The latest chapter in one of rugby’s great rivalries will be written on Saturday as Australia play host to Argentina in the 2025 Rugby Championship. The round three fixture sees the Wallabies having home advantage in Townsville.
The rivalry saw the teams splitting the two match series in 2024 and in 2022. In addition, Argentina won the one match between the sides in 2023. The balanced results shares a commonality with rounds one and two of the 2025 Rugby Championship; all four teams have one win and one loss thus far.
Despite the competition being wide-open, South Africa and New Zealand are changing course. The South African and New Zealand Rugby Unions decided to contest “The Greatest Rugby Rivalry” in 2026. This means that the Rugby Championship will be played on a biennial rather than an annual basis after 2025.
The battle of Townsville is about more than competition points and World Rankings for the Rugby World Cup 2027 draw, for Australia and Argentina it is also about underlining their rivalry as a key one in Southern Hemisphere rugby.
Current World Ranking: 6 (84.85 points)
2025-08-23 – South Africa 30-22 Australia (Cape Town, ZA)
2025-08-16 – South Africa 22-38 Australia (Johannesburg, ZA)
2025-08-02 – Australia 22-12 British & Irish Lions (Sydney, AU)
2025-07-26 – Australia 26-29 British & Irish Lions (Melbourne, AU)
2025-07-19 – Australia 19-27 British & Irish Lions (Brisbane, AU)
2025-07-06 – Australia 21-18 Fiji (Newcastle, AU)
Current World Ranking: 7 (83.40 points)
2025-08-23 – Argentina 29-23 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
2025-08-16 – Argentina 24-41 New Zealand (Córdoba, AR)
2025-07-19 – Argentina 52-17 Uruguay (Salta, AR)
2025-07-12 – Argentina 17-22 England (San Juan, AR)
2025-07-05 – Argentina 12-35 England (La Plata, AR)
2025-06-20 – British & Irish Lions 24-28 Argentina (Dublin, IE)
 |
IN | OUT |
| 5 | Tom Hooper | Will Skelton |
| 6 | Rob Valetini | Tom Hooper |
| 8 | Harry Wilson | Rob Valetini |
| 10 | Tom Lynagh | James O’Connor |
| 15 | Andrew Kellaway | Tom Wright |
|
IN | OUT |
| 3 | Joel Sclavi | Pedro Delgado |
| 6 | Juan Martín González | Pablo Matera |
| 7 | Marcos Kremer | Juan Martín González |
| 8 | Pablo Matera | Joaquín Oviedo |
| 10 | Santiago Carreras | Tomás Albornoz |
– Boris Wenger, Gerónimo Prisciantelli
– N White (75), J O’Connor (66), T Tupou (61), R Valetini (54), T McDermott (47), L Ikitau (45)
– P Matera (114), J Montoya (110), G Petti (91), M Kremer (75), S Carreras (57), JM González (44), JC Mallía (44)
– C Toole (1), T Lynagh (6), C Daugunu (8), JA Suaalii (10), F Daugunu (12), B Pollard (12), M Jorgensen (13), T Hooper (15)
– A Moyano (2), B Elizalde (3), F Coria Marchetti (3), G García (13), F Molina (14), J Oviedo (15)
– James Slipper (LO), Will Skelton (LO), Tom Wright (FB)
– Thomas Gallo (LO), Eduardo Bello (TH), Tomás Albornoz (FH)
Joe Schmidt (Head Coach)
“The players have reassembled after a few days break, following our two games in South Africa, and worked their way through a very warm week here in Townsville. Los Pumas are a combative and skilled side, and they will be confident after their recent performances. We know we’re going to need to be at our very best on Saturday afternoon.”
Felipe Contepomi (Head Coach)
“We want to play well. While playing our best rugby we can lose and what we are searching for is to play our best rugby. If we do it, if we capture on the field, what we practiced during the week and deliver, we will have better chances of winning.”
- The match is game 1 of 2 between the Wallabies and Pumas in Australia in the 2025 Rugby Championship.
- This is a significant fixture in terms of World Rugby rankings ahead of the World Cup draw in December.
- Townsville previously played host to Australia vs Argentina in the 2021 Rugby Championship. The Wallabies were 27-8 winners. Mateo Carreras and Joaqúin Oviedo debuted for Los Pumas.
- Australia’s most recent home match vs Argentina was a 34-31 loss in Sydney in 2023.
- The most recent meeting between the sides saw Argentina handing the Wallabies their biggest ever defeat.
- Wallaby centers Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii start together for the 9th consecutive test match.
- Corey Toole plays his first home test match for Australia.
- Fraser McReight is the top tackler with 38. Pedro Rubiolo is Argentina’s leading tackler with 25.
- Wallabies Harry Wilson and Max Jorgensen both scored two tries against South Africa. Jorgensen has also made the most clean breaks with 4. He is second for meters gained with 112 behind the injured Tom Wright. Puma Bautista Delguy is next with 108 meters gained.
- Pablo Matera is the top carrier with 26. Juan Cruz Mallía and Joaquín Oviedo are tied for 3rd in the Rugby Championship this year with 22 each.
- Lucio Cinti has most defenders beaten after two rounds with 11.
- Argentina’s three replacement backs are rookies.
