1979 Australia rugby union tour of Argentina

1979 Australia rugby union tour of Argentina
Tour captain(s)	Mark Loane
Summary	P W D L
Total	07 06 00 01
Test match	02 01 00 01
Opponent	P W D L
Argentina	2 1 0 1

The 1979 Australia rugby union tour of Argentina was a series of matches played between October and November 1979 in Argentina by Australia. The Wallabies won six matches of seven and drew the two game test series against Los Pumas, led by Hugo Porta.[1]

It was the first tour of an Australian side in Argentina.[2] The Australian squad captain was the Queenslander Mark Loane.

With this visit of Australia, a new rugby relationship begins with a country that has an excellent level of play, similar to New Zealand, which means multiplying the possibilities of assimilation and improvement of our sport. It is also worth pointing out the correction and discipline observed by the Australian delegation during the course of their visit.

— The Argentine Rugby Union praising the first visit of an Australian side[2]

Players

Player	Match Played	Score				Total points
		tries	conv.	pen.	drop
Tony Melrose	5	1	4	3	2	27
Michael O'Connor	6	4	1	2		24
Phil Crowe	4	6				24
Paul McLean	4		5	4		22
Brendan Moon	5	5				20
Roger Gould	2	1	6			16
Tony Shaw	6	3				12
Paddy Batch	4	3				12
Phillip Cox	4	2				8
Mark Ella	3	1			1	7
Mark Loane	6	1				4
Peter McLean	6	1				4
Andrew Slack	6					0
Stan Pilecki	5					0
Greg Cornelsen	4					0
Chris Handy	4					0
Mick Mathers	4					0
Bill Ross	4					0
Peter Carson	3					0
John Coolican	3					0
Tony D'Arcy	3					0
Duncan Hall	3					0
Peter Horton	3					0
Martin Knight	3					0
Andy Stewart	5					0

Match details

13 October 1979

San Isidro Club	12–17	Australia
Try: penalty try Con: Loffreda Pen: Loffreda Drop: F.Sainz Trápaga;		Try: O'Connor, Moon, Crowe; Con: Paul McLean Pen: Paul McLean

Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Referee: Ángel Garrido (Argentina)

Team details

San Isidro Club: Fernando Argerich; Carlos Ramallo, Fernando Sainz Trápaga, Marcelo Loffreda, Mario Walther (capt.); Rafael Madero, Alfredo.Soares Gache; Ricardo de Vedia, Tomas Petersen, Roberto Lucke; Bernardo Miguens, Miguel Glastra; Fernando Insúa, Javier Pérez Cobo, Carlos Sainz Trápaga. Australia: Paul McLean; B.Moon, Andrew Slack, M.O'Connor, P.Crowe; A.Melrose P, Carson; M.Loane (capt.); G.Cornelsen, T.Shaw; Peter Mc Lean, M.Mathers; S.Pilecki, P, Horton, C.Handy.

---

16 October 1979

Seleccionado del Interior [note 1]	12–47	Australia
Try: Basile Con: Virgolini Pen: Virgolini Drop: Rodriguez		Try: Crowe 2, Ella Loane, Peter Mc Lean Batch, Gould, Cox Con: Gould 6 Drop: Ella

Club Universitario, Salta Referee: Bruno Bertelli (Argentina)

Team details
Interior: Torno; Nogués, Rodríguez, Gasilica, San Martín; Virgolini, Basile; Bisio, Passaglia, Antonini; Casale, Mangiamelli; Irañeta, del Chazal (Bianchi), Michelli. Australia: Gould; Crowe, Slack, Knight, Batch; Ella, Cox; T.Shaw, Loane (capt.), Cornelsen (Mathers); Hall, Peter Mc Lean; D'Arcy, Ros, Cooligan

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20 October 1979

Buenos Aires RU	6–22	Australia
Try: Puccy Con: G.Beccar Varela		Try: Cox, T.Shaw M.O'Connor, Batch; Con: P.Mc.Lean 3

Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Referee: Ricardo Colombo (Argentina)

Team details
Buenos Aires RU: E.García Terán; A.Puccio, C.Jacobi, G.Beccar Varela, C.Ramallo; G.Sanguinetti, M. Garcia Laborde; M.Negra, M.Glastra, G.Paz; C.Bottarini, B.Miguens; R.Ventura (capt.), J.Sarto, A.Cerioni. Australia: Paul McLean; (R.Gould); P.Batch, A.Slack, M.O'Connor, B.Moon; T.Melrouse, P.Cox; T.Shaw, M.Loane (capt.), A.Stewart; Peter Mc Lean, M.Mathers; C.Handy, P.Hortan, S.Pilecki.

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23 October 1979

Rosario RU	13–21	Australia
Try: Tallo, Basilico; Con: Baetti Pen: Baetti		Try: Crowe (2) O'Connors Pen: O'Connors (2) Drop: Melrose

Gimnasia y Esgrima (R) Referee: Roberto Magnani (Argentina)

Team details
Rosario: Baetti; Nogués, Rodríguez, Escalante (capt.), Basílico Dip, Noccia; Tallo (Poet), Marengo, Imhoff; Mangiamelli, Milano; Sangionissi, Cheste (Cristini), Fernández. Australia: Gould (Melrouse); Knight, Slack, O'Connors, Growe; Ella, Carson, Stewart, Loane (capt.), (Pilecki), Hall; Peter Mc Lean Mathers; Cooligan, Ross, D'Arcy.

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First test

27 October 1979

Argentina	24–13	Australia
Try: Madero 2 Con: Porta Pen: Porta Drop: Porta (3)		Try: Crowe Pen: Paul McLean 2 Drop: Melrose

Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Steve Strydom (South Africa)

Team details

Argentina Australia Argentina Australia Martín Sansot FB 15 FB Paul McLean Marcelo Campo W 14 W Phil Crowe Rafael Madero C 13 C Michael O'Connor Marcelo Loffreda C 12 C Andrew Slack Adolfo Cappelletti W 11 W Brendan Moon Hugo Porta (c) FH 10 FH Tony Melrose Tomás Landajo SH 9 SH Phillip Cox Héctor Silva N8 8 N8 Mark Loane (c) Tomás Petersen F 7 F Greg Cornelsen Gabriel Travaglini F 6 F Andy Stewart Marcos Iachetti|align=right|L 5 L Tony Shaw Alejandro Iachetti L 4 L Peter McLean Fernando Morel P 3 P Chris Handy Alejandro Cubell] H 2 H Peter Horton Enrique Rodríguez P 1 P Stan Pilecki Replacements Eduardo Sanguinetti FB

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30 October 1979

Cuyo RU	4–43	Australia
Try: Antonini		Try: Show 2, Moon 2 Melrose, O'Connors; Con: Melrose 4, M.O'Connor; Pen: Melorse 3

Club Marista, Mendoza Referee: Felipe Ferrari (Argentina)

Team details
Cuyo RU: Muñiz; Carbonell, Foquet, Morgan, Ruffo; Curto, Basile; Antonini (Suárez Lagos) Orrigo y Bertona; Cásale (capt.) Irañeta; Michelle, Cichitti, Cruz. Australia: Melrose; Mann, O'Connors, Knight, Batch; Ella, Carson (Cox); T.Shaw(capt.), Hall, Stewart; Mathers, D'Arcy; Cooligan, Ross, Pilecki.

