Argentina’s inclusion in the inaugural Rugby Championship
has been one of the highlights of the whole tournament and they can cap off a
fine showing with a well-deserved win against Australia to end their inaugural campaign.
The Pumas had initially looked as if they would be very much
the poor relation when being well beaten by South Africa but have improved with
performance on all but one occasion since, and their thrashing at the hands of
New Zealand is more than forgivable when you compare the gulf between not just
the All Blacks and most sides but the gulf between the All Blacks and Australia
especially.
New Zealand were behind early but were enable by a
masterclass of total rugby driven by Kieran Read, Dan Carter, Aaron Smith,
players who are in a different class to anything that Australia can offer at
the moment. It’s also worth noting that New Zealand’s wingers are on a
different level to anything the Wallabies can offer. Robbie Deans’ side got
knocked out of the World Cup in the semis by the All Blacks but their fortunes
couldn’t have been any different since then with injuries pushing the Wallabies
on a massive slide since then, while Steve Hansen’s side just wrapped up a
clean sweep with a convincing victory at South Africa.
Since the end of the Rugby World Cup, Deans has lost James
O'Connor, James Horwill, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Lachlan Turner, Stephen
Moore, Will Genia, Scott Higginbotham, Sekope Kepu and Christian Lealiifano to
injury – the spine of the side that had been impressing so many before the
World Cup when beating the All Blacks
25-20. Without them Australia have been far less effective and their
performance has waned with every single game, the low point being a 31-8
thrashing at the hands of South Africa last week where only the hosts profligacy
infront of goal prevented it from being a near 50 point rout.
They’re coming her in very poor shape, have their weakest squad yet, and barely beat
the Argentinans on home soil, so back the hosts to cap off a fine introduction
to life back in the test sphere if they can get off to the fast start they’re
so often famed for – Los Pumas have scored the first try in their last 4 games
and Australia have failed to score in the first quarter, as well as going in
down at the break to both South Africa and New Zealand both home and away. With
Argentina getting outscored by an average of 7 points in the second half, it
might pay to cover your back with the 7/1 on the Argentina/Australia half time
full time result. Those looking for the first Tryscorer should go for the
outgoing legend Rodrigo Roncero (pictured) at a giant 66/1 – he notched first against New
Zealand – or Gonzalo Camacho, who is the outstanding winger in the side, at
14/1.
Advice:
3 pts Argentina to win 1st half (11/10 Skybet)
2 pts Argentina (10/11 general)
1 pt Argentina/Australia (7/1 Ladbrokes)
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