Argentina beat Australia in the Rugby Championship 2018 – as it happened

And here’s the match report:

A long losing streak on the road comes to an end for Argentina. The whistle blows as soon as Folau’s dispossessed ball bounces into touch, and Los Pumas have done it. They rejoice. How close was that?

It was a ping-pong kind of first half, a lot of attack and not great defence as both teams scored freely. Then it got a lot tougher, and a lot more bad-tempered, close to the half and in the second stanza. The Wallabies made too many mistakes, giving away penalties and fumbling when they had a chance to put pressure on. But Argentina were superb in patches, countering and counterattacking when they were behind, targeting the Wallabies line with the ball in hand, and creating their chances. It’s worth remembering that they had two tries disallowed that could have blown this margin out. It’s also worth paying tribute to Boffelli’s incredible long-range kicking - two from two - that ultimately gave them the points to keep them clear of the home side.

The Argentinian captain Agustin Creevey pays credit to his team’s lineout and scrum for getting them over the line. Michael Hooper looks shattered and exhausted in his interview, there’s barely a molecule of pep in his voice.

Another tough night for the Wallabies and for their coach Michael Cheika. Had their chances but ultimately weren’t good enough. And Los Pumas, who have been building for so many years, finally get that win in Australia that they’ve craved. Felicitaciónes, amigos nuestros. Un abrazo a ustedes. Que tengan una buena noche.

That’s it from us at the Guardian - buenas noches to the rest of you as well.

View image in fullscreen

80:09 Australia have a scrum at halfway, on the right of the field. Nick Phipps to feed it. A minute up his sleeve. Foley releases Beale, who’s nearly through on the left! But brought down. The ball swings back the other way, Folau takes it near the right sideline, he skips one! Skips two! Is tackled nearly the line... and the ball pops free. Foley was unmarked wide of Folau and was right there for the pass, but Folau tried to charge through on his own and the ball jars from his hands in the tackle. So close, so very close.

77:20 Except the Wallabies immediately give up another penalty. I don’t even know what that one was for. Argentina will try the long-range kick – if anything it will help run down the clock. Boffelli nailed a long one to start the game. He lines up for another. 76 minutes on the clock. Straight in front. Fifty metres to cover. And he nails it! Long and high and handsome, what a strike. Doesn’t make much difference for the Wallabies, they still just need a try.

75:28 The Argentines kick for touch, take the lineout, but cough it up. Hooper nearly carves through the centre but is just brought down as he targeted the break, then is penalised for lying on the ball in the tackle. Argentina’s penalty again, and it results in a lineout at the halfway point. Los Pumas start a rolling maul from the lineout, switching modes like a Transformer made of mouthguards and sweat. But eventually they lose the ball, and Australia can look for the win once again...

72:40 The lineout follows Genia’s kick, then there’s a box kick from the Argentinians. Folau marks it like a dream yet again and passes as he comes to ground. But again there’s a handling error as the Wallabies look to build, and Foley passes the wrong way where there’s no space. Michael Cheika has his head in his hands in the coaching box. Argentina can feed the scrum with eight minutes left, the ball comes out... and the penalty goes against Australia for pulling back on one of the props, I think.

70:13 Another scrum, another bit of push and shove. Tempers haven’t settled. The Wallabies forwards are urging one another one. The scrum tries again, Genia with the feed. Quick to Foley, Beale, overlapping and surging, but in the end there’s another knock-on at Australia’s attacking 20. Argentina push back up to halfway and then lose it. Beale tries a kick forward into touch. Genia comes off with ten minutes left.

65:05 Now a miss the other way, as Australia win a penalty 50 metres out. Given the distance, they’ve given the shot to Reece Hodge rather than Foley. But his long-range launch fades to the far side.

63:06 A series of brutal hits, serious scrapping for the ball after the tackle as well. They’re going fierce. Argentina try a box kick, but Folau is so good under those high balls. He takes it cleanly, tries to set off, falls and nearly loses it, Argentina players grab for the ball on the ground. Argentina are awarded the scrum feed. They try a quick release, but can’t make ground through the centre of the field. Eventually they opt for the high ball, and Delguy again was a rocket running downfield to make the tackle deep in Australia’s defence. Beale has no option but to kick himself, Tui catches well but then loses it, and in the wash-up Folau Fainga’a tackles a man without the ball. Argentina win the shot at goal, straight in front, but Sanchez curls it just too far to the near post. A reprieve for Australia, it’s still 19-20 to the visitors.

