Tune to miss rest of Wallabies tour as Argentina play tough

Argentina 6 Australia 17

Australia are counting the cost of Saturday night's hard-fought Test win over Argentina in Buenos Aires.

Ben Tune is heading home immediately to receive treatment for a serious hamstring injury. His place on the tour will be taken by Mark Bartholomeusz who will be on the first available flight to Ireland to join up with the squad.

Brendan Cannon is also on his way to Dublin as back-up after Jeremy Paul aggravated the hamstring injury he suffered during training this week.

Other players doubtful for the Test against Ireland are Matthew Burke (leg) and Mat Rogers (rib cartilage). Those injuries are on top of Owen Finegan (ankle) and David Lyons (thigh) but they are expected to be fit to face the Irish after sitting out the Pumas game.

"This was a very hard match so we're satisfied with the win," the Wallabies coach Eddie Jones said. "But we are disappointed with the way Argentina played and their tactic of playing the man and not the ball."

In an error-riddled, scrappy game, the Wallabies, who had not played for seven weeks, gave a rusty performance against a tough Argentine side who were clearly looking to disrupt any pattern of play.

What many had hoped would be a game of sparkling rugby was quickly turned into a matter of brawn rather than brain as one try – from Stirling Mortlock seven minutes into first-half injury time – and four penalties earned the Australians only their third win on Argentine soil.

Matt Burke gave the visitors the lead in the fifth minute with a penalty in front of the posts before Felipe Contepomi levelled 13 minutes later.

Contepomi added another penalty in the 43rd minute but then went on to miss an incredible seven attempts that could have won the game for the home side.

Burke kicked two more penalties, in the 22nd and 38th minutes before a surging run from Stephen Larkham set up Mortlock to race over from 35 yards out.

After a scrappy first half with spoiling tactics from the Pumas, the second half degenerated into a farce as both sides lost the plot. Possession was conceded repeatedly and a succession of penalties went to Argentina – all missed – before Elton Flatley kicked the final points of the night in the 85th minute of play.

With over 11 minutes of extra time played Australia's Mortlock and Argentina's Gonzalo Longo were both needlessly yellow-carded for separate offences before referee Kelvin Deaker finally blew time on a game it is best to forget.

Argentina: Penalties Contepomi 2. Australia: Try Mortlock; Penalties Burke 3, Flatley.

Argentina: M Reggiardo (R Grau, 51); F Mendez (M Ledesma, 58), O Hassan, I Lobbe, R Alvarez, S Phelan, R Martin (M Durand, 70), G Longo, A Pichot, F Contepomi, D Albanese, L Arbizu, J Orengo, J Piossek, I Corleto.

Australia: B Young; J Paul (A Freire, 65), P Noriega (B Darwin, 80), D Vickerman (D Giffin, 65), J Harrison, M Cockbain, G Smith, T Kefu, G Gregan (capt), S Larkham, S Mortlock, D Herbert, M Burke (E Flatley, 75), B Tune, M Rogers.

Referee: K Deaker (New Zealand).