A dismal 25-20 Brumbies loss to the Jaguares has completed a winless weekend for Australia’s Super Rugby sides.
Sunday's defeat completed a quartet of losses to foreign teams through the weekend, with the Waratahs, Reds and Rebels all conceding their fixtures before the Brumbies this weekend.
The Brumbies were on the back foot from the start of the match, never finding the lead against the Argentinians, who have now won three of their four encounters against Australian teams this season, and their last four on Australian soil.
An 18-phase attack from the Jaguares gave them reward for patience in just the fifth minute, with Matias Orlando finally crashing over for the Argentinians.
Only a desperate tackle from Tom Banks prevented the Jaguares from going over for their second in 10 minutes as the Brumbies looked to try and build their way back into the contest.
The Argentines managed to add more points with two penalties within three minutes, to stretch their lead to 13 minutes in just 16 minutes, and it could have been extended again, if not for Sanchez missing his third penalty attempt.
By the 20-minute mark, the Brumbies had held just 25 per cent of possession and were forced to make 58 tackles along the way, and showed few signs of changing that trend.
Brumbies hooker Folau Faingaa went centimetres short of a maul try, and then though they won a penalty off that play, lost the ensuing lineout, before their third lineout gave them a reward, fullback Tom Banks making the most of an overlap to score.
Banks had an unlikely double just shy of half-time, with a Wharenui Hawera kick sitting up perfectly for the fullback, who pounced and narrowed the gap to just three points.
Jaguares winger Emiliano Boffelli was sent straight to the sin bin after a blatant illegal aerial challenge on Henry Speight, opening up the chance for the Brumbies to take the lead.
In that 10 minutes, though, they couldn’t manage to change scores, with Scott Sio losing the ball just short of their attacking line.
When Banks made an elementary kicking error, booting the ball out on the full outside of the Brumbies’ 22, the hosts’ time with an extra man had all but run out.
In fact it was the Jaguares who scored with a man down, Jeronimo de la Fuente finishing off a strong play, ironically on the left edge from which they had lost a player.
The Brumbies hit back in the 66th minute, with an attacking chain generated from a driving maul, and Chance Peni taking the ball over the line, eschewing an outside option to score.
A missed Sanchez penalty kept the Brumbies in touch, but Boffelli found the line, outsmarting the Brumbies defence to score.
Opprtunities came for the Brumbies late, but the Jaguares were impressive in the breakdown, nabbing two vital turnovers.
The Brumbies escaped with a bonus point, with an 83rd-minute penalty, but that was little consolation for the Canberrans.
David Pocock limped off the ground in the 73rd minute, after reports of a calf concern in the lead-up to the match, an issue the Brumbies will be hoping is not serious.
The Brumbies host the Crusaders next week, while the Jaguares head to New Zealand to take on the Blues.
Brumbies 20
Tries: Banks 2, Peni
Cons: Hawera
Pens: Hawera
Jaguares 25
Tries: Orlando, De la Fuente, Boffelli
Cons: Sanchez 2
Pens: Sanchez 2
Yellow Card: Emiliano Boffelli (48’)