55:45 Allan Ala’alatoa is off the field, Taniela Tupou is back on after being blood-binned earlier. Folau wins a penalty for a high tackle. Foley kicks for touch five metres out. The Wallabies try to form a rolling maul. They’re held up, and Genia flings it out. To Foley. To Hodge. And Haylett-Petty says, the sky is not falling, I’m over in the far corner, wide on the right. Argentina’s defence had to deal with the maul threat, so there was always a lot of space available to the Wallabies once it came clear. The try is there, but the sub kicker Foley misses.

View image in fullscreen

51:40 From the restart, the ball is kicked forward, and Boffelli marks and kicks for a Wallabies lineout 25 metres out. The lineout gets scrubby, the Argentinians get a hand in, and so there’s a scrum. They feed it, but go to the wrong side of the ruck. It’ll start again, but with Australia feeding. There’s a lot of Spanish shouting coming through the mics, the South Americans are much more fired up tonight than the Antipodeans, at least by voice. Plenty of intent in Australia’s play though.

Toomua is off, after one run so far this evening. Bernard Foley is on for him.

47:35 Australia were racking up the phases through the middle of the ground, but eventually there’s a knock-on under very little pressure. It ricochets forward off an Argentine boot, and while their chasers aren’t quick enough to reach it themselves, they are quick enough to isolate Hodges and force the turnover. Folau wins a kick eventually and mongrels out a ball for an Argentine lineout. They get a penalty but are paid the advantage, so Sanchez tries a bomb kick to the 22 to see if they can fluke a catch. Nothing doing, so the ball comes back for the penalty. Sanchez pops it over without too much angle to contend with, 30 out.

42:50 Los Pumas are on the wrong end of the TMO again. There was a dinky little left-foot kick from the centre of the field toward the right sideline. Delguy was first to it and flung it back inboard. Boffelli swooped on the bouncing ball and crashed over. But the review finds that Delguy’s pass was forward as the momentum of his fall made it hard to control. That could have broken the Wallabies if the Pumas had suddenly shot out to 24 points.

“Breathe Geoff, breathe,” emails Richard Olivier. “Some may say that the Aussies are indeed beating themselves…” We’re underway again int he second half. All wrestling in the centre so far.

Eventually we get to the whistle without anyone benefiting from the nonsense before the break. Those last few minutes aside, what a half it was. Thrilling rugby, end to end, action aplenty, and just the one three-pointer from an infringement. Take five.

41 and change: Plenty of... wait for it... Argy bargy going on in the scrum, as Lacey keeps scolding the teams about binding too early. “We don’t push each other. Both sides. Let’s concentrate on our scrum, please.” We’re into red-time thanks to about six different goes at setting this scrum. In the end, Australia dominate the scrum, steal the ball, but a penalty goes against them. Then the scrum devolves into an all-in wrestle, and a few fists flew. Pocock was on top of an Argentinian player after dragging him off someone else, then other players descended on him. It’s willing out there.

37:50 Who was that guy? Delguy! What a run! Australia’s lineout was errant, so they gave it up for Argentina to try theirs. There’s a tap back, only 10 out from their defensive line, then a lightning move forward. Matera runs, finds space, breaks a tackle, has the back of his shirt grabbed but is able to pull away. He gains 20 more metres on his run, then again tries the quick pop-pass as he’s brought down. The big Desio gains a bit more space, then finds Delguy out wide on the right. He’s out of space, but pulls a fake step, doubles back inside, and charges over near the posts! This has been a brilliant half from both teams - not great defensively, but so entertaining in attack. Sanchez converts.

View image in fullscreen

32:39 Australia nearly breaks away for a try in response, but a desperate Argentinean hand in defence knocks away the final pass. Then Argentina steam back the other way and Sanchez is back under the posts, but the final pass to him is ruled forward. It’s all happening. Australia win a penalty thanks to a lifting tackle thereafter, and Toomua kicks it 45 metres into touch to win a line-out. But Argentina steal it and have possession close to their defensive line... They kick into touch but only gain 15.

30:56 Oof. Ramiro Moyano is robbed of a brilliant try by the TMO. He went on a surging run through the middle of the field, dodging six or seven tackles, changing direction at will, ducking his head and burrowing under others, then as he’s tackled wide he offloads to Sanchez who hits the break at speed. But after a CSI forensic investigation, the video judge rules that Moyano’s boot just grazed the paint of the sideline before he got the pass away. Deserved the try for style alone.

