Australia survived a second-half Argentina fightback to win 32-25 on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
It wasn't pretty as a slippery ball made spillages and stoppages a regular occurrence.
Michael Hooper scored two of the Wallabies tries, coming either side of the break, while Peter Betham also crossed before a late Pumas onslaught left the hosts sweating.
With time up, the Pumas had a scrum 5m out from the Wallabies tryline, having won a scrum penalty minutes earlier.
They would have backed themselves to get a try or penalty try from there, but replacement scrumhalf Tomás Cubelli conceded a free kick for putting the ball in before New Zealand referee Glen Jackson said 'OK'. It was a cruel call.
The Pumas will also regret Nicolás Sánchez's decision not to pass to the man on his outside following a good break with five minutes to go. Had he done so it would have been a try under the posts and 32-32.
Wallabies – Tries: Michael Hooper (2), Peter Betham. Conversion: Bernard Foley. Penalties: Foley (5).
Argentina – Tries: Manuel Montero, Marcelo Bosch, Joaquín Tuculet. Conversions: Nicolás Sánchez (2). Penalties: Sánchez (2).
Wallabies – 15 Israel Folau, 14 Peter Betham, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 James Slipper.
Subs: 16 James Hanson, 17 Pek Cowan, 18 Ben Alexander, 19 James Horwill, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Matt Hodgson, 22 Nic White, 23 Kurtley Beale.
Argentina – 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Juan Imhoff, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Manuel Montero, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 6 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Mariano Galarza, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Subs: 16 Matías Cortese, 17 Bruno Postiglioni, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 19 Benjamin Macome, 20 Rodrigo Báez, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Jerónimo De la Fuente, 23 Lucas González Amorosino.
Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
