Rugby: Reece Hodge misses the match-winning penalty again as Wallabies and Argentina draw

It happened again. For the third time at this Rugby Championship, the Wallabies have suffered the uncomfortable anguish of a draw following a thrilling final against Argentina on Saturday night.

The Wallabies dramatically tied with less than 10 minutes to play, and they had a chance to beat Reece Hodge in the last minute.

The full-back, who admitted to having demons after hitting the post in the Wallabies’ dramatic Bledisloe Cup draw against the All Blacks, must have seen the ghosts again when he took a hard penalty from almost 50 meters in a golden opportunity. to have won the game.

Instead, his kick with just 30 seconds to go saw the Wallabies maintain a 16-16 tie, after also drawing with Argentina just two weeks ago.

Hodge and his super boot have been the sad symbol of the Wallabies’ frustrating Rugby Championship campaign that ended with three draws in six games, including four Bledisloe Cup Tests with the All Blacks.

Despite signs of promise, the Wallabies finally finished last in the Rugby Championship.

After hitting the post against the All Blacks following the final siren in New Zealand, Hodge also had a chance to win the game for the Wallabies when they drew Argentina in Newcastle two weeks ago.

Hodge has been a standout for the Wallabies this season, but his nightmare of kicking the goal to death is now a gorilla on his back.

Hodge said that after the first draw with the Pumas he felt he had “let Australia down.”

It hurt even more on Saturday night.

“You can’t blame him. You can see he’s laughing, frustrated and crying at the same time,” Wallabies legend Matt Burke told Channel 10.

Wallabies legend George Gregan insisted that Hodge did not lose the contest to the Wallabies.

“He’s obviously heartbroken,” Gregan told Fox Sports.

“It’s like the curse you see on the golf tee sometimes … He will get back on the horse. That’s what champions do, and he’s a wonderful player.”

Veteran rugby commentator Gordon Bray said Hodge looked “devastated.”

Bray described the strange anomaly of the Wallabies who endured three draws in six games as “absolutely staggering.”

– news.com.au