Argentina v Wallabies First Test Preview

Sat, Aug 29, 2026, 5:27 AM
Nathan Williamson
by Nathan Williamson

The Wallabies will be out to continue their strong run of form as they face Argentina in Jujuy.

Coach Les Kiss has started his tenure on a winning note after sweeping through Japan in his first two matches.

Watch every second of the Wallabies' Tests against Argentina live and on demand via Stan Sport.

But the difficulty ramps up as they take on a Los Pumas side hungry for success after a narrow loss to South Africa earlier in the month.

Rugby.com.au previews all the action, presented by Bet365

Sunday August 30 5:00 am AEST – Wallabies v Argentina at Estadio 23 de Agosto, Jujuy, live and on demand on Stan Sport 
Teams

ARGENTINA (15-1): Gerónimo Priscinatelli, Rodrigo Isgró, Luico Cinti Luna, Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, Ignacio Mendy, Santiago Carreras, Simón Benítez Cruz, Joaquín Moro, Benjamin Grondona, Pablo Matera (c), Tomás Lavanini, Guido Petti, Francisco Moreno, Ignacio Ruiz, Boris Wegner

Replacements: Leonel Oviedo, Rodrigo Martinez, Tomas Rapetti, Efrain Ellias, Juan Penoucos, Agustin Moyano, Nicolas Roger, Matias Moroni

  • Argentina have named the same starting side that went down to South Africa earlier in the month.

WALLABIES (15-1): Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Isaac Henry, Hunter Paisami, Harry Potter; Carter Gordon, Ryan Lonergan; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper, Jeremy Williams, Josh Canham, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Isaac Kailea

Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Massimo De Lutiis, Lachlan Shaw. Charlie Cale, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii

  • Coach Les Kiss has named a brand new forward pack, led by captain Allan Alaalatoa.
  • Tom Hooper and Isaac Kailea start for the first time in 2026.
  • Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii returns from a hamstring injury via the bench.
Stats
  • The two teams have exchanged wins over the past five matches, with Argentina winning the last encounter.
  • The Wallabies have won five of the last seven games between the two sides in Argentina.
  • The Australians have won three straight matches. A fourth would be their longest (in the same year) since 2021.
Key Match Up

Pablo Matera v Tom Hooper

Matera has been the heart of Los Pumas for over a decade and needs to dig deep to get his team home.

He’s pitted against Exeter flanker Hooper, out to impress after time on the sideline with a broken scapula.

Hooper’s influence in the new back-row will be massive for the Wallabies and a strong performance out of the incoming Red will go a long way to the forward dominance necessary to deal with Argentina.

Prediction

Wallabies by 9

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