Australia Pursue Three In A Row Against Wounded Pumas

Australia pursue three in a row against wounded Pumas

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has urged his team to stay focused as they eye three wins in a row for the first time since 2017 against a wounded Argentina on Saturday

Brisbane, Australia, Sept 23 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Sep, 2021 ) :Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has urged his team to stay focused as they eye three wins in a row for the first time since 2017 against a wounded Argentina on Saturday.

Australia head into the Rugby Championship fifth-round clash in Townsville with momentum and confidence after consecutive victories over South Africa, propelling them up to number three in the world.

In contrast, Los Pumas and coach Mario Ledesma are under mounting pressure after four straight defeats, scoring just two tries while conceding 136 points.

Despite this Rennie remains cautious of a team desperate to bounce back, and conscious that Argentina frustrated his side by grinding out two draws last season.

"We know the Argentinians will be desperate because they have had four losses so far and they're a good side," he said Thursday ahead of what will be the first ever Test played in Townsville, in northern Queensland.

"They'll want to express themselves, they throw more passes (than South Africa), they counter when given the opportunity and they are very good at it.

"They're also very good at filling the field, are disciplined around defence and can be hard to break down.

"What we've learned over the past few weeks is we have to hang in the fight for a long time, sometimes it takes 60 or 70 minutes to crack a side," he added.

"We're certainly in no position to sit back and relax and be happy. We're still a long way from the team we reckon we could be." Rennie has made two changes to his starting side, handing flanker Rob Leota a run-on debut in a backrow marshalled by skipper Michael Hooper and Rob Valetini.

The versatile Reece Hodge got the nod to replace fullback Tom Banks, who is out for up to 10 weeks with a fractured arm.

A fit-again James O'Connor was included on the bench and will see his first action since May, when a groin injury sidelined him after he had made the fly-half role his own.

That position has now been taken by veteran Quade Cooper, who made a remarkable comeback earlier this month after four years in the international wilderness.