Deans: Don't underestimate win

Australia coach Robbie Deans stressed that last night’s 23-19 Rugby Championship win over Argentina was a performance that should not be ’underestimated’.

As he did after the Wallabies fell to New Zealand in Auckland last month, Deans moved to lavish praise on the opposition rather than dwell on his side’s deficiencies.

While the Pumas did not get the points at Skilled Park in their first Test on Australian soil since the 2003 World Cup, they would have won a swarm of new admirers for their daring, aggressive style of play.

After stealing a 16-16 draw with South Africa and, before that, holding the All Blacks to a score of just 9-5 for 59 minutes in Wellington earlier in the tournament, Argentina have now put in gallant efforts against every other team in the Rugby Championship.

Quite conceivably, they could have beaten the Wallabies on this occasion - after leading 6-3 at the break, two tries and a penalty to start the second half saw them 19-6 up and in the box seat for an upset.

But an injury-ravaged Australia put on 17 unanswered points to hold the impressive Pumas at bay and steal a brave four-point victory.

“I wouldn’t underestimate what we have just done. No side has played with any fluency against Argentina,” Deans said.

“I think we need to give them due respect. They’ve just come into the tournament and obviously, a big motivation for them is to earn respect.

“They’ve done that, and they’ve done that against every opponent.

“They’re a tough team to play against. They’re sticky, they’re proud, they defend superbly well. Their tackling is remarkable. Give them credit.”

It is now only a matter of time until Argentina add composure to their rigid defence and battering physical approach and become a force in the Rugby Championship, Deans added.

“They’re potentially scary, absolutely,” he said.

“Once that anxiety goes out of it, I guess, they will start to play. They’ve got the capacity to play.

“They’re very similar to the French, in the way they play their rugby - enormous pride, as good a pride you find in any side in world rugby.

“Taking that pride and combining it with some ambition in attack, anything’s possible for them.

“They’re going to get that done, and get it done quickly, off the back of this tournament.”

The Wallabies will now head to South Africa for their Test on September 29 at Loftus Versfeld before their last fixture in Rosario against the Pumas.

“This group’s really going to enjoy travelling now,” Deans said.

“Going to Pretoria is a fantastic opportunity for us to move on and play some good, positive rugby.”