5 memorable meetings between Wales and Argentina

By Sports Desk October 12, 2023

Wales and Argentina will face each other in a first Rugby World Cup clash since 1999 on Saturday.

The opening Marseille quarter-final sees Wales start as favourites after they collected 19 points from a possible 20 in winning their pool.

Here, the PA newes agency looks back on five memorable Test matches between the two countries.

Wales 43 Argentina 30 (Llanelli, 1998)

Graham Henry’s second game in charge as Wales head coach produced a high-scoring spectacle at Stradey Park. Fly-half Neil Jenkins contributed 23 points and there were tries for Colin Charvis (two), Dafydd James and Mark Taylor. Argentina, playing only their second full international match against Wales following a World Cup pool game eight years earlier, trailed 26-25 at the interval before Henry’s team had enough in the tank to see themselves home.

Argentina 16 Wales 23 (Buenos Aires, 1999)

Wales clinched a first Test series triumph against the Pumas in Argentina by ultimately holding their nerve during a game mainly remembered for a mass brawl. The melee spilled over the touchline and into the dug-out area, with English referee Chris White issuing yellow cards to Wales prop Peter Rogers, plus Argentina forwards Mauricio Reggiardo and Pedro Sporleder. Hooker Garin Jenkins’ try and five Neil Jenkins penalties and a drop goal proved enough.

Argentina 20 Wales 35 (Buenos Aires, 2004)

Wales claimed a first away win against any opponent for three years as they recovered impressively from losing the first Test 50-44 in Tucuman seven days earlier. Mike Ruddock’s team led by 25 points at the interval following Shane Williams’ memorable hat-trick of tries and they then had to hold off a fierce Pumas fightback. Gavin Henson, playing at full-back, kicked 15 points and fly-half Nicky Robinson also touched down.

Wales 40 Argentina 6 (Cardiff, 2013)

Wales emphatically ended a run of home defeats in the autumn internationals by posting what remains a record win against Argentina. The tone was set by scrum-half Mike Phillips’ fine solo try after he broke clear from inside his own half and a dominant display also saw George North, Taulupe Faetau and Ken Owens touch down. Leigh Halfpenny booted 20 points on a day that saw prop Gethin Jenkins become the fourth Welshman to win 100 caps.

Argentina 12 Wales 30 (Resistencia, 2018)

Wales’ first series win in Argentina for 19 years was achieved on the back of Rhys Patchell’s outstanding goal-kicking – he landed 20 points – and tries by backs Josh Adams and Hallam Amos. Number eight Ross Moriarty was sent off late in the game, but Wales had already done enough to claim a notable triumph. It concluded a tour that had earlier seen them beat South Africa in Washington DC.

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    Wales head coach Warren Gatland did not have answers about his future following their 45-12 defeat to South Africa, their 12th consecutive loss.

    The Springboks dominated from the off and were cruising 26-0 just before half-time, after Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Elrigh Louw crossed.

    Rio Dyer's try before the break ensured Wales did not draw a blank in the first half, but South Africa did not let up as Aphelele Fassi, Gerhard Steenenkamp and Jordan Hendrikse all followed suit.

    James Botham's late effort ensured Wales did not suffer their worst-ever home defeat, but they have now gone an entire calendar year without a win for the first time since 1937.

    Gatland has come under increasing pressure as the losses pile up, and though his future remains up in the air, he was proud of how his inexperienced side held up against the world champions.

    "It's about seeing what the Welsh Rugby Union has to say," he told TNT Sports when asked about his future.

    "You don't make a decision straight after a game, it's always tough coming to a press conference straight after a game before you've had time to catch your breath and look at some of the stats and numbers.

    "Let's just see what happens over the next few days."

    On their recent run of form, he added: "We punched massively above our weight for a number of years, and we've been saying that when the dam bursts it's going to take a little bit of time to put things right.

    "The dam has burst, but it's about making sure that, collectively, with the regions we work together.

    "I think we need to be in better shape in a conditioning point of view. We will work on that with some of the players over the next couple of months, so when they turn up for the Six Nations, they're ready to go from day one."

