# 1979 Australia rugby union tour of Argentina

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.
It was the first tour of an Australian side in Argentina. 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.

## Players

| Player | Match Played | Score | Score | Score | Score | Total points |
| Player | Match Played | tries | conv. | pen. | drop | Total points |
| 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 | 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
* 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 | | | |
* 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.

### 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

* ↑ 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.
* 16 October 1979
| Seleccionado del Interior | 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
* 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 | | | |
* 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.

### 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

* ↑ Combined team formed by players outside Buenos Aires