Wallabies captain Harry Wilson’s bullish decision in the latter stages of the Rugby Championship clash against Argentina has left Sir Clive Woodward red-faced.
Australia headed into the sheds at half-time trailing Los Pumas 7-21, but brilliantly fought their way back into the match and levelled the scores in the final quarter.
Into the final minutes of the game, Argentina hit the lead once again, scoring their first points of the second half through the boot of full-back Juan Cruz Mallia.
Bullish Wilson
With just a minute left on the clock, the Wallabies kicked off knowing that they would have to somehow get the ball back and score a try to clinch their second win of the competition, and they got just that after a great kick chase forced the error from the Pumas.
Australia went on the attack as the clock went into the red, and Argentina were caught offside, gifting the hosts the opportunity to seal a draw. Replacement fly-half James O’Connor missed crucial penalties in Cape Town in Round Two, which denied the Wallabies the chance of back-to-back victories over the Springboks.
Wilson took a second to compose himself before emphatically pointing to the touchline, and O’Connor set up the lineout. After Argentina managed to stall Australia’s maul, the Wallabies got another penalty advantage and an even easier shot at goal. Again, Wilson had a choice to make and quickly consulted with his pack and called for a tap-and-go, turning down a gimme three points from the tee.
Argentina conceded a penalty again. Another choice for Wilson. An easy shot to tie the game, rejected by the skipper. A tap and go again, and this time, the Wallabies breach the Pumas’ line as Angus Bell bundles over the try-line to seal the victory.
Three opportunities out of the three, all rejected as the Wallabies risked defeat to chase victory and succeeded in doing so.
His decision to do just that leaves former England coach Woodward red-faced after accusing the Wallabies and their skipper of having a ‘losing mentality’ during the British and Irish Lions series.
In the final knockings of the opening game of the series, the Lions had a lineout just five metres away from the Wallabies’ try-line and held a 27-19 lead and looked to put the final nail in the coffin. However, lock Nick Frost had other ideas as he pinched Ronan Kelleher’s throw that was intended for Maro Itoje.
His transfer to Tate McDermott was sloppy, and the scrum-half passed to Ben Donaldson, who carried up into contact with Wilson, deciding that enough was enough, and with time up on the clock, the number eight booted the ball into touch to bring the game to an end.
Wallabies star describes ‘break glass emergency’ role as a Joe Schmidt ‘luxury’
Bell wins it in injury time 🤯#Wallabies pic.twitter.com/X2WaLcy8Rl
— Wallabies (@wallabies) September 6, 2025
Woodward left red-faced
The captain’s decision came under scrutiny from Woodward, who believes that this is an example of the Wallabies’ ‘losing mentality’ as he believes the hosts should have attempted to get another try before the end of the match, even though it wouldn’t secure a win for Joe Schmidt’s men.
“It was not what a Lions series should all be about. What summed up the game for me was that with the clock in the red and with the Lions winning 27-19, the Australian captain, Harry Wilson, kicked the ball out to end the game,” he wrote in his SportsMail column.
“Talk about a losing mentality. For me, it is the last play of the game, so why not have a mentality to try and score, as this could be the situation in seven days’ time, only closer?
“Why not rehearse this scenario? Why would any player, especially the captain, want to end the game? That in so many ways reflects the current state of Australian rugby, which is clearly not in a great position.”
However, Wilson’s relentless pursuit of a win this past weekend proves that Woodward’s remarks can’t have been further from the truth.