    South Africa have won each of their last three Tests, building on their wins over Scotland and England earlier in the series.

    Captain Siya Kolisi was pleased with their ruthlessness in the game but also sympathised with Gatland's situation.

    "It's been a really good tour," he told TNT Sports. "It hasn't been perfect, the first two games we weren't happy - happy we won, but there was so much we could have done better.

    "The results are important, but it's how you do things, the standards we set for ourselves. We know we can do a little bit better as a group.

    "We were where Wales are a couple of years ago.

    "The only thing I can say is you just can't stop believing. If you look at their starting backline, one of our guys had more caps than all of them. You have to be realistic about these things."

    Elsewhere, Ireland produced their most convincing win of their series, scoring eight tries as they cruised past Fiji 52-17 in Dublin earlier on Saturday. 

  • France 37-23 Argentina: Les Bleus wrap up campaign with third win France 37-23 Argentina: Les Bleus wrap up campaign with third win

    France posted a comfortable 37-23 win over Argentina on Friday to make it three wins out of three tests at the Stade de France to conclude their Autumn Nations Series. 

    Having also beaten New Zealand and Japan in Paris this month, Fabien Galthie's side claimed four tries, including a superb solo effort from Louis Bielle-Biarrey, as they eased to victory against the Pumas. 

    The hosts led 30-9 at the break after Argentina's Julian Montoya and Juan Martin Gonzalez were both shown yellow cards in the first half, with Thomas Ramos slotting his third penalty of the game. 

    Tomas Albornoz made it 30-16 for Felipe Contepomi's visitors, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed as Bielle-Biarrey scored his fourth try in three games before Ramos made it 37-16. 

    Albornoz then cut the deficit to 37-23 with a two-pointer with nine minutes to play, but that wasn't enough to stop his side from falling to a defeat. 

    "We knew it was going to be an 80-minute game. We saw last week how Argentina went all the way against a good Irish team," France lock Emmanuel Meafou told TNT Sports. 

    "We are happy with the win. We have three from three [in the autumn] and we will look to build on that in the Six Nations next year."

  • England must be 'brave on the ball' to halt winless run, says Borthwick England must be 'brave on the ball' to halt winless run, says Borthwick

    England head coach Steve Borthwick has demanded his team to be "brave on the ball" when they take on Eddie Jones' Japan in the Autumn Nations Series on Sunday. 

    Borthwick's side have lost each of their last five matches, their longest such run since another five-game stretch between February and June 2018.

    However, they have not lost more in a row since a streak of seven in 2006. Each of the five losses in their current streak have also come in single-digit margins.

    But England have also struggled at home. They have fallen to defeat in their last three matches at the Allianz Stadium, their longest losing run since 2008. 

    Only once before have they lost more in a row at the Twickenham venue (L5 between 1971 and 1973), though Borthwick has urged his players to persist with an attacking style. 

    "We are trying to play the game a different way," he told BBC Sport.

    "I am encouraging the players to be brave with the ball, to move the ball, that’s where the strength of the team now is and where it is going to be in the future."

    Borthwick named his 23-man squad to face Japan on Friday, reinstating Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, nicknamed the "Kamikaze Kids" by Jones in 2019. 

    Curry has been recalled to the team after he was knocked out against Australia, and he replaces Chandler Cunningham-South in the back-row.

    In the other change from the starting XV that lost to South Africa, full-back George Furbank comes in for Freddie Steward.

    Fin Smith replaces George Ford on England's bench while Cunningham-South steps in for Alex Dombrandt. Sale's Opoku-Fordjour could also make his senior debut. 

    "We anticipate a tough challenge from a team that thrives on playing fast and with tempo," said Borthwick. 

    "Japan are a dangerous team, so it’s important that we execute our game plan and maintain focus throughout the full 80 minutes."

    England team to face Japan

    George Furbank, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Maro Itoje, George Martin, Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Ben Earl.

    Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Nick Isiekwe, Chandler Cunningham-South, Harry Randall, Fin Smith, Tom Roebuck. 

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