Angus Bell has been developing a strong reputation for hard ball running skills that get the Wallabies over the gain line, with the prop etching himself into rugby folklore following the last gasp win over Los Pumas.
Both sides have arrived in Sydney for the second clash following their thrilling 28-24 result in Townsville with the ‘sold out’ sign hung across Allianz Stadium on Monday.
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Bell expects Argentina to come out swinging after the narrow loss, with the Wallabies wary of Felipe Contepomi’s men.
“I actually can't remember, but it was a great feeling,” Bell said when asked what he was thinking about when he scored the winning try.
“I was lucky enough to get another no-look pass off Lenny, so there was a lot of space there to start with. Lenny does what he does best and gives me a no-look, which I guess attracted a lot more defenders than it should have.
“I was able just to flop over, so it was all Lenny there, as it's been the last few weeks.
“You've got to give credit to Argentina. They were great starting that game. They're a very dangerous team, as they've shown over the past two years, really.
“They've really taken some big scalps, and they're one of the better teams in world rugby at the moment on their day.
“There were a lot of positives in that game, but we've got areas that we need to get better at. And part of that is the first half, and also in the second half when we let some opportunities slip.”
After spending much of the 2024 season as the Wallabies' starting loosehead prop, Bell has served as an impact player for the 2025 season off the bench.
Despite pundits believing Bell should make the move into the starting jersey, the 43-capped Wallaby is happy to be utilised anywhere.
“Throbba [Tom Robertson] and Slips [James Slipper] are doing exceptionally well,” Bell said.
“It's a developing game, you've got to have that impact off the bench.
“Whatever's best for the team, I'm super happy to be winning games of rugby. Test matches are very special and sacred things, so just to be anywhere in the 23 is a real honour.
“Whether that's starting or off the bench, everyone has a role to do, and we have a real team mentality about that.”
Bell, following on from close mate Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, believes that mentality comes back to the actions of captain Harry Wilson, with his leadership playing a major factor in the team environment.
“We all love playing for Harry,” Bell said.
“He wears his heart on his sleeve. He's one of those players that has a huge engine, never stops. I've been playing with Harry since I was 18, so Harry's always been a leader with actions.
“Where he's taken this whole of his team has been awesome under Joe. We all have full faith in Harry and the leaders around him, which are very important to Harry's development and his leadership.
“The way he's really direct with his instruction, what he wants from the team is really awesome.
“Then those little micro chats that happen around the group, for example, in the front row is led by, you know, Throbba and Alan [Alaalatoa and Nella [Taniela Tupou] and those sorts of players.
“[Wilson] He's been unbelievable for us. We love playing under him. You can see that the group's really happy, really tight and not just the 23 as well. It's the full squad.
“A lot of players are extremely happy when the team's named, even when you're not involved. It's a really positive environment.
“It's probably the best environment I've been a part of. It helps when you're winning.”
This direct, simple approach also extends to the coaching staff, with Bell singling out Joe Schmidt and Mike Cron, the latter of whom is closing in on his 250th Test coached.
“Joe's very black and white,” Bell said of the head coach’s approach.
“That's the best thing about it. He tells you when you need to get better at a certain aspect of the game and then he'll give you a pat on the back when he thinks you're going well. It's great for our young group.
“Crono’s very charismatic, but also he does call a spade a spade too. The coaches are super direct. The feedback is always right on point.
“Individually, he puts a lot of time into separate players. He's not just in the front row, he's the whole forward pack. He's been awesome for us.
“He's seen so much through the years. His wealth of experience and knowledge has been gold for us as a forward pack. There's still so much to learn and get better at.
“The best thing about our squad is everyone's pretty self-aware, so we all know where we need to get better and what we need to improve on. Sometimes [the coaches] are observers and then come in to add their expertise when needed.”
The approach has proven effective, but with Los Pumas expected to provide a ruthless response in Sydney, the Wallabies will be relying on that system even more.
“That's our goal, just keep things really simple,” Bell added.
“We know we have a lot more growth in us.”
