Joe Schmidt demands ‘start-to finish’ Wallabies performance against Pumas

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Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt during the Rugby Championship clash with Argentina in Townsville on Sept 6.

PHOTO: EPA

SYDNEY – Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said on Thursday only a “start-to-finish” performance will be good enough to beat a wounded Argentina this weekend, and his team should be nervous at what was coming.

The Pumas, captained by Julian Montoya for a 50th time, are smarting from an agonising 28-24 defeat at the death last week in Townsville. They were leading 21-7 at half-time, but lost focus as the Wallabies came roaring back to clinch victory with an 86th-minute try.

“I’d like to think that (my players) are feeling a little bit nervous, because that edge is something we’re going to need again,” said Schmidt ahead of the clash in Sydney on Saturday.

“The very fine margins that fell our way, and we pushed them our way, we’ll have to try to make sure that that’s delivered from start to finish and that’s always a challenge for any team.

“On the back of those four tries last week, we’ve got to try to make sure that we galvanise any of those opportunities to exert that pressure and then finish it off.”

Playmaker Tane Edmed will make his starting debut, thrust into the cauldron ahead of veteran fly-half James O’Connor as the replacement for Tom Lynagh, who has a hamstring injury.

O’Connor was instrumental in helping rally the side when he came on last week, and will again be on the bench before departing to his new English club Leicester.

Edmed is one of two changes in the backs. Centre