Australia vs Argentina Preview & Tips - Struggling Argentina backed for heavy defeat

Australia have won two of their last five matches against Argentina. There was one Los Pumas win and two draws, both of them last season.

Their last match took place in Sydney where Argentina managed to come away with a 16-16 draw. The week prior the two sides drew 15-15.

The outlook of Australian rugby has changed dramatically over the last two weeks. While they beat France 2-1 in a three-match series to get the season underway, it was a second string French outfit that toured down under.

That was followed by three successive defeats to New Zealand, two of which were by large margins. They lost 57-22 in New Zealand before returning home to lose 38-21 against the same opposition.

With the world champion Springboks next, confidence was at an all time low. The team however rallied to win 28-26 and 30-17 over the last week weekends.

While the Wallabies were fortunate in the first match, they were dominant in the second. They even managed to get parity at set piece, a place South Africa usually dominates.

Tom Banks will miss this clash after suffering an injury last weekend. Reece Hodge is expected to start at fullback.

James O’Connor has returned from injury but with Quade Cooper is superb form, O’Connor might have to do with a spot on the bench.

Argentina came into 2021 full of confidence. They had a spectacular 2020 where they drew twice against Australia and managed to get their first ever win over New Zealand.

This season they also drew and beat Wales away, however it was during the B+I Lions tour so Wales were missing a number of players. Thereafter Los Pumas lost heavily to South Africa on two successive Saturday’s.

Arriving in Australia, the Argentines would have hoped to replicate their 2020 form down under. It has gone horribly wrong though, losing 39-0 to New Zealand two weeks ago and then 36-13 to the same opposition last week.

The matches against Australia would however have been the focus on this tour so expect Los Pumas to be at their best again this weekend.

Argentina are likely to name the same lineup. They performed a lot better last weekend so are expected to remain unchanged.