Rugby: Wallabies thrash hapless Argentina

Argentina Pumas' Facuando Isa tackles Australia Wallabies' Tevita Kuridrani during their Rugby Championship 2015 match at Malvinas Argentinas stadium. Photo / AP.

The Wallabies remain unbeaten in the Rugby Championship after thrashing a hapless Argentina 34-9 in Mendoza.

Despite the impressive scoreline with four tries, the performance of the Australians won't put the All Blacks, who they meet in Sydney on August 8, on edge.

New Zealand stormed home to beat the Springboks in a high-quality clash in Johannesburg.

Like in Brisbane when they edged South Africa, there were some things to like, particularly the impact of flanker David Pocock in his first start since 2012.

Australia's scrum was put under heavy pressure by the Pumas with neither James Slipper or Greg Holmes doing much for their World Cup cases while the team gave away too many silly penalties including have two reversed.

Looking to avenge last year's four-point loss to the Pumas at the same venue, the Australians started brightly enough.

But they lost inside centre Matt Toomua after eight minutes when he took a heavy hit tackling his opposite Juan Pablo Socino and was unable to return after failing the concussion test.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika made the unusual decision to replace him with Quade Cooper rather than Kurtley Beale, who played there all Super Rugby season.

While they scored a try through Joe Tomane soon after, their attack lost shape without hard-running Toomua.

Tomane's try came after Argentine five-eighth Nicolas Sanchez kicked the ball down the throat of Israel Folau, who ran freely before the ball found the winger on the charge.

Cooper's night hit a low in the 65th minute when he was yellow-carded after taking out Sanchez who had just kicked down-field.

His card brought the biggest cheer of the night from the Mendoza crowd, with their team unable to notch a try.

Lucky for Cooper, the only addition to the score in his absence was another Foley penalty.

The Wallabies held an 8-6 lead at halftime with Foley missing the conversion and a penalty but another two successful strikes early in the second half opened up a 14-6 buffer.

Lock Dean Mumm came off the bench to score an impressive second half try, running from outside the 22 and fending off the defence to touch down.

Tevita Kuridrani and Adam-Ashley Cooper then both crossed in the dying minutes to pick up a bonus point and seal the win.

-AAP