Rugby: Will Israel Folau break Joe Rokocoko's try scoring record?

Wallabies fullback Israel Folau. Photo / Getty

Israel Folau's stunning return to his scintillating best has left Australia's tryscoring freak on track to break one of the most prestigious records in international rugby.

With only pride on the line for the Wallabies after a winter of missed opportunities, Folau heads into Sunday's Rugby Championship dead rubber with Argentina in sight of the world record for most Test tries in a calendar year.

After bagging his 11th Test try of 2017 in the Wallabies' 27-27 draw last Saturday with South Africa, Folau eclipsed Lote Tuqiri's Australian record set 13 years ago.

With a strike rate of more than a try a Test already this season, the superstar code-hopper needs six five-pointers in Australia's last six internationals of the year to equal the tallies of Japanese flyer Daisuke Ohata (2002) and legendary All Blacks winger Joe Rokocoko (2003).

It would be another incredible milestone for the former rugby league ace, already the only player to top the NRL and Super Rugby tryscoring charts in a season.

With doubles against Fiji, Scotland and Italy in 2017, Folau is also the first Australian to cross twice in three successive Tests.

With the Wallabies amassing 25 tries in their past five outings against the Pumas - including two for Folau last month in Canberra - fans can expect another free-flowing and high-scoring affair in Mendoza.

Especially with the Wallabies being out of the title running after two frustrating draws with the Springboks and a last-minute loss to the All Blacks in Dunedin.

The New Zealand defeat also cruelled Australia's chance of winning back the Bledisloe Cup for the first time in 15 years.

The Pumas also have nothing to lose as they chase their first points of the competition after five successive heavy defeats.

"Both teams have been unlucky," said Wallabies coach Stephen Larkham.

"But both teams have been trying to play with a lot of flair and (to) keep the ball in hand as much as possible and it's going to amount to a very exciting game to watch."

Folau's vintage attacking form - after going 11 Tests without a five-pointer - has elevated the 28-year-old above Tuqiri and all-time greats Tim Horan, Joe Roff and Matt Giteau into outright fifth on Australia's tryscorers' list.

With 31 tries in 60 Tests, he trails only David Campese (64 from 101 Tests), Chris Latham (40 from 78), Adam Ashley-Cooper (37 from 116) and Drew Mitchell (34 from 71) since switching codes in 2013 from the AFL.

Victory over Argentina and an All Blacks win over South Africa in Cape Town would ensure the Wallabies finished runners-up in the Rugby Championship behind world champions New Zealand for the second straight year.