The Wallabies came from behind to beat Argentina 45-20 but the small turnout at Canberra Stadium only eclipsed the record-low set in Melbourne this year by 646 spectators.

The poor crowd was the latest fallout following the Australian Rugby Union's diabolical handling of cutting the Western Force from Super Rugby this year.

The ACT Brumbies were on that same chopping block before being declared safe in April but the ARU were slammed for their handling of the drawn-out saga.

Wallabies fan John Barter made the trip from Sydney and didn't mince his words when assessing the current state of Australian rugby.

"People aren't showing support because of the mistakes made by the heads of Australian rugby, they certainly haven't done much to endear themselves to people," Barter said.

"The way they handled the Western Force decision, whether it was right or wrong, was just ridiculous and people are voting with their feet.

"It's disgusting how far the game has fallen. We haven't consolidated our position, two years ago we were second at the World Cup and now look where we are.

"We've got to start beating New Zealand but it starts at the top and there's an endemic going through the game at the moment, it's like cancer."

The Matildas beat Brazil 2-1 in front of 15,089 fans at Penrith Stadium on Saturday, marking the first time an Australian women's team has bettered a Wallabies crowd when played on the same day.

Barter said the ARU should have done more to promote women's rugby on the back of the the Australian women winning Olympic gold in Rio last year.

"The Matildas have done very well but we should be cashing in on rugby union after the girls won the sevens at the Olympics," Barter said.

"They [ARU] need to pull their heads out of the sand and go back to grassroots, look at club rugby in Sydney where they got 20,000 to the final, that's the future."