Wallabies Player Ratings: Australia Fall Short in 28-26 Loss to Argentina
Wallabies Player Ratings: Australia Fall Short in 28-26 Loss to Argentina
Wallabies player ratings from Australia’s 28-26 loss to Argentina in Sydney. Full analysis of every player as Joe Schmidt’s side struggled with discipline.
Australia’s Rugby Championship campaign took a heavy blow on Saturday night as Argentina claimed a dramatic 28-26 victory at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.
The Wallabies, coming off a thrilling last-gasp win over Los Pumas in Townsville a week earlier, looked poised to back it up on home soil. Instead, their discipline and patience deserted them, leaving head coach Joe Schmidt with more questions than answers heading into a daunting two-Test Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand.
- Subscribe To FloRugby To Watch Every Match Of The 2025 Rugby Championship
- United Rugby Championship Schedule: Here's Every URC Fixture
- PREM Rugby Lives Here: Gallagher Premiership To Stream On FloRugby
From the opening minutes, the tone was set by Santiago Carreras, who punished Australia from the tee with ruthless accuracy. The Argentine fly-half slotted seven penalties and converted Julian Montoya’s opportunistic first-half try, punishing every error the Wallabies served up. Australia, by contrast, failed to apply consistent pressure, their 15 penalties conceded a glaring reminder of where this team continues to fall short.
When Carreras was sin-binned in the 66th minute, the Wallabies sparked into life behind veteran James O’Connor, scoring three late tries through Andrew Kellaway and Filipo Daugunu to almost snatch an improbable comeback. But the fightback couldn’t mask the flaws that had left them trailing 28-7 earlier in the contest. Here’s how every Wallaby rated in the narrow defeat.
1. James Slipper – 7
The veteran prop continues to answer the call at 36. He held his own against Joel Sclavi in the scrums and contributed seven tackles in defence. Made two carries for minimal gain but kept working around the breakdown. Not flashy, but dependable.
2. Billy Pollard – 7.5
Thrown into the fire again and delivered another composed performance. Found his jumpers consistently at lineout time and racked up 11 tackles. Two penalties conceded will frustrate him, though his energy and involvement point to a player growing in stature.
3. Taniela Tupou – 7
Played his role to perfection in a 40-minute blast. Brought raw power in contact, produced a couple of thunderous hits and kept the scrum steady. Four tackles and a handful of damaging carries showed why his “empty the tank” approach is working under Schmidt.
4. Jeremy Williams – 8
Australia’s best lineout option, claiming seven takes and disrupting Argentina’s throws. Put in 15 tackles with one turnover and five carries. Only blemish was a silly penalty late that relieved pressure on Los Pumas, but otherwise an excellent shift.
5. Tom Hooper – 8
Continues to grow with every Test. Joint-top tackler with 17 and made 18 hard yards from seven carries. Relentless in his work rate, added a dominant tackle and provided key support in the lineout. Nuggety, confrontational, and exactly what Australia needed up front.
6. Rob Valetini – 8.5
The heartbeat of the Wallabies pack. Made 17 tackles and carried 13 times for 44 metres, regularly denting the line and beating two defenders. His physicality kept Australia in the contest when Los Pumas were on top. Immense once again.
7. Fraser McReight – 7.5
Pulled off two turnovers in quick succession during the second half, halting promising Argentine attacks. Fourteen tackles and plenty of breakdown disruption showed his growing maturity. Carried eight times but mostly kept to the dirty work.
8. Harry Wilson – 6
A frustrating outing as captain. Threw himself into 13 tackles but his constant back-and-forth with referee Christophe Ridley overshadowed his effort. Penalised for offside in the 62nd minute and seemed rattled at times. Needs to channel his energy into impact, not arguments.
9. Nic White – 6.5
Provided crisp service from the base and kept the forwards ticking over. Mixed in a few sharp snipes but otherwise conservative. Seven tackles underline his defensive contribution. A solid performance without changing the game.
10. Tane Edmed – 5
A tough learning experience on his first Test start. His clearance was charged down for Montoya’s try, and a miscommunication with White caused a costly knock-on. Showed composure with a pinpoint 50-22 and two defenders beaten on carries, but replaced after 55 minutes.
11. Corey Toole – 6
Struggled to find space against Argentina’s disciplined defence. Still managed nine carries, beat two defenders, and pulled off a turnover. Worked tirelessly but wasn’t able to ignite his usual counterattacking spark.
12. Hunter Paisami – 8
Direct and combative in midfield. Carried hard, beating six defenders and making two line breaks. Defensively strong with 13 tackles. One poor decision to kick instead of linking inside may have cost a try, and conceding a penalty before halftime gave Carreras another shot at goal.
13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii – 8
Australia’s most threatening back. Scored a powerful early try and produced a neat assist later on. Eight carries, two line breaks, two defenders beaten, and eight tackles show his all-around impact. Every time he touched the ball, Australia looked dangerous.
14. Max Jorgensen – 5.5
Picked up a needless yellow card for a deliberate knock-on in the 17th minute. Defended well enough with eight tackles, but was largely contained in attack. Found life late with a couple of strong carries in the build-up to Daugunu’s try, but too little, too late.
15. Andrew Kellaway – 9
Outstanding. Covered the backfield with intelligence, made crucial defensive saves, and sparked the comeback. Scored one try, laid on two assists, beat two defenders and made two line breaks. His 64th-minute carry directly led to Carreras’ sinbin. By far the Wallabies’ best back.
Replacements
16. Josh Nasser – 6
Brought energy in limited minutes. Six tackles and one dominant hit, but didn’t have the opportunity to influence the attack.
17. Angus Bell – 8.5
Another huge performance off the bench. Ten tackles, five defenders beaten and two line breaks in just half an hour. His storming carry in the 44th minute changed the momentum. A weapon every time he enters.
18. Zane Nonggorr – 6.5
Twelve tackles and reliable in the scrum. Minimal attacking input, but gave Schmidt solidity when it was needed.
19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto – 7
Ten tackles, two of them dominant, and relentless aggression. Injected physicality when the Wallabies were hunting momentum.
20. Carlo Tizzano – 6
Worked hard around the park, but only four tackles and one turnover to show for it. Still adjusting to Test tempo.
21. Tate McDermott – 7.5
Lifted the pace instantly. Beat two defenders, kept Argentina scrambling, and his four tackles showed commitment without the ball. Sparked urgency from his teammates.
22. James O’Connor – 8.5
The difference-maker. Organised the attack with authority, provided a try assist, and threw two offloads to break Argentina’s line. Instilled calm and direction during the comeback.
23. Filipo Daugunu – 8
A lethal cameo. Two tries in the final 10 minutes, two line breaks, and two defenders beaten. His finishing instinct nearly dragged Australia to victory.
How To Watch The Rugby Championship 2025
In the United States, rugby fans can watch The Rugby Championship 2025 on FloRugby and the FloSports app.
How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby
The URC will stream all its matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to:
FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays.