Argentina v Australia: men’s rugby union international – live

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Full-time: Argentina 67-27 Australia

What an astonishing second half. I can’t quite believe it. Australia held a 20-3 lead after 23 minutes. They lead 20-17 at half-time.

But one of the great performances in Argentine history – just weeks after beating the All Blacks in New Zealand – has secured an utterly remarkable result.

TRY! Argentina 67-27 Australia (Cinti, 80+1)

Cinti gets the try he deserves and this is a record score! This was already the most points ever conceded by Australia in a Test and now it’s their largest ever margin of defeat! Incredible. What a second half of rugby from the Pumas.

80 min: They get so close! Just a metre away after superb hands – again – off the back of a line-out sees them go from one side of the pitch to the other. Instead it ends with a penalty as Kellaway – who gets shown a yellow card – prevents the score from an off-side position. So Argentina kick it out and will set a five metre line-out.

79 min: Penalty for Argentina and they hoof it to the corner. A line-out inside Australia’s 22. Can they get one more?

TRY! Argentina 60-27 Australia (Oviedo, 77)

What is going on!? This is unreal. Ovideo, a loose forward, just did an impression of Cheslin Kolbe. Once again it’s outrageous hands from the Pumas who sling it down the line like with superb accuracy. Oviedo gets it, throws a dummy, jinks round a tackler and side-steps another as he dots down in style. What a finish to this match!

TRY! Argentina 53-27 Australia (Mallia, 75)

Fifty up! A second for the full-back. Argentina are so clinical. It’s off the back of a turnover following a mighty thump on Jorgensen. Then it’s just quick hands down the line until an overlap is found and Mallia, on the support, breezes through and over. Wonderful rugby. Don’y you wish you were partying with all the Pumas fans tonight?

74 min: It’s starting to feel like an exhibition game. Both teams are running it from everywhere. Good fun. Australia have it now on the half-way line but Jorgensen is nailed and the Pumas pinch it on the deck. Can they get to 50?

TRY! Argentina 46-27 Australia (Mallia, 72)

Game over. That will surely be that and what a way to put an end to this contest. Outstanding hands down the line. My goodness isn’t Cinti some player. He stood up Koroibete and then ghosted past him. A quick pass to his right was followed by another and Mallia, who won possession a minute earlier with a catch from a high kick, keeps his boots on the right side of the whitewash to slide over the corner. The conversion is missed but that doesn’t matter. Job done.

TRY! Argentina 41-27 Australia (McDermott, 70)

Now then. That puts a cat amongst the pigeons. Perhaps not, but it’s a heck of a score from the replacement nine. Australia won the scrum penalty inside Argentina’s 22. McDermott tapped and went and kept on going, wriggling through several Pumas forwards before hammering down the ball over the line under pressure. The conversion sails over so Australia can still haul in their hosts if they keep scoring converted tries.

67 min: Albornoz has just pulled off a stunning try-saving tackle worthy of a man of the match award on its own! My goodness. That was something. Australia had the scrum feed and McDermott ran right before popping a short ball for Koroibete on the angle. The winger was clean through, steaming towards the corner. But the Argentine fly-half, who has been great, wouldn’t let him go, diving full stretch and hauling the Aussie out of touch. Wonderful.

TRY! Argentina 41-20 Australia (Oviedo, 65)

It’s a downpour! What lovely stuff from the home side. A turnover from Bello at the breakdown is swiftly ignited into a counter attack. Plenty of options down the line has Australia scrambling. A stiff carry from Cinti – a standout performer this evening – punches a hole and finds Oviedo with an off-load. He rides a tackle and continues his run, finishing with a flourishing dive. The conversion is good too.

Penalty! Argentina 34-20 Australia (Albornoz, 63)

Two converted tries the difference. That penalty, effortlessly knocked over an angle from the left, means Argentina are in cruise control.

