Sign Up
..... Connect Australia with the world.
Categories

Posted: 2018-09-15 09:51:49

Updated September 16, 2018 08:09:08

Australia's performance in the 23-19 defeat to Argentina has been furthered soured by an ugly scuffle involving a spectator and Wallabies forward Lukhan Tui after the full-time siren in Robina.

As several Wallabies mingled with family members and fans on the fence of the western grandstand, a spectator began hurling verbal abuse at the players, including Adam Coleman.

As the spectator was being encouraged to leave he and Tui were involved in a physical altercation before he was eventually removed.

At his post-match press conference, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said the incident was sparked by Tui's sister being pushed by the supporter near the tunnel.

Cheika said Tui, whose stepfather died on Wednesday, had told his teammates after the game he planned to take some time away from the sport.

"So I hope the fan's happy," Cheika said.

"That's a pretty heavy thing to happen, he's just said it in the dressing room to the players now … he's not going to be playing anymore because of that incident.

"It's one thing being upset with a team ... [but] what went down there was the supporter pushed Lukhan's sister.

"Lukhan didn't like that, and that's fair enough.

"Obviously that family's had a very big week and I don't think that's appropriate that that happened.

"I know the guy probably doesn't know it's Lukhan's sister but still, you shouldn't be pushing a kid in the crowd anyway."

According to a Wallabies spokesperson, Cheika is hoping to convince Tui to keep on playing despite his announcement to players.

Rugby Australia is seeking CCTV vision from inside the stadium and will await reports from venue security before determining what course of action against the fan.

Broadcast footage showed the fan hurling abuse at players before the push-and-shove with Tui unfolded.

Other players, injured Wallabies centre Samu Kerevi and team staffers moved in to try and diffuse the situation.

The fan was later led away from the area by his throat and was detained by Rugby Australia security guards, along with another offending fan.

Police were on hand and have taken details but did not arrest either supporter.

Pumas' first Australian win since 1983

The Wallabies were once again left wanting in key departments as an energetic Los Pumas outfit continued their stunning rise under new coach Mario Ledesma.

Not since 1983, in the first Test meeting between the two nations, has Argentina tasted victory on Australian soil.

But former Wallabies scrum coach Ledesma masterminded a drought-breaking result that will pile enormous pressure back on his old boss Michael Cheika.

A long-range penalty from Emiliano Boffelli with three minutes to go sealed a famous victory for Argentina in front of a poor crowd of just 16,019.

But Israel Folau bombed a golden chance to win it for the Wallabies after the siren.

Folau had an unmarked Bernard Foley to his right but inexplicably chose not to pass the ball to him and instead coughed up possession as he tried to score himself.

Australia spent most of the second half searching for the points that would have given it the lead after Dane Haylett-Petty's 54th-minute try reduced the margin to 20-19.

But repeated turnovers and penalties — trademark deficiencies of the Wallabies in recent years — saw them come up with nothing in what proved a miserable night at the office.

It did not start that way though, with three tries in the space of eight minutes early in the first half setting the tone for a frenetic clash.

First, the Wallabies crossed for the opener after some gorgeous openside play from Haylett-Petty and Reece Hodge to set up Will Genia.

Los Pumas responded quickly. Hauled down just short of the tryline, a prone Jeronimo de la Fuente popped up a ball for Nicolas Sanchez to streak through and score.

Four minutes later, Folau found himself in space and made the most of it, burning four Argentine defenders with right steps before planting down in the left corner.

But the Wallabies could not find another try for the remainder of the half despite enjoying good field position, with their malfunctioning lineout handing Argentina a series of reprieves.

The visitors eventually made the most of it, destroying the Australian defence with an energetic 36th-minute counter-attacking burst that finished with Bautista Delguy shrugging off a Haylett-Petty tackle to go under the posts.

Sanchez extended Argentina's lead to six points with a 48th-minute penalty and the Pumas were never headed from this point.

Rugby Championship ladder

AAP/ABC

Topics: rugby-union, sport, australia, qld, robina-4226, argentina

First posted September 15, 2018 19:51:49

View More
  • 0 Comment(s)
Captcha Challenge
Reload Image
Type in the verification code above