Wallabies look to step up another gear against Pumas in Sydney

MELBOURNE :Australia head into the Rugby Championship test against Argentina still marvelling at the great escape in Townsville while hoping to get the job done quicker in Sydney on Saturday.

With an Angus Bell try six minutes after the final hooter, the Wallabies' 28-24 win over the Pumas in tropical Queensland left them just one point shy of leading New Zealand and with a rare chance to push for the Southern Hemisphere trophy.

Home media dined out on the Wallabies' courage to go for a winning try, while coach Joe Schmidt said he would back his on-field leaders to go for broke again.

"The mindset was very much driven by the leaders on the field at the time," Schmidt told reporters on Thursday.

"I loved the fact that they grabbed it by the scruff of the neck, made the decision and went with it.

"Part of it is having the confidence to go for it and part of it is having the competence to deliver it."

With the Wallabies beating the British & Irish Lions in the third test of their series in Sydney, then upsetting South Africa at Ellis Park, home fans are the most excited in years.

A sold-out crowd will turn up to the afternoon clash at Sydney Football Stadium (SFS) hoping the hosts can keep the good times rolling before the All Blacks face South Africa in Wellington in the evening.

Tane Edmed, a regular at the SFS with his former Super Rugby team New South Wales, will soak up the moment when he wears the coveted number 10 jersey for the first time, replacing the injured Tom Lynagh.

Schmidt said he was too nervous to declare his team genuine trophy contenders and hoped the players were also on edge.

"I'd like to think they're feeling a little bit nervous because that edge is something we're going to need," he said.

"While I'm nervous,