Howley gets out of jail
Struggling Wales ease pressure with a narrow win over Argentina
ROB HOWLEY’S CV to take over from Warren Gatland in 2019 remains in the Welsh Rugby Union’s in-tray. The stand-in Wales coach was in desperate need of a result and, having made the boldest selection of his career, escaped with a panicky but precious victory.
With Jamie Roberts dropped to the bench — playing no part here — Howley’s gamble just paid off.
It was more grunt than grace, but Wales at least stuttered back from their worst home defeat in a decade against Australia last week.
Argentina are used to life on the road. The Jaguares club side, who made up the entire starting XV in Cardiff, frequently travel for their Super Rugby fixtures in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They are away 20 weeks of the year, with 30 long-haul flights, but Wales looked like the team suffering from travel sickness early on.
Two wayward kicks from Dan Biggar — the first making no yardage and the second resulting in a penalty for offside chasers — put Wales on the back foot. Heavyweight prop