Montoya’s pride as Pumas savage Wales
LEICESTER Tigers hooker Julián Montoya has spoken of his pride after leading Argentina to a Test series victory over Wales.
The Pumas scored three tries through Tigers’ Matías Moroni, Tomas Cubelli and Pablo Matera in their 33-11 victory in Cardiff to clinch the Test series 1-0.
Montoya said: “It’s the first time we have won in Cardiff in nine years. I am very proud of the team.
“It’s a fantastic result and we spoke in the week about our discipline.
“But our attitude is non-negotiable and we showed that on the pitch. We are going to enjoy this result.”
After a 20-20 draw in the first match, a strong Pumas side took advantage of too many Welsh errors to power to victory in high pitchside temperatures.
Montoya, leading Los Pumas for the third time since being appointed his nation’s skipper ahead of the tour, was again a force up front for the South Americans and showed the way in attack and defence.
Moroni, who started the match on the wing, scored a try in the Tigers outside-back’s 50th Test appearance for Argentina.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac, who has given youth its chance this summer with his best players away with the British and Irish Lions, admitted Argentina had been the superior side.
Pivac said: “There were far too many errors for this level of rugby. It was a slippery ball with the heat and it was 46 degrees pitchside.
“I couldn’t believe it actually, but we still expect better skillsets and we didn’t play well in those conditions. We weren’t good enough on the day and Argentina deserved to win.”
Meanwhile, Tigers’ Fijian powerhouses Kini Murimurivalu and Nemani Nadolo lined-up against the All Blacks for a second successive weekend in New Zealand on Saturday.
After the Fiji side pushed the hosts all the way in the first of their two-Test series, it was the All Blacks who turned on the style in the second match in Hamilton to run out 60-13 winners.
The Pacific Islanders were in the mix for almost half an hour at Stadium Waikato before New Zealand’s class and experience on the international stage shone through.