Park on Thursday and has injury doubts over Beauden Barrett at flyhalf and his brother Jordie at fullback.

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South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Jaden Hendrikse; 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nché. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies, Willie le Roux.

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Rugby: Springboks winger Kurt-Lee Arendse gets four week ban for red card tackle

Rugby: Springboks winger Kurt-Lee Arendse gets four week ban for red card tackle

The gold rush continues at the Commonwealth Games, All Blacks defeated and Ian Foster’s job hands in the balance and a New Zealand one-two finish at the latest Indycar race in Nashville – Cheree Kinnear gives the highs and lows of the weekend’s sport all in 90 seconds. Video/Photosport/Sky Sport

Springboks wing Kurt-Lee Arendse has been suspended for four weeks after his red card tackle on All Black Beauden Barrett in the first test on Sunday.

Arendse received the red card late in the All Blacks’ 26-10 defeat after wiping Barrett out in the air while he was attempting to field a high ball.

The ugly incident at Mbombela Stadium finished with Barrett landing heavily on his neck.

In a statement, the Sanzaar Foul Play Review Committee said they have agreed to a guilty plea from Arendse.

Beauden Barrett was taken out in mid-air by Kurt-Lee Arendse. Photo / Photosport
Beauden Barrett was taken out in mid-air by Kurt-Lee Arendse. Photo / Photosport

He has been suspended from all forms of the game up to and including September 17.

That means he will be available for South Africa’s final Rugby Championship game against Argentina.

Arendse’s red card is one of two dangerous high ball challenges the All Blacks are seeking clarification on before attempting to arrest their sustained form slump in South Africa.

Scans after the match cleared Barrett of serious neck damage and he did not undergo an HIA assessment. Despite the initial alarm, All Blacks coach Ian Foster is yet to rule Barrett out of the second test at Ellis Park.

“We’ll make a decision on that later in the week but he’s still a bit sore,” Foster said.

As the All Blacks departed the secluded Ingwenyama Conference and Sport Resort for Johannesburg’s business district, Foster made his feelings on the incident clear when asked if he had concerns about the nature of the challenge.

“Massive concerns,” Foster said. It’s probably worst I’ve seen.”

Foster also expressed frustrations with a similar incident involving Arendse, who faces a lengthy suspension for his red card, earlier in the match on Jordie Barrett.

“It’s pretty disappointing because it happened in the 10th minute as well and they deemed that it was fair,” Foster said. “That’s part of the problem in the game. In the lineout if you throw a jumper over to their side with an arm up it’s considered obstruction whereas it’s becoming a bit of a free for all for jumpers to jump and stick a hand out and say they’re competing, so it needs to be addressed.”

The challenge on Jordie Barrett was reviewed at the time by the TMO but Foster now plans to take his concerns to World Rugby officials.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re protecting guys in the air. To be fair if you’re going to compete you should at least show a couple of hands up.

“We need to make sure we seek clarification about what we can and can’t do particularly with high balls and also with the breakdown, how to move people.”

Jordie Barrett left the field in the second half with an ankle injury that Foster confirmed was “bad” and is therefore likely to rule him out of the second test.

Whether Will Jordan – who was dominated from the right wing in the air by Springboks opposite Makazole Mapimpi – Beauden Barrett or Stephen Perofeta starts at fullback they can expect another aerial assault from the Boks.

With that in mind, Foster is intent on cleaning up challenges in the air to ensure a fair and safe contest for the ball.

The only certainty is the Boks will stick with their kick-heavy tactics that brought success in the form of their opening try to Arendse and several other gains.

“It becomes a lot easier if there’s a wide interpretation of what you can do underneath it. We’ve got to look at our responsibilities in the air and how we catch it because it’s coming but, by the same token, we do expect more protection than we got.”

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Rugby: Ardie Savea’s call to arms for wounded All Blacks ahead of first Springboks test

Rugby: Ardie Savea's call to arms for wounded All Blacks ahead of first Springboks test

Sam Cane and Ardie Savea look on during a New Zealand All Blacks training session. Photo/Getty Images

By Liam Napier in South Africa

Mbombela Stadium’s towering stands were empty as the All Blacks briefly strolled around the venue, with its giraffe-shaped roof supports and miniature in-goals, one day out from the first

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