62 min: The line-out isn’s pretty but at least the ball lands back on Argentina’s side. Australia hold firm and push the Pamas away from their 22. But an Australian – Slipper I think – doesn’t use his shoulder to make a tackle and gives away a needless penalty.

60 min: There’s been a dramatic shift in this game. Not only are Argentina holding onto the ball better, and playing through the hands with greater accuracy, but they’re monstering every carry and every tackle. They now have a line-out throw on Australia’s 22.

TRY! Argentina 31-20 Australia (Matera, 58)

Argentina are running away with it! If there’s anyone who deserves a try it’s that man. Dominance off the back of the scrum, Argentina boss every collision. Cinti makes a thunderous run that takes out three defenders. Matera picks and goes and won’t be stopped from close range. Albornoz maintains his perfect record and now there’s clear daylight between the sides.

55 min: Wilson isn’t happy but there’s no changing the decision. And Argentina win a scrum penalty. They’re simply consuming the Wallabies scrum right now. Slipper isn’t loving his record-equalling appearance so far. Argentina call for another scrum. Another penalty and we could see a card.

53 min: Williams pinches another Argentina line-out. That’s two in a row. Some kick tennis follows before Argentina run it through the middle. Matera – who is having a cracking game – gets over the gainline and there’s a penalty against Australia for that quirky rule about the position of kick chasers and the kicker himself. I can’t quite figure it all out. The headline is that Argentina have the scrum feed about five metres from Australia’s line. I reckon we’ll hear more from this incident if the Pumas score.

51 min: Donaldson lands a good touch finder after Argentina ping the ball deep in Australia’s territory. That was off the back of Bertranou hammering Jorgensen into touch and the Pumas taking the line-out quickly. The subsequent line-out is pinched by Australia but soon after the Pumas take back control as Carreras has a chance to crunch Jorgensen into touch.

TRY! Argentina 24-20 Australia (Gonzalez, 49)

Argentina take the lead! And they deserve it. A mighty scrum took the Australian pack out of the equation. Argentina recycle and go down the blindside. Wilson made a strong try-saving tackle and first but his opposite number would not be denied as he wrestled the ball over the line. The conversion take the deficit beyond a penalty.

48 min: Nasser, on for Faessler, makes a massive steal right on his own line. Argentina go quickly off the line-out with Matera providing swift service. A wonderful cut against the grain from Mallia has him crashing through the gold wall. Argentina go left and get close until Nasser rips it back onto his side. But Australia can’t find the space to kick it clear and Argentina swarm to kill the ball over the Wallabies’ try line. So it’s deemed unplayable and the Pumas get a five metre scrum feed.

46 min: Wilson picks up off the back of the scrum and makes good yards with a mighty carry. Donaldson though skews his clearing kick so Argentina will have the line-out in Australia’s 22. The Wallabies just can’t get out of their own red zone.

45 min: Outstanding maul defence from Frost who wedged himself in the morass of bodies and wrapped up Montoya. Argentina can’t get the ball out and Australia win it back for a scrum feed. That could be a massive moment.

44 min: Argentina’s pack get the rumble on and they win a scrum penalty. It’s on the angle so not necessarily a gimme kick. I think they’ll go to the corner. Yup, time for a line-out about seven out. BTW, I think Slipper was the guilty party there in that scrum.

43 min: James Slipper is on the field and becomes the joint-most capped Wallaby in history. He’ll have to bail out Koroibete after the winger knocked-on under no pressure inside his 22 while fielding a dribbling kick. Big chance for the Pumas here.

42 min: Ikitau knocks after sticking his hand out when the ball near the right touch wasn’t meant for him. That’s possibly his first mistake in two Tests. Argentina attack down the line from a secure scrum. Carreras kicks but it’s too long and Australia take the mark.

We’re back! And if the second half is anything like the first we’re in for a treat.

How good is Angus Bell?

