Summer Rugby Internationals match report: Wales vs. Argentina

On July 10 2021, Wales played Argentina at the Principality Stadium in their first meeting since 2018.

Kieran Hardy kicks the ball. Image from Wales News Service.

Wales vs. Argentina was set to the backdrop of both sides securing victories the previous week. Argentina triumphed against a resilient Romanian side, winning the match by 24–17. Wales, by contrast, reveled in an even larger victory against Canada, winning by 68–12. Both teams were eager to continue their winning momentum in this unusual summer series of rugby internationals being hosted in the UK rather than overseas. 

The Principality stadium had its roof open for the occasional burst of sunshine on what was otherwise a cloudy day in Cardiff. Wales retained much of the side that faced the Canadian Maple leaves. Argentina packed its team with experience and strength, most of them having featured in the famous victory against the All Blacks in last year’s Tri Nations Championship with New Zealand and Australia. 

Though, there were changes to both teams for this match; a key one being Wales’ omission of Leigh Halfpenny due to injury. The Argentinians featured members of the winning side of Toulouse, who won the European Champions Cup, including fullback Juan Cruz Mallia.

The nerves of both teams as the game started showed, as neither side were able to achieve more than five phases of play within the first 20 minutes. However, the action began to heat up in the second quarter of the first half. The tackling and defensive qualities of the teams really shone, especially Argentina, as led by the Pumas’ new captain, Julián Montoya. There were also many contestable kicks from both sides and neither side were able to break through the solid defensive lines. The Welsh and the Pumas played a lot of crash ball and pick and go carries. Argentina and Wales were, on occasion, able to give the crowd at the Principality Stadium a glimmer of what the backs can do on the outside of the defences, only to be stopped by knock-ons and forward passes.

At this point, only three penalties were scored – two by Callum Sheedy and one from Nicholas Sanchez, making the score 6–3 to Wales. Argentina’s points came from Callum Sheedy trying to implement the Bristol Bears style of play, but Wainwright, the recipient of the short pass, was swamped by four Pumas (and there was only going to be one winner there!). Though, Sheedy did redeem himself, as the two penalties he scored were converted afterwards. 

Unfortunate injuries to Wales’ Aaron Wainwright and Argentina’s Santiago Carreras saw early representation from the benches of both sides, and replacements Josh Turnbull and Santiago Chocobares respectively came onto the field. 

Towards the 30-minute mark, Matthew Carley, the referee, lost patience with the way the scrum was proving to be an ineffective platform to restart the game. With both front rows of forward packs going down repeatedly, Carley eventually decided new Props were required. Nauel Tetaxz Chaparro (Arg) and Dillon Lewis (Wal) were sent off, and replacements, Facundo Gignea (Arg) and Leon Brown (Wal), came on. Rodrigo Bruni (Arg) and Josh Turnbull (Wal) were scarified so that both teams had 14 men on the park until near the end of the first half. 

After both sides were reduced to 14 men a piece, Argentina’s afternoon got tougher. As Kerian Hardy received a box kick close to the Welsh 22-metres mark, he was subjected to a high tackle from the Argentinian full-back, Juan Cruz Mallia. The television match review revealed that Mallia, however, made contact with Hardy’s shoulder and torso with his arms. Mallia led with his head, which clashed with Hardy’s chin. Any form of contact to the head is deemed dangerous play, and there were no mitigating circumstances to reduce the punishment. After consultation with the Television Match Official (TMO) Clare Hodnett, Referee Carley awarded a red card to Mallia and Argentina was from then on one man permanently down. Argentina only had 13 players on the pitch.  

Another controversial moment was James Botham’s tackle against Pablo Matera a few minutes later. Matera landed awkwardly, his head making contact with the ground. However, after consultation with the TMO, it was decided that a penalty was sufficient. (Although, it must be said that Botham was lucky to escape without punishment!) 

There has been an odd trend over the past couple of months regarding rugby teams who are reduced to 14 players or 13 players – as was the case in this game for a short period. The team with fewer players tend to rally to the team’s efforts in order to succeed. Argentina stuck to their game plan of physical direct play before releasing their backline. Wales tried to impose themselves with the attack, but the Argentinians were steadfast. 

Eventually, Wales conceded a penalty due to the brilliant turnover of Julián Montoya, and, through the experienced boot of Nicholas Sanchez, Argentina had a 5-metre lineout close to the Welsh try line. The two Props that previously had been yellow carded returned, as well as the scarified players. Argentina remained down to 14 men due to the sending off of the full-back Mallia. The Pumas secured the ball, crabbed across the field, and eventually Pablo Matera broke away to score his seventh international try for his country. Matera finished well considering the defenders surrounding him as he crossed the try-line. Sanchez closed out the first half with the conversion of the try and with his second penalty prior to the try; Sanchez had increased Argentina’s lead at half-time to 13–6. 

