Joe Scmidt regrets Australia's dismal performance against Argentina in Santa Fe
Australia now have three defeats from four matches in the Rugby Championship
©PA
Australia head coach Joe Schmidt admitted that the Rugby Championship defeat to Argentina in Santa Fe felt like a “fell off a cliff”.
With early tries from Carlo Tizzano and Andrew Kellaway, the Wallabies had a comfortable lead of 3-20 in the first half hour of the game but Argentina made a dramatic comeback as they scored a nine try riot to complete a stunning 67-27 victory.
Joaquin Oviedo and Juan Mallia scored two tries apiece while Mateo Carreras, Julian Montoya, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Pablo Matera and Lucio Cinti crossed over for the Pumas to hand a heartbreak for the Wallabies ahead of their Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand that kicks-off on 21st September.
“There were aspects of it that were really good,” said Schmidt after the game.
“Obviously, to lead a Test match 20-3 and get run down in the manner which we did is really disappointing. We cannot let a game get away from us like it did and fall off a cliff.
“We lost connection in our defensive line. We were forever chasing them.
"We didn’t put enough pressure on at the breakdown, so they were operating off lightning quick ball, and it’s just too difficult to keep chasing a team on a hot day when they’ve got the ball and going forward.”
Having started the campaign under Schmidt with two wins against Wales and a victory over Georgia, the Wallabies now have lost three out their four matches in the Rugby Championship as they are languishing at the bottom of the table. They now face New Zealand in back to back matches on 21st and 28th September.
