The Wallabies have turned down three opportunities to kick a match-tying penalty and instead scored an 86th-minute winner in their latest Houdini Test act.
Australia beat Argentina 28-24 in Townsville on Saturday afternoon, with Angus Bell’s barging try coming after the Wallabies trailed by three points with 90 seconds to go.
They had trailed 21-7 at half-time but launched a brilliant second-half rally. It came two Tests after a stunning, historic comeback defeat of South Africa at Ellis Park and continues the momentum outgoing coach Joe Schmidt has created in the past 12 months.
“There was a lot happening there,” skipper Harry Wilson said of the dramatic ending. “We could have went for goal and taken the draw but everyone believed we could finish the job.
“Everyone feeling the moment and there was 25,000 fans pleading for us to tap it. We weren’t at our best but to find a away against a really good opposition is a real credit.”
In front of 20,162 fans, Argentina thought they had pinched it with a 78th-minute penalty after the hosts had levelled at 21-21 but then failed to land the killer blow.
A jarring 15-point punch in just 13 minutes approaching half-time broke the game open for the visitors after a spluttering first half hour.
Argentina led 6-0 thanks to penalty goals when Taniela Tupou was twice pinged for making no-arm tackles in an opening that didn’t deliver the running rugby most expected.
Australia steadied and, after a 20-minute hydration break, eventually cracked the line. Nic White darted through the space after Harry Wilson had peeled off the back of a lineout to get the hosts on the front foot.
But, with the Wallabies on the charge again, Rob Valetini knocked on and Los Pumas pounced. First they shifted to the blind side of a scrum, with winger Bautista Delguy finishing the slick move.
Tom Hooper’s forward pass minutes later gave them another scrum from a similar position and Argentina schemed to the open side with a set play finished by winger Mateo Carreras.
Returning flyhalf Tom Lynagh and Andrew Kellaway, replacing the injured Tom Wright at fullback, then got tangled up inside their 22 and Carreras accepted another gift three-pointer.
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Bell’s introduction gave Australia impetus that was converted when Len Ikitau’s offload put Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii over.
The contest opened up from there. Lynagh was replaced by James O’Connor for the final quarter after suffering another concussion.
The Wallabies pushed again and Carreras was yellow carded for Argentina’s repeated infringements. Suaalii pounced, beating two to score his second before O’Connor’s conversion levelled the scores.
The hosts had all the running in the final 15 minutes but were denied the go-ahead score.
In a rare attacking raid Argentina found a penalty with Carlo Tizzano caught in a ruck and fullback Juan Cruz Mallia kicked a penalty before Australia’s audacious final push.