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Second Test

3 November 1979

Argentina	12–17	Australia
Try: Petersen Con: Porta Pen: Porta Drop: Porta		Try: Batch, Moon (2) Con: Paul McLean Pen: Paul McLean

Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Steve Strydom (South Africa)

Team details

Argentina Australia Martín Sansot FB 15 FB Paul McLean Marcelo Campo W 14 W Paddy Batch Rafael Madero C 13 C Michael O'Connor Marcelo Loffreda C 12 C Andrew Slack Adolfo Cappelletti W 11 W Brendan Moon Hugo Porta (c) FH 10 FH Tony Melrose Tomás Landajo SH 9 SH Phillip Cox Héctor Silva N8 8 N8 Mark Loane (c) Tomáas Petersen F 7 F Greg Cornelsen Gabriel Travaglini F 6 F Andy Stewart Marcos Iachetti L 5 L Tony Shaw Alejandro Iachetti L 4 L Peter McLean Fernando Morel P 3 P Chris Handy Alejandro Cubelli H 2 H Bill Ross Enrique Rodríguez P 1 P Stan Pilecki

Notes

1. Combined team formed by players outside Buenos Aires

Match details

13 October 1979

San Isidro Club	12–17	Australia
Try: penalty try Con: Loffreda Pen: Loffreda Drop: F.Sainz Trápaga;		Try: O'Connor, Moon, Crowe; Con: Paul McLean Pen: Paul McLean

Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Referee: Ángel Garrido (Argentina)

Team details

San Isidro Club: Fernando Argerich; Carlos Ramallo, Fernando Sainz Trápaga, Marcelo Loffreda, Mario Walther (capt.); Rafael Madero, Alfredo.Soares Gache; Ricardo de Vedia, Tomas Petersen, Roberto Lucke; Bernardo Miguens, Miguel Glastra; Fernando Insúa, Javier Pérez Cobo, Carlos Sainz Trápaga. Australia: Paul McLean; B.Moon, Andrew Slack, M.O'Connor, P.Crowe; A.Melrose P, Carson; M.Loane (capt.); G.Cornelsen, T.Shaw; Peter Mc Lean, M.Mathers; S.Pilecki, P, Horton, C.Handy.

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16 October 1979

Seleccionado del Interior [note 1]	12–47	Australia
Try: Basile Con: Virgolini Pen: Virgolini Drop: Rodriguez		Try: Crowe 2, Ella Loane, Peter Mc Lean Batch, Gould, Cox Con: Gould 6 Drop: Ella

Club Universitario, Salta Referee: Bruno Bertelli (Argentina)

Team details
Interior: Torno; Nogués, Rodríguez, Gasilica, San Martín; Virgolini, Basile; Bisio, Passaglia, Antonini; Casale, Mangiamelli; Irañeta, del Chazal (Bianchi), Michelli. Australia: Gould; Crowe, Slack, Knight, Batch; Ella, Cox; T.Shaw, Loane (capt.), Cornelsen (Mathers); Hall, Peter Mc Lean; D'Arcy, Ros, Cooligan

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20 October 1979

Buenos Aires RU	6–22	Australia
Try: Puccy Con: G.Beccar Varela		Try: Cox, T.Shaw M.O'Connor, Batch; Con: P.Mc.Lean 3

Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Referee: Ricardo Colombo (Argentina)

Team details
Buenos Aires RU: E.García Terán; A.Puccio, C.Jacobi, G.Beccar Varela, C.Ramallo; G.Sanguinetti, M. Garcia Laborde; M.Negra, M.Glastra, G.Paz; C.Bottarini, B.Miguens; R.Ventura (capt.), J.Sarto, A.Cerioni. Australia: Paul McLean; (R.Gould); P.Batch, A.Slack, M.O'Connor, B.Moon; T.Melrouse, P.Cox; T.Shaw, M.Loane (capt.), A.Stewart; Peter Mc Lean, M.Mathers; C.Handy, P.Hortan, S.Pilecki.

