Australia vs. Argentina: Biggest Deciding Factors in Rugby Championship Clash

All eyes might be on Wellington this weekend as world champions New Zealand face South Africa in the fourth round of the Rugby Championship, but Australia's clash against Argentina on the Gold Coast could be just as significant.

The Wallabies, who grabbed a dramatic late win over South Africa last weekend, know that only another victory will do if they are to have any chance of claiming the title.

But it will be far from straightforward against an Argentinian side that look to be edging ever closer to their first victory since joining the competition in 2012.

Both sides have been forced into changes ahead of the clash, with Australia missing vice-captain Adam Ashley-Cooper and No. 8 Wycliff Palu through injury and the Pumas without suspended lock Tomas Lavanini.

The return of hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau for his 50th cap will be a boost for the Wallabies, though. The 29-year-old has not played since injuring his knee in the Super Rugby final on Aug. 2, but he has been thrown straight back into the starting line-up by head coach Ewen McKenzie to replace James Hanson.

As reported by The Rugby Paper, McKenzie said:

"

Tatafu has been a true servant to the game of Rugby in Australia for a long time and I couldn’t be more pleased to see him earn his milestone 50th game for the Wallabies this week.

I’ve known Tatafu for a long time and he is guy who puts his body on the line each and every week for the benefit of the team. He gives it his all every time he takes the field and is also an outstanding teammate off it.

I think I speak for everyone when I congratulate Tatafu on this significant accomplishment.

"

The Wallabies will hope that Polota-Nau's return will strengthen their set piece, which has looked inconsistent so far.

They are the fourth-ranked team in lineout success (75.8 per cent) during the competition and also trail New Zealand (85 per cent) and Argentina (85 per cent) in their scrum success (79 per cent). So the Pumas, who matched the All Blacks up front last weekend, will be hopeful of gaining an advantage.

McKenzie acknowledged that his team must be prepared for the power of the South American side, saying, per The Australian:

"

[...] you still have to deal with the confrontational parts of the game. I think they see every game as an opportunity. They’re just hungry for their first win.

"

If the Wallabies can get the ball from the set-piece, then that is where they are likely to hurt the Pumas.

They have made more carries (350), beaten more defenders (56) and made more metres (1,223) than any other team in this year's Rugby Championship, and they possess one of the most exciting talents in the competition in full-back Israel Folau.

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Australia are the only one of the big three nations in the southern hemisphere that Argentina have beaten before, and their chances of recording a fifth win against the Wallabies may well depend on how well they can control the ball.

They make one enforced change as the suspended Lavanini is replaced by 22-year-old Matias Alemanno, but coach Daniel Hourcade has also made switches on the wings as Horacio Agulla and Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino make way for Juan Imhoff and Manuel Montero, per The Courier Mail.

As reported by Reuters, via Eurosport, centre Juan Martin Hernandez admitted the loss of Lavanini is a blow for the Pumas, who prop up the Rugby Championship table after three matches, but he hopes they can get their tactics right against Australia.

"

He's a great player, a lock who is like a tractor on the field, going forward all the time, he's very aggressive, a big loss to the team.

[Australia] They are a very technical team, they have very good running lines and move the ball well. If you let them gain in confidence they can hurt you so we mustn't let them have the ball, not let them get into the match.

"

If Argentina are to win their first game in the competition, then they will have to win the battle up front.

The Pumas pack was impressive against the Springboks and the All Blacks, and they will be relishing the opportunity to get stuck into a Wallabies scrum that has looked shaky so far. A ruck success rate of 95 per cent for the South Americans tells its own story, but they will also have to tackle better than they have so far if they are to stop the Wallabies backs breaking through.

Aside from their powerful pack, one of the biggest factors that could aid Argentina is the weather. They only lost by a point in wet conditions in Perth last year and the visitors would surely relish more rain on the Gold Coast to create a scrappy contest.