Half-time: Argentina 17-20 Australia

Argentina almost score after the hooter! It was a lovely move from the scrum about 40 yards back. Gonzalez peeled off and played a one-two with Bertranou before hammering three defenders in the carry. Chocobares got it on the angle and came close. But impatience – again – was their undoing as Matera attempted to dot down with a looooooong stretch of the arm but could only knock on.

A cracking half of rugby comes to an end.

I’ll be back in a bit.

39 min: A net gain for the Pumas as a bit of kick tennis ends with Koroibete hooks a clearance and Argentina have the line-out in Aussuie territory. That becomes a scrum as Williams gets up and makes a nuisance of himself but can only knock-on. One final chance to attack in this first half.

TRY! Argentina 17-20 Australia (Montoya, 38)

On his 100th cap he gets a try! What a moment for Montoya. Argentina had the penalty within touching distance of the try line. They choose to tap and go. Two phases later the skipper crashes over from close range. The extras means it’s a 14 point swing and now a three point game.

37 min: Rather than maul they go with variety as Matera breaks and goes on his own. Nothing doing so they go again. Montoya, Gallo, all the big boys are taking shots. Then down the hands where they’re looking for an edge. They have an advantage but not enough accuracy in the backline so they’ll go again from a penalty five metres out.

36 min: Australia can’t secure clean ball from the line-out around Argentina’s 22 and now they’re defending on their own 22. Argentina are moving the ball so quickly. If only they could hold on for longer spells! They’ll get a chance to attack from a line-out 10 metres out after Australia get it wrong at the breakdown and give away a penalty.

34 min: Gallo knock-on in contact from a big hit by Wilson. Australia kick ahead and Mallia cleans up. He dots down in his in-goal area but instead of dropping long he takes a sneaky little grubber to himself and almost makes a proper mess of things. In the end he’s lucky to bundle out a kick around his own 22.

TRY! Argentina 10-20 Australia (M Carreras, 31)

They hit straight back with a beauty of their own! It began with Mallia leaping to secure a high kick and keep the attack moving. Matera then held firm as he carried two tacklers with him into Australia’s 22 and had the strength to off-load over the shoulder for the onrushing Carreras who sliced through the line to score under the poles. The conversion makes it a 10-point game.

TRY! Argentina 3-20 Australia (Kellaway, 29)

Outstanding! From nothing. Gordan, on the right wing, changed direction and fed Donaldson who darted down the short side. Quick hands to Kellaway and then to Jorgensen created the space and the young winger fed his fullback back on the inside with a perfectly timed one-two move and away he went. Donaldson converts and this is getting ugly for the home side who look shellshocked.

27 min: Correction, we resumed with an Argentine scrum (I could have sworn that was a white and blue hand that knocked on). Anyway, they work through five phases and go from the right, to the left, and back to the right. Albornoz has his hands on it and a pass for Cinti on the angle sees him burst into Australia’s 22. But a spilled ball swiftly finds its way to Koroibete who hoofs a mighty kick deep into Argentina’s half. The return punt doesn’t have the same heft so it’s Australia’s line-out inside Puma territory. Great defence from the Wallabies.

26 min: Donaldson hoists a high kick that neither team can control. It bounces once, twice and is finally knocked forward by Argentina. Time for a drinks break in the heat. We’ll return with a scrum for Australia in Argentina’s half. The home side need to sharpen up sharpish.

26 min: Argentina are running it from everywhere. Albornoz almost gets in real trouble as he looks to step Donaldson in his own 22, slips and just about wriggles free. But the Pumas are unperturbed as they go down the line and almost find the half-gap needed, but an offload back infield from the right wing doesn’t stick. Now it’s Australia’s turn to run it back.

24 min: Tupou makes a tackle, gets on his feet and wins a stunning turnover on half-way. That allows Australia to counter after several Argentine phases and in a flash they’re within touching distance of the line thanks to a bobbling kick that sits up on an awkward bounce. Argentina choose the mad option and run it from their own line. Albornoz eventually hoofs it long to clear.

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