(Reuters) – Argentina fought back from a 17-point deficit to score nine tries and hand Australia a record 67-27 defeat in an action-packed Rugby Championship clash on Saturday that provided more than a point per minute.
Australia were 20-3 up after 30 minutes but the home side stormed back to score 38 unanswered points to the delight of a sellout crowd in Santa Fe and went on to add more in their biggest win in the Rugby Championship.
Fullback Juan Cruz Mallia and substitute loose forward Joaquin Oviedo both scored two tries and there was one each for Mateo Carreras, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Pablo Matera, Lucio Cinti and captain Julian Montoya on his 100th appearance for the Pumas.
It was a record number of points conceded by Australia, who had only conceded more than 60 points in a test once before when losing to South Africa in 1997.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)