Wallabies labelled ‘massive disappointment’ by David Rennie after Argentina Rugby Championship loss

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie teed off at a ‘disappointing’ Australian side after their ‘shambolic’ 31-point loss to Argentina on Sunday morning. 

While they were missing several topliners, the Wallabies were heavily favoured to repeat their victorious heroics from a week earlier – but the men in gold crashed to a 48-17 loss in San Juan, Argentina.

Rennie’s mood fluctuated between gutted and livid in a scathing post-match analysis of Australia’s loss. 

‘Massive disappointment. We conceded four tries with kicks in behind us and got dominated in the collision area,’ Rennie said when asked about the defeat on Stan Sport’s coverage after the game.

‘We want to earn the respect of the country and you don´t do it with performances like that.’ 

It was almost astonishing in its scathing honesty, especially as Australia were missing up to eight top-line players in the match.

That being said, it was clearly the manner of the loss, not the defeat itself, that didn’t sit right with the New Zealand native.

‘We had a good enough side to do the job … whoever pulls the jersey on has got to front and we weren’t good enough,’ said Rennie. 

The win for the Pumas, built on the back of seven electric tries, is their biggest-ever victory over Australia. 

In even better news for the rugby-obsessed nation, on the back of the thumping bonus-point victory they moved to the top of the four-nation standings.

You would have been a brave person to suggest the ladder would read Argentina, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand – in that order – after two rounds of the Rugby Championship.  

Argentina raced to a 26-10 halftime lead, and unlike last weekend’s Test in Mendoza, there was to be no miraculous Aussie comeback.

Australia had a James O’Connor try, which would have given them the lead, disallowed in the 20th minute in a baffling refereeing decision and the Pumas scored minutes later in 14-point swing.

It proved a turning point with the remainder of the game almost one-way traffic.

Andrew Mehrtens was shocked the try was disallowed, and of the opinion Aussie skipper James Slipper did everything right.

‘Surely there is nothing wrong with that. There is no other way James Slipper can make that clean-out. It’s (Pablo) Matera’s fault he’s ended up in that position,’ he said on the Stan broadcast.

Pumas coach, former Wallabies and Waratahs mentor Michael Cheika, switched up his renowned game plan and used their contestable kicking game to expose the inexperience of Australia’s back three.

They piled on the pressure in a physical performance with the Wallabies, missing key men such as skipper Michael Hooper through personal leave and injury, bereft of answers.

Australia got off to the worst possible start and they trailed 14-0 after seven minutes.

Veteran winger Juan Imhoff pounced on a mix-up between Wallabies winger Jordan Petaia and fullback Tom Wright and raced to the line before fired-up prop Thomas Gallo barrelled over.

The Wallabies regrouped and got on the board in the 12th minute after Rob Valetini charged ahead and set up a quick pick and go for skipper James Slipper to score just his second try in 119 Tests, which was soon backed up by an O’Connor penalty.

It looked like the visitors would take the lead after O’Connor crossed after some clever interplay with Petaia but referee Karl Dickson and the TMO deemed an earlier clean-out by Slipper was illegal.

It proved a double blow when Argentina centre Jeronimo de la Fuente scored down the other end with Emiliano Boffelli adding the extras for a 21-10 lead.

The Pumas again jumped on some box kick confusion from the visitors with flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez this time gifted the ball to touch down.

The half-time margin could have larger but for a miracle try-saving tackle by Marika Koroibete.

The Wallabies were unable to build into the second half through errors and poor decision-making while the hungry Pumas marched on.

Gallo grabbed his second and then Boffelli crossed, before their seventh try by Tomas Albornoz after the full-time siren capped a memorable match for the home side.

The Aussie skipper was understandably disappointed about the loss, but you got the feeling there was a big sense of relief after being thrusted into the role by Hooper’s break. 

‘We fell short of our standards today … full credit to them, they were tough,’ Slipper said after the game.

‘We’re excited about getting home – it’s been a tough tour for us.’ 

Wallabies fans were more disappointed than angry after the match.

Many accepted that there were a few players missing, but labelled the effort unacceptable. 

‘Not good enough, anywhere’, a fan commented on Twitter. ‘Shambles all round’ another wrote.

‘This looked like a side that’s lost their captain, flyhalf and superstar inside centre in the past week. Very disappointing performance for the Wallabies, with returning players desperately needed,’ said one particularly astute fan.

Perhaps the only redeeming part of the loss was a sensational performance of Rob Valetini in the back row, with the Brumbies star relentless around the field.

For the home side however, the mood will be decidedly more joyous.

Commentators were full of praise for the strong Pumas performance; with Nick McArdle labelling it ‘clinical and ruthless’, while Anthony Siebold said they completely ‘manipulated the Wallabies defence’. 

The Wallabies will now take on South Africa in two more Rugby Championship clashes, the first of which is on August 27 in Adelaide. 

There will hopefully be a few more players available again, and while admitted the lack of cohesion hurt his team Rennie said the returning players wouldn’t be a quick fix.