Australia v Argentina, Rugby Championship Betting Preview, Saturday 13th September
Australia will aim to defeat Argentina once again this weekend and keep the pressure on New Zealand at the top of the Rugby Championship table. The match takes place at Allianz Stadium in Sydney, and in this preview we’ll assess it from a betting perspective and highlight a few suggested plays.
Let us start with a look at the Outright Winner betting where New Zealand are firm favourites trading at 1.36 with South Africa priced at 5.50 followed by Australia at 6.00 and Argentina are the rank outsiders at 41.00.
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First Test
The first match between the two sides saw Australia score in the last play of the game to win the match in front of their home fans. The match ended 28-24 after Argentina led 7-21 in the first half.
Australia
Australia have shown clear signs of resurgence on the international stage, winning three of their last five matches. Their only setbacks came against South Africa away from home and in the second Test of the British & Irish Lions series.
Australia Starting Lineup
Australia: 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Jeremy Williams, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Filipo Daugunu
Argentina
Argentina’s form has been inconsistent over their last five outings, with an expected victory against Uruguay and a notable one over New Zealand balanced by defeats to Australia, New Zealand, and England. They’ll be aiming to deliver another upset this weekend as they look to keep themselves in contention for the tightly contested top spot in the tournament.
Argentina starting Lineup
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Rodrigo Isgró, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo García, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martín González, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julián Montoya (captain), 1 Mayco Vivas.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Agustín Moyano, 22 Justo Piccardo, 23 Ignacio Mendy
Head-to-head
Last week’s 28-24 victory gave Australia the edge, but Argentina still hold a 3–2 advantage across the last five meetings between the sides. Looking specifically at matches played in Australia, the Wallabies have claimed three wins, Argentina one, with the other ending in a draw.
Betting and Verdict
Australia are favourites to win and are trading at 1.63 while Argentina are trading at 2.65 for the win. The draw is currently at 26.00.
Handicap: Australia [-3.5]
Although Australia edged out a narrow win last weekend, their recent performances suggest a team steadily building form and confidence. With momentum on their side, they look well placed to extend their run and keep the pressure on New Zealand at the top of the table.
Suggested Bet: Handicap, Australia [-3.5] at 1.85
Last week’s clash produced 52 points, the exact same total as Australia’s previous outing, while Argentina’s second Test against New Zealand also finished on 52. These repeated totals suggest both sides are playing in matches where scoring has been competitive but not excessively high. With Australia leaning on improved defence and Argentina often struggling to sustain attacking pressure for the full 80 minutes, another tight contest looks likely.
Suggested Bet: Total points under 53.5 at 1.90
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
