Resurgent Wallabies brace for ‘scary’ Argentina
Justin Chadwick |
The Wallabies gold is suddenly cool again, and skipper Harry Wilson doesn’t want his team’s resurgence to be a flash-in-the-pan phenomenon.
Australia are a solid chance of ending their 10-year Rugby Championship drought after starting their campaign with a 2-1 record, but it’s been a long and winding journey to get them there.
Jonny Wilkinson’s match-winning drop goal for England in the 2003 World Cup final proved to be the beginning of a two-decade decline for Australian rugby.
Coaches such as Eddie Jones, John Connolly, Robbie Deans, Ewen McKenzie, Michael Cheika and Dave Rennie came and went and the Wallabies hit rock bottom when Jones’ second coming resulted in the team bombing out at the 2023 World Cup group stage.
Dwindling crowd numbers mirrored the team’s flagging on-field performances, but the arrival of Joe Schmidt in January, 2024 has changed everything.
Schmidt has transformed the Wallabies back into a powerhouse rugby outfit, and the team have won back the hearts of fans in the process.
Australia were plucky in their 2-1 series defeat to the British and Irish Lions – a series that could have gone the hosts’ way if not for a questionable late call in the second Test.
Momentum gathered steam last month when the Wallabies overcame a 22-0 deficit to beat defending world champions South Africa 38-22 to snap a 62-year hoodoo at Ellis Park.
The Wallabies’ return to home soil last week sparked pandemonium when replacement prop Angus Bell scored the winning try in the 86th minute to lift his side to a 28-24 win over Argentina in Townsville.
Such is the excitement, Saturday night’s re-match against the Pumas in Sydney is sold out, with more than 40,000 fans set to descend on Allianz Stadium.
But with great power comes great responsibility, and Wilson knows the Wallabies must maintain their good form in order to keep themselves in the hearts of Australian rugby fans.
“We want to see rugby being talked about the way I believe it should be talked about, and it is at the moment,” Wilson said.
“It’s super exciting as a player, as a playing group, that everyone’s getting behind us and everyone’s seeing the work we’re putting in.
“But we need to hold onto it. If we have a couple of good weeks and then go back, the support may disappear.”
Wilson credited Wallabies fans for helping them get over the line against Argentina last week.
The Wallabies trailed 21-7 at halftime, and on three occasions after the fulltime siren they turned down the chance to kick a match-tying penalty in order to go for the win.
“When you’re seeing gold jerseys everywhere in sold-out stadiums, it is really special,” Wilson said.
“On the weekend, I truly believe that support at the end of the game, how loud they were cheering for us, probably was one of the differences.”
The Wallabies are well aware Argentina will be out for revenge.
Just last year, Argentina bounced back from a 20-19 home loss to Australia to pummel the Wallabies 67-27 a week later.
“We do know what’s coming, we experienced it first hand last year and it wasn’t nice at all,” Wilson said.
“We were down for 84 minutes on the weekend and only just got the win, so we know how much of a class team they are, and them fired up is a scary proposition for us.”
Tane Edmed has earned his first start for the Wallabies, named at flyhalf in place of the injured Tom Lynagh (hamstring), while inside centre Hunter Paisami replaces Len Ikitau (knee laceration).
AAP