---

23 October 1979

Rosario RU	13–21	Australia
Try: Tallo, Basilico; Con: Baetti Pen: Baetti		Try: Crowe (2) O'Connors Pen: O'Connors (2) Drop: Melrose

Gimnasia y Esgrima (R) Referee: Roberto Magnani (Argentina)

Team details
Rosario: Baetti; Nogués, Rodríguez, Escalante (capt.), Basílico Dip, Noccia; Tallo (Poet), Marengo, Imhoff; Mangiamelli, Milano; Sangionissi, Cheste (Cristini), Fernández. Australia: Gould (Melrouse); Knight, Slack, O'Connors, Growe; Ella, Carson, Stewart, Loane (capt.), (Pilecki), Hall; Peter Mc Lean Mathers; Cooligan, Ross, D'Arcy.

---

First test

27 October 1979

Argentina	24–13	Australia
Try: Madero 2 Con: Porta Pen: Porta Drop: Porta (3)		Try: Crowe Pen: Paul McLean 2 Drop: Melrose

Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Steve Strydom (South Africa)

Team details

Argentina Australia Argentina Australia Martín Sansot FB 15 FB Paul McLean Marcelo Campo W 14 W Phil Crowe Rafael Madero C 13 C Michael O'Connor Marcelo Loffreda C 12 C Andrew Slack Adolfo Cappelletti W 11 W Brendan Moon Hugo Porta (c) FH 10 FH Tony Melrose Tomás Landajo SH 9 SH Phillip Cox Héctor Silva N8 8 N8 Mark Loane (c) Tomás Petersen F 7 F Greg Cornelsen Gabriel Travaglini F 6 F Andy Stewart Marcos Iachetti|align=right|L 5 L Tony Shaw Alejandro Iachetti L 4 L Peter McLean Fernando Morel P 3 P Chris Handy Alejandro Cubell] H 2 H Peter Horton Enrique Rodríguez P 1 P Stan Pilecki Replacements Eduardo Sanguinetti FB

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30 October 1979

Cuyo RU	4–43	Australia
Try: Antonini		Try: Show 2, Moon 2 Melrose, O'Connors; Con: Melrose 4, M.O'Connor; Pen: Melorse 3

Club Marista, Mendoza Referee: Felipe Ferrari (Argentina)

Team details
Cuyo RU: Muñiz; Carbonell, Foquet, Morgan, Ruffo; Curto, Basile; Antonini (Suárez Lagos) Orrigo y Bertona; Cásale (capt.) Irañeta; Michelle, Cichitti, Cruz. Australia: Melrose; Mann, O'Connors, Knight, Batch; Ella, Carson (Cox); T.Shaw(capt.), Hall, Stewart; Mathers, D'Arcy; Cooligan, Ross, Pilecki.

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Second Test

3 November 1979

Argentina	12–17	Australia
Try: Petersen Con: Porta Pen: Porta Drop: Porta		Try: Batch, Moon (2) Con: Paul McLean Pen: Paul McLean

Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Steve Strydom (South Africa)

Team details

Argentina Australia Martín Sansot FB 15 FB Paul McLean Marcelo Campo W 14 W Paddy Batch Rafael Madero C 13 C Michael O'Connor Marcelo Loffreda C 12 C Andrew Slack Adolfo Cappelletti W 11 W Brendan Moon Hugo Porta (c) FH 10 FH Tony Melrose Tomás Landajo SH 9 SH Phillip Cox Héctor Silva N8 8 N8 Mark Loane (c) Tomáas Petersen F 7 F Greg Cornelsen Gabriel Travaglini F 6 F Andy Stewart Marcos Iachetti L 5 L Tony Shaw Alejandro Iachetti L 4 L Peter McLean Fernando Morel P 3 P Chris Handy Alejandro Cubelli H 2 H Bill Ross Enrique Rodríguez P 1 P Stan Pilecki

Notes

1. Combined team formed by players outside Buenos Aires

References

1. Los ocho duelos inolvidables que marcaron el historial entre los Pumas y los Wallabies, La Nación, 2015
2. Memoria y balance 1979 on UAR website