Les Kiss knows his strongest Wallabies side. It’s time to pick it, and stay with it

OpinionColumnist and authorSeptember 6, 2026 — 11:04amSeptember 6, 2026 — 11:04amThe good news is that this 28-28 draw in Mendoza against Los Pumas meant that after last week’s win for the Goodies, the Wallabies have won the series in Argentina – the first undefeated tour of that fine country in 47 years – and have now gone five Tests without defeat.The bad news is that it was an exceedingly scrappy match. It was chalk and cheese when compared to the All Blacks and Springboks Test match played in Johannesburg earlier in the morning.That 29-24 victory to the Boks featured unremitting intensity and staggering skill levels. This contest in Mendoza was stop-start-drop and all over the place.Ultimately for the Wallabies, this was one that got away, but we’ll get to that.The “Argentinian Wave” that came 13 minutes into the match told the story of the first 20 minutes.Even the locals looked a bit bored as both sides went error for error, with the only upside for the Wallabies being that our errors were so egregious – knock-ons, forward passes, penalties, lost lineouts, opposition up-and-under kicks that were allowed to bounce with none of our blokes calling “MINE!” – that at least we were able to test our defensive capacity, and it was strong ... for 35 minutes.Wallabies captain Harry Wilson receives the Puma Trophy from Argentine Rugby Union president Felix Paez Molina.Getty ImagesAt that point, somehow, the Wallabies were leading 14-0 after great tries by skipper Harry Wilson and winger Max Jorgensen – the second when Carter Gordon came on and took over the five-eighth spot. (Our back-line always seems to operate best when he is on the field, and he is the one coach Les Kiss must go back to.)Alas, between that 35-minute mark and the half-time break we conceded our usual two tries to sloppy defence, and were lucky not to let in a third when fullback Tom Wright foolishly led with a forearm, giving Los Pumas a penalty. We were only able to hold on, in extremis, after the resumption of some great defence.So here, as the second half began, was the test of the Test ….Would the locals rise, with the crowd behind them, as Argentines on their own turf are ever wont to do, or would the Wallabies continue their renaissance under new coach Les Kiss to record their fifth win on the trot?Fraser McReight and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii celebrate McReight’s try against Argentina.Getty ImagesAgain, the Wallabies forwards proved their lethality from in close when, after a forward rush, the always excellent back-rower Fraser McReight scored shortly after the break. Alas, just as had happened in the first half, the Pumas quickly struck back with two tries of their own after our defence again proved porous.But wait!A penalty try to the Wallabies with 10 minutes to go, which also saw Argentina have a second man yellow-carded in two minutes, saw the score at 28-all with the Wallabies having a huge advantage. Fifteen men on thirteen men, surely, surely, it would be a matter of mathematics beating geography, and we could beat the locals?Alas, it was not to be. The locals simply kept the ball in the forwards where it was eight on eight, and the one time we did get the ball in the open, our fullback Tom Wright knocked it on after a loose pass. It was all so deeply frustrating, but on the other hand, the Wallabies didn’t really deserve to win it after such a scrappy effort.Look, I get Les Kiss wanting to try different combinations and build depth as we approach the Springboks and All Blacks. But 14 changes to the squad of 23 was excessive, and it showed. It was the Wallabies’ poorest effort this year, and frustrating.The upside is that by now, Les Kiss surely knows who his strongest Test side is. It’s time to pick it, and stay with it for the rest of the year.The Wallabies have great talent between them. But now Kiss has to make a firm decision about who is the core of next year’s World Cup side, and stick with them.Peter FitzSimons is a journalist and columnist with The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X.From our partners