Both teams had been cagey and neither side quite flowed like teams who had a game under their belt already. However, the Pumas deserved a lot of credit, being down to 14 men and, for a period of time, down to 13 men, as they continued to apply the pressure to Wales and scored. Wales were not in a position to panic and the game was well within their grasp to make a comeback. 

The second half began as the first half had ended: the Argentinians applying a huge amount of pressure on the Welsh. Five minutes into the second half, after receiving an attacking ball from a scrum, the replacement back-three-player for Argentina, Santiago Chocobares, ran a fantastic line towards the Welsh tryline. Chocobares was tackled, but managed to offload brilliantly to the oncoming inside centre, Jerónimo de la Fluente, who dived over under the posts to score the Pumas’ second try of the game. The Argentinian, Flyhalf Sanchez, converted the try and brought his personal tally of international points in test rugby to 781. The score was now 20–6 for the men in their white and blue kit.

Wales were now on the back foot, even with the one man advantage. The response Wales desperately needed came minutes later with second-row Will Rowlands, having confirmed his move to Newport Gwent Dragons, crashed over for his first international try for his country. Rowlands came onto the ball after Tomos Williams, the replacement scrum-half, darted around the fringes. Jarrod Evans, the fly-half who came on to replace Callum Sheedy, converted Rowlands’ try, and Wales were back within touching distance of the Argentinians, now only losing by 13–20.

The Argentinians had many chances to take the lead with a few penalties, however, both Sanchez and his replacement fly-half, Domingo Miotti, failed to convert penalty kicks for the posts. Wales were hanging on, although the Welsh wingers, Owen Lane and Jonah Holmes, tried to show their flair as much as they could. Argentina played to try and attain a penalty – an opportunity to be more than one score ahead of Wales – but it never came to pass. 

Wales had also brought on the live wire scrumhalf replacement, Tomos Williams, who helped to inject the pace that the game was desperately craving for. Wales hammered and hammered at the Argentinian defence with the likes of back-row replacement Taine Basham and second-row Ben Carter, and eventually, after controlling a scrum on the Argentinian 5-metre line, Williams took his moment, weaving between players and scoring Wales’ second try of the match. Evans converted and Wales were now level pegging with Argentina with 20 points apiece.

During the last 10 minutes of the game, the tension was palpable. Miotti had a chance to bring Argentina ahead in the game, but the penalty kick was missed once again. However, in the dying moments of the game, the Argentinians conceded a penalty 40-metres away from their try line that was left to the central part of the field. The gamble was discussed in and amongst the Welsh players. Jonathan Davies, Wales’ inside-centre and captain, opted to go for goal. Jarrod Evans lined up his attempt to bring Wales a first win in the series against Argentina. However, this was not to be, and the ball sailed past the posts. This allowed the Pumas one last attack deep within their own 22. The Argentinians decided it would be too risky to play on, allowing Wales an opportunity to steal back the ball. Miotti received the pass from Bertranou and kicked into the stands. Remarkably, this was the first draw between the two teams since they started playing against one another in 1968. 

Hallan Amos was awarded the Player of the Match, which was well deserved. Honourable mentions on a personal note include Elliot Dee, Jonah Holmes, and Owen Lane. 

The general mood around the Principality was a mixture of relief and muted disappointment for both sides. Wales were not firing on all cylinders and were not as clinical as they were against the Canadians. The Argentinians would rue the kicks at the goal they had missed. 

Though, both teams do have positives to take from the game. The Pumas can take credit for the way they played down to 14 and for how they stuck to their game plan of brute force before releasing their quick backs. For Wales, they were able to come back into the game when they were two scores down, and the pace they injected into the game in the second half would be pleasing to Wayne Pivak. 

For Wales, the handling in broken field play, the quick passing from rucks and malls and protection of the ruck area are key aspects that will need to be looked at. On the other hand, the lineout operation for Wales worked very well in this game for the most part – a previous area of concern during the 2021 Six Nations Championship. 

The Argentinian team will look to more forward dominance in their attacking threats. 

Will Rowlands in the post-match press conference commented that Wales were disappointed with the draw and could have won the game, and that Wales missed a few opportunities to take more chances. However, Rowlands said that the team were pleased to come back to draw level at least. Rowlands also stated that the aim was to win the series and that the Argentinians were direct, physical, and hard hitting. Rowlands was confident that Wales could put in a performance to win against Argentina next week and ultimately win the series. 

The two sides will face each other again next week in the Principality Stadium in Cardiff to play for the series. Both teams will want to improve their attacking flow, stability within the front-row of the scrum, and ball retention. Also, going through multiple phases more accurately. Wales just about have the edge in terms of the speed of the backs, however, one cannot ignore the experience that the Pumas possess within their squad. 

You can find commentary of the match highlights here and the team sheets here.