29:56 Argentina push toward the line, but give up a penalty a couple of metres short of their goal. Pocock was too quick at the breakdown.

If you can’t believe that the All Blacks lost a game, meanwhile, it’s true.

27:29 After some back and forth, the Argentinians put together a good rolling maul that gains them about 20 metres, but it falls apart once they reach Australia’s 22. Polota-Nau helps bring the maul down, but the whistle favours Australia, who win the resultant scrum feed. Genia kicks it into touch, and there’ll be an Argentinian lineout.

These were the Wallabies who were given the minute’s silence before the game - an annual tradition.

Wallaby #397 Jack Carroll
Wallaby #455 Ken Catchpole
Wallaby #452 Leonard Diett
Wallaby #594 Stan Pilecki
Wallaby #417 Barry Roberts
Wallaby #352 Nicholas Shehadie
Wallaby #530 Bruce Taafe
Wallaby #433 Geoff Vaughan

18:22 And what a try that was! A career highlight reel one for sure. Pete Samu getting some medical attention on his forearm - was he kicked when trying to smother a kick? Play resumes with an Australian line-out... and my Lord. Israel Folau just looks like he’s going to gain some metres, but then it keeps going. He charged through a break in the centre, then carved laterally to the left. He double-steps away from another tackle, goosesteps to dodge again. Threatens to come back inside, opens up some space on the outside, and surges into it. Steps his final foot just inside the touchline, gets airborne, and though he gets body contact at that point, he’s able to stretch out one long arm and plant the ball. The right winger scores in the far left corner. What a solo. Toomua adds two more-a.

16:40 Delguy puts in a great run down the right, gets within touching distance of the line before having to cut back inside and being brought down. Argentina swing left, de la Fuente charges the line, is brought down, but pops up a cheeky and brilliantly executed pass as he hits the ground, and Sanchez has anticipated it. He’s running at full tilt to great that ball and though he’s hit and spins, he keeps hold of the ball and grounds it. Then he goes back and converts the kick. That was excellent play.

View image in fullscreen

14:01 The man with the whistle tonight is John Lacey, which means we’re being treated to a lot of instruction and encouragement in a lovely Irish accent. “Your feet are too far back. Yes, I looked at that. You need to stand up taller when you bind, the next one will be a penalty.” None of that sounds interesting, but do it in an Irish lilt and it would send a maternity ward into a dreamy slumber.

10:17 There they go! The Wallabies won a line-out, kept possession, went well out on the lieft-hand side, then swung it back to the right. Reece Hodge had it in space on the sideline, then came back in to Genia who spied a gap down the middle. The fast movement left the Argentineans in disarray, and Genia was able to sneak through. The conversion is scored by Matt Toomua.

View image in fullscreen

5:22 Penalty for Argentina from a good 50 out, but they elect to kick for goal anyway. No problem, when Boffelli is packing a rocket launcher disguised as a human leg. The ball sails long through the middle. The visitors take the early lead.

Jose Cabo does the Argentinian anthem, which starts with a jolly sort of waltz intro, then becomes an operatic flourish of great pomp. Matthew Manahan does his best with the Australian one in reply. Tell you what, we have heard more than enough of that song, and about that song, the last week or so.

A little more sombre at the ground, with a minute’s silence for eight former Wallabies who have died over the last year. Following that, Uncle John Graham gives a Welcome to Country after talking about his people’s ancestral lands.

Here’s your warm-up music. No reason, I was just listening to it in the car on the way to work. It guess it’s thematically suitable for the glorious classy Gold Coast, where the game is being played tonight.

It hasn’t been a joyful few... weeks? Months? Years, really, for Australian rugby. But as the man said, Cheika’s men got a result against the wily Boks, so perhaps that’s something to build from. Building Boks? I’m here all week. Drop me a line over the 80 minutes - the email is geoff.lemon@theguardian.com, and the tweetphone is @GeoffLemonSport. It’s much more interesting when you lot get involved, believe me.

The Wallabies meet the Pumas on the Gold Coast tonight hoping to build on last week’s win over the Springboks and further relieve the pressure on coach Michael Cheika.

Perhaps that win has just taken on greater significance with news that South Africa have beaten the All Blacks 36-34 in Wellington. What a result and what a game, by all accounts.

And as Geoff wends his way towards the hot seat, here’s some initial news from across the ditch.