A VICTORY FOR WALES JUST WHEN THEY MOST NEEDED IT
JUST when Wales desperately needed the oxygen of victory it arrived against Argentina – breathing life into their autumn campaign in the process.
A try off a rolling maul by Taulupe Faletau in the 31st minute and a second-half opportunist effort from Tomos Williams, with Gareth Anscombe and his replacement Rhys Priestland kicking the rest of the points, was enough for a win that will ease pressure on coach Wayne Pivac, however temporarily.
It is only the third win Pivac has engineered in 2022, so he will not suddenly be flavour of the month among the Welsh rugby fraternity.
But he at least got a positive reaction from his players after a trouncing by New Zealand a week ago that was worse than many feared.
As for Argentina, they never got going. After shocking England six days earlier they could have no complaints about this defeat.
Bright start by Wales, but over-eager
WALES began the game in the manner you would expect from a team coming off the back of a chastening defeat.
The intent was there, the commitment was there, the urgency was there.
Louis Rees-Zammitt ran from deep to spark a move that saw Wales gain 50 metres and young wing Rio Dyer also made a dangerous-looking halfbreak. But criticism of the defensive effort last week against the All Blacks, when Wales leaked eight tries, appeared to affect Welsh composure.
Just 12 minutes had gone when Kiwi referee Ben O’Keefe pulled captain Justin Tipuric aside to tell him that the next offside from Wales in their own 22 would see the culprit yellow-carded.
Wales conceded seven penalties before the half hour mark, largely through a lack of composure, and it hindered their attempts to build momentum.
Wales bluntness a concern
AFTER half an hour Wales had claimed 67% of territory but failed to score a single point, whereas Argentina had six.
It is a recurring problem for Pivac and his coaches.
Last week against New Zealand the home side were yet again shown the importance of making every visit to the opposition 22 count on the scoreboard.
But Wales just didn’t look incisive enough in attack.
In the 17th minute, Wales rumbled through eight phases in the middle third. When it became clear they were going nowhere Anscombe tried a cross-field kick to wing Alex Cuthbert, but possession was lost.
Wales offered more threat in contact going forward, but Argentina committed very few defenders to rucks which meant the hosts were often trying to work out how to breach a 13 or 14-man defence.
Inexplicable Carreras decision
HOW Pumas outside-half Santiago Carreras wasn’t sin-binned in the 24th minute will likely tax the finest minds in the field of rugby union law and its application.
Wales, launching an attack off a rolling maul after planting a kickable penalty to touch, looked odds on to claim a try with Argentina scrambling on their own line.
That was until Carreras rushed around the side of the maul and deliberately knocked on as scrumhalf Tomos Williams tried to launch his back-line.
Inexplicably, referee O’Keefe declined to check the footage and confer with the TMO. Had he done so, there was only one conclusion he could have come to – yellow.
But he didn’t. He awarded just a penalty instead and, you’ve guessed
it, Wales lost the next lineout.
Louis still king at full-back
THE switching of Rees-Zammitt to full-back was one of the major talking points beforehand.
Well, the experiment seemed to work, and you wonder whether Pivac may be tempted to give it another go.
Rees-Zammitt ran with serious intent whenever he had the ball and the more central position seemed to give him more points of attack. When you’re as quick as the Gloucester man is, you are an obvious threat, but that threat increases when the opposition defence have less of an idea where you’re going to pop up.
This was new to Rees-Zammitt at this level, but he showed composure and good decision-making throughout. Much to ponder regarding the back three for Pivac….
Defensive transformation
WHILE Wales were over-eager early on, once they settled into the game their defensive work was far better than seven days ago.
You might claim Argentina posed less of a rapier-like attacking threat and you’d be correct.
But last week Wales were beaten up physically, and containing belligerent All Black runners was very much a part of that.
This time some of their desire and organisation was reminiscent of the Shaun Edwards days, with Wales’ line-speed forcing Pumas ball-carriers into mistakes.
Early in the second half one jackal turnover by lock Adam Beard saved Wales as Argentina pummelled off a close-range lineout.
And that was followed up by No8 Pablo Matera being held up over the line by a gang of red-shirted defenders in the 55th minute.
The understandable flak the defence received last weekend will have stung Edwards’ successor Gethin Jenkins, not a man to suffer fools. It certainly appeared as though some serious work has taken place on the training ground since.
Rowlands’ rush of blood
WILL Rowlands has had a great year for Wales and has rightly won plaudits.
He was more than mentioned in dispatches as a potential captain before Pivac gave the armband to Tipuric.
Which is why his rush of blood in the 55th minute was surprisingly out of character.
Rowlands blatantly knocked the ball out of the hands of his Dragons team mate, the Pumas scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou as he tried to launch as pass from the breakdown.
It was one of those indiscretions that was plain foolish and inexcusable. It also symbolised a poor day overall. Fortunately for Rowlands, in the time he was off the field Wales actually increased their lead by three points.
But it could have been so costly – and on another day it definitely will be.
Pivac will surely have stern words.
Memorable mauls
IT was day when we were reminded what an effective weapon the rolling maul can be, with both sides scoring their tries via this method.
The Welsh score in the 32nd minute was especially gratifying given that it arrived after captain Tipuric gambled by putting a close range penalty to touch, even though his side were trailing 6-0 at the time.
Wales won the lineout and moments later Taulupe Faletau was crashing over from a fast-advancing maul.
Argentina’s effort was similarly rapid and unstoppable, coming from replacement prop Natuel Tetaz Chaparro in the 69th minute.
It set up an edgy finish and ensured Wales were mightily relieved come the final whstle.
Argentina disappointing
WHILE the Pumas have had notable wins against New Zealand, Australia, Scotland and England this year, following such victories up has been a problem for them. This was more of the same. After beating England 30-29 at Twickenham last Sunday, Michael Chieka’s side were strangely flat at the Principality Stadium.
Wales, for their doggedness and desire, must take some credit for that, but Argentina were too passive for long spells.
Chieka will be disappointed to lose obviously, but the manner of the loss will likely infuriate him.