- Francisco Coria Marchetti, Agustín Moyano, Gerónimo Prisciantelli, Benjamín Elizalde make their Rugby Championship debuts for Argentina.
- Boris Wenger earns his test debut following the retirement of Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. He has been selected ahead of the returning Ignacio Calles. Wenger played for Argentina against the British & Irish Lions in June. Test caps were not awarded though this may change overtime.
- Argentina’s 23 players are all homegrown.
- The trio of Filipo Daugunu, Tom Lynagh and Taniela Tupou are not homegrown Wallabies.
- Argentina will play in their alternate colors of dark blue.
Hot conditions are forecast, which will challenge the fitness of the players. This may see an early injection of replacements with the contest to certainly involve all 23 men from both teams. Australian tactics caught South Africa off-guard in the first test while Argentina’s work at the breakdown, kicking and aerial game provided decisive in Buenos Aires. Australia are slight favorites to win in Townsville.
AUSTRALIA
1 Tom Robertson, 2 Billy Pollard, 3 Taniela Tupou, 4 Nick Frost, 5 Tom Hooper, 6 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 8 Harry Wilson (capt.), 9 Nic White, 10 Tom Lynagh, 11 Corey Toole, 12 Len Ikitau, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14 Max Jorgensen, 15 Andrew Kellaway
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Carlo Tizzano, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 James O’Connor, 23 Filipo Daugunu
ARGENTINA
1 Mayco Vivas, 2 Julián Montoya (capt.), 3 Joel Sclavi, 4 Franco Molina, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 6 Juan Martín González, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Pablo Matera (vice-capt.), 9 Gonzalo García, 10 Santiago Carreras, 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Juan Cruz Mallía (vice-capt.)
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruíz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Joaquín Oviedo, 21 Agustín Moyano, 22 Gerónimo Prisciantelli, 23 Benjamín Elizalde
Date: Saturday, September 06
Kickoff: 2:30pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time); 1:30am (Argentina)
Venue: North Queensland Stadium (Townsville AU)
Broadcasts: ESPN, Disney + (Argentina)
Weather Forecast: Partly Cloudy and Hot, 28°C, wind 30 km/h
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Christophe Ridley (England); Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
TMO: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
FPRO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
| HISTORY vs (1979-2024) |
2024/09/07 – Argentina 67-27 Australia (Santa Fe, AR)
2024/08/31 – Argentina 19-20 Australia (La Plata, AR)
2023/07/15 – Australia 31-34 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
2022/08/13 – Argentina 48-17 Australia (San Juan, AR)
2022/08/06 – Argentina 26-41 Australia (Mendoza, AR)
2021/10/02 – Australia 32-17 Argentina (Gold Coast, AU)
2021/09/25 – Australia 27-08 Argentina (Townsville, AU)
2020/12/05 – Australia 16-16 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
2020/11/21 – Australia 15-15 Argentina (Newcastle, AU)
2019/07/27 – Australia 19-10 Argentina (Brisbane, AU)
2018/10/06 – Argentina 34-45 Australia (Salta, AR)
2018/09/15 – Australia 19-23 Argentina (Gold Coast, AU)
2017/10/07 – Argentina 20-37 Australia (Mendoza, AR)
2017/09/16 – Australia 45-20 Argentina (Canberra, AU)
2016/10/08 – Argentina 21-33 Australia (London, UK)
2016/09/17 – Australia 36-20 Argentina (Perth, AU)
2015/10/25 – Australia 29-15 Argentina (London, UK)
2015/07/25 – Argentina 9-34 Australia (Mendoza, AR)
2014/10/04 – Argentina 21-17 Australia (Mendoza, AR)
2014/09/13 – Australia 32-25 Argentina (Gold Coast, AU)
2013/10/05 – Argentina 17-54 Australia (Rosario, AR)
2013/09/14 – Australia 14-13 Argentina (Perth, AU)
2012/10/06 – Argentina 19-25 Australia (Rosario, AR)
2012/09/15 – Australia 23-19 Argentina (Gold Coast, AU)
2003/10/10 – Australia 24-8 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
2002/11/02 – Argentina 06-17 Australia (Buenos Aires, AR)
2000/06/24 – Australia 32-25 Argentina (Canberra, AU)
2000/06/17 – Australia 53-06 Argentina (Brisbane, AU)
1983/11/08 – Argentina 18-16 Australia (Buenos Aires, AR)
1997/11/01 – Argentina 15-23 Australia (Buenos Aires, AR)
1995/05/06 – Australia 30-13 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
1995/04/30 – Australia 53-07 Argentina (Brisbane, AU)
1991/10/04 – Australia 32-19 Argentina (Llanelli, UK)
1987/11/07 – Argentina 27-19 Australia (Buenos Aires, AR)
1987/10/31 – Argentina 19-19 Australia (Buenos Aires, AR)
1986/07/12 – Australia 26-0 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
1986/07/06 – Australia 39-19 Argentina (Brisbane, AU)
1983/08/07 – Australia 29-13 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
1983/07/31 – Australia 03-18 Argentina (Brisbane, AU)
1979/11/03 – Argentina 12-27 Australia (Buenos Aires (AR)
1979/10/27 – Argentina 24-13 Australia (Buenos Aires, AR)
| HEAD TO HEAD vs |
Wins 29 Wins 9
Draws 3
