The Qantas Wallabies have defeated Argentina 36 to 20 in front of 16, 202 fans at nib Stadium in Perth on Saturday night with scrumhalf Will Genia scoring two tries for Australia in a man of the match performance.
The bonus point victory was built on defence as the Wallabies capitalised on their opportunities to record their 20th win over the Pumas in 26 meetings between the two nations.
The men in gold were able to improve again on their last start victory over the Springboks in Brisbane and will be buoyed for their return matches against South Africa and Argentina (in London) to close out their 2016 Rugby Championship campaign.
It was the perfect start for Australia who opened their account after 43 seconds against Los Pumas with a try through Samu Kerevi.
Soon after they continued their early momentum home-town Western Force star, Dane Haylett-Petty finished off a great set piece try after darting around the covering Argentinean defence to score next to the posts in the seventh minute.
As they continued to pile on the pressure the home side breached the Pumas line again in a counter attacking play through scrumhalf Will Genia. With the ball dropped in back play, the mercurial scrumhalf kicked it through to regather and score under the posts taking the Wallabies lead to 21-0.
Infringements at the breakdown within kicking range for Argentina allowed the Pumas to register their first points of the match through the boot of flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez taking the score to 21-6, where it would remain at half time.
Having dominated possession for the later stages of the second half the Pumas came out firing and capitalised on a Wallabies handling error to register the first points of the second half with a try to winger Santiago Cordero.=Sanchez converted the try to bring the visitors within eight points, at 21-13.
The men in gold fought hard to wrangle back momentum and it came in the form of backrower, Sean McMahon who powered his way through several Argentinian tackles to set up Will Genia for his second try of the match and ease the scoreboard pressure.
Qantas Wallabies vice-captain Michael Hooper became the fourth Australian to cross the try line in Perth when in the 63rd minute he ran the perfect inside line off a ball from flyhalf Quade Cooper to run untouched to score under the posts and put the result beyond doubt.
A late try to Argentina through Facundo Isa provided some consolation for the visitors but the run of traffic continued to flow with the men in gold who held on to take the spoils 36-20.
How it happened:
1 mins: Samu Kerevi try, Bernard Foley con AUS 7-0 ARG
7 mins: Dane Haylett-Petty try, Bernard Foley con AUS 14-0 ARG
11 mins: Will Genia try, Bernard Foley con AUS 21-0 ARG
23 mins: Nicolas Sanchez pen, AUS 21-3 ARG
33 mins: Nicolas Sanchez pen, AUS 21-6 ARG
44 mins: Santiago Cordero try, Nicolas Sanchez con AUS 21-13 ARG
51 mins: Will Genia try AUS 26-13 ARG
63 mins: Michael Hooper try, Bernard Foley con AUS 33-13 ARG
70 mins: Facundo Isa try, Nicolas Sanchez con AUS 33-20 ARG
74 mins: Reece Hodge pen AUS 36-20 ARG
Australia 36 (Will Genia 2, Samu Kerevi, Dane Haylett-Petty, Michael Hooper tries; Bernard Foley 4 cons; Reece Hodge pen) defeated Argentina 20 (Santiago Cordero, Facundo Isa tries; Nicolas Sanchez 2 cons; 2 pens)
