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So the Wallabies are the second-best team in the Rugby Championship after four rounds, with nine points - 11 behind the All Blacks but three ahead of South Africa.That seemed an unlikely scenario after they had slumped to two demoralising defeats by New Zealand that suggested their world was ending if it had not ended already. But subsequent All Blacks victories against Argentina and South Africa, equally dominant, while Australia defeated the same opponents, less comprehensively, confirm nothing, perhaps, other than teams should not be judged only by results against the worlds best team; after all New Zealand are three percent better than any other team on the planet.Australia were the better team against Argentina in Perth, as they had been against South Africa in Brisbane the week before, and there is rarely reason for complaint in a 16-point victory in which you score four tries to two.But Australia scored 21 of their points, and three of their five tries in the opening 12 minutes of the fixture, and thereafter failed much to get the ball or to keep it. Passes were thrown to no-one in particular, if anyone, and their kicking game lacked discipline and direction.And they conceded penalties as Argentina dominated increasingly territory and possession; they conceded 16 penalties to seven as Argentina tallied 67 percent possession and 68 percent territory, and those numbers against England or New Zealand, and perhaps even woeful South Africa when next they face each other in Pretoria, would likely prove catastrophic.The key stat for Australia, and for Wallabies fans, however, is that pertaining to tackles.Australia completed 120 of the 143 tackles they were asked to make as Argentina tallied 181 runs and 181 passes; of course they missed 23, but the 84 percent completion rate is so much better than their turnstile rate in the two Bledisloe Cup Tests. And the reason for that improvement is trust and discipline; they had a trust in their teammates alongside that was absent only when Samu Kerevi drifted in off the wing four minutes into the second half, when Santiago Cordero scored for Los Pumas to make an eight-point ball game.Defence, it is often said, reflects a mindset; and Australia had that mindset in spades in Perth. And that is to be celebrated, for the Wallabies will need that mindset if they are to continue their two-match winning run in Pretoria and London before returning to Europe on their end-of-year tour.They will also need the attacking thrust they displayed for the opening 12 minutes in Perth, when Will Genia and Quade Cooper were sparking the attack as if it were 2011, when the team put the ball quickly through hands rather than delivering looping cut-out passes, and when Israel Folau ran a couple of dynamic and exhilarating lines; the other 68 minutes were less encouraging, but you cant attack if you cant get the ball and you elect not to keep it; nevertheless, the Wallabies did score two more tries - the first the result of hard running from Sean McMahon to show there will be life post-Pocock in the back row, the second featuring another delicious inside ball from Cooper as the Wallabies capitalised on a dumb blind offload from Ramiro Herrera to Tatafu Polota-Nau, who then refused to be pulled down.Michael Cheika has much still to work on with his post-World Cup Wallabies, but at least they now have two Ws against their name; and that really is all that matters. He also has blooded the eighth and ninth debutants of the campaign, Tom Robertson and Lopeti Timani, in another nod to the future.Cheika and his players will head home knowing the can relax a little for defeat was a very real prospect after the teams performances last week against South Africa and New Zealand respectively. They know they didnt dodge a bullet in Perth - for the Pumas didnt fire it - and that is the one caveat against their defensive improvement. The Pumas, for all their intent and ambition, lacked quality and execution. Had the Wallabies lost to the Pumas having dominated the stats as Argentina did then Cheikas ears would be bleeding still on the flight to Johannesburg in a weeks time; his Wallabies, after all, are the worst Australia team that Rugby World Cup-winning New Zealand rugby legend Sir Graham Henry has seen. As it is, winners are grinners and hell be smiling all the way home to Sydney. Discount Lightning Jerseys . 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Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. SEATTLE -- The unsatisfying appetizers for No. 8 Washington are done. Proving the Huskies are worthy of their lofty ranking three weeks into the season now begins.Well find out quick. Well find out quick what we have, Washington coach Chris Petersen said.Jake Browning threw three touchdown passes in the first 16 minutes and No. 8 Washington closed out its uninspired nonconference schedule with a 41-3 win over Portland State on Saturday night.Browning and the Huskies (3-0) led 14-0 after less than 3 minutes and coasted their way past the lower division opponent. Browning threw a 43-yard touchdown to Chico McClatcher on Washingtons opening drive, and added TD tosses of 11 yards to Darrell Daniels, 13 yards to McClatcher on the second play of the second quarter and a 4-yard TD pass to Myles Gaskin early in the fourth quarter.I think we learned some things about our team that are good things and some things that we still need to clean up, Petersen said.Browning finished 12 of 19 for 163 yards. His numbers were less impressive than the first two weeks due to the Huskies being helped out by a pair of Portland State turnovers deep in its own end, giving Washington a short field. Browning now has 12 touchdown passes in three games after throwing 16 TDs all of last season.Will Dissly, a converted defensive end now playing tight end, caught a 27-yard touchdown from K.J. Carta-Samuels in the fourth quarter as Washington extended its streak of scoring 40 or more points to six straight games dating to last season.Portland State served as the final warmup before Washingtons season really begins next week at Arizona. The Huskies outscored its three nonconference opponents -- Rutgers, Idaho and Portland State -- 148-30 and Washingtons starting defense has yet to allow a touchdown while on the field.I think we have proved that we arent looking past anything and that we are focused on the game, which Im sure youve heard millions of times from guys on our team, Browning said. We just have to continue that approach and get ready for Arizona.Alex Kuresa was 11 of 17 passing for 148 yards and one interception for Portland State. The Vikings (1-2) had four total turnovers and managed just 34 yards rushing on 42 carries.Thats brutal, Portland State coach Bruce Barnum said of the 34 yards rushing.dddddddddddd I just read that stat. Id also like to marry Miss America but some things never happen. Not against that defense.THE TAKEAWAYPortland State: The Vikings played a nearly perfect game when they upset Washington State last year. This season, too many miscues protecting the ball kept Portland State from being competitive in either of its games against FBS competition. The Vikings committed six turnovers in last weeks loss at San Jose State then fumbled the first kickoff they received on Saturday and found themselves down 14-0 in a hurry.Washington: The Huskies run game continues to baffle. Gaskin finished with a season-high 93 yards rushing on 13 carries, including a season-best 37-yard run early in the fourth quarter. The Huskies rushed for 213 yards but it took into the fourth quarter before the finding sustained success on the ground against a Portland State defense that allowed 409 yards rushing to San Jose State last week.POLL IMPLICATIONSWashington may creep a little higher in the Top 25 but not much. The impressive win by No. 10 Louisville over No. 2 Florida State will likely vault the Cardinals past Washington in the Top 10. The Huskies will get their chance to impress in the coming weeks.DEFENSIVE STOPSPetersen was thrilled with the performance of Washingtons defense against Portland States unique run game. Kuresa was held to (minus)-8 yards on 12 carries. Paris Penn, who rushed for 137 yards against San Jose State was held to 7 yards by Washington.To do what we did I couldnt be more pleased, Washington defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski said.UP NEXTPortland State: The Vikings return to the FCS level and open Big Sky play next Saturday at defending conference champion Southern Utah.Washington: The Huskies finally get tested when they travel to Arizona for their Pac-12 opener next Saturday. Its a challenging stretch for Washington playing a late Saturday night game in the desert following by a short week before hosting Stanford on Friday, Sept. 30.---AP College Football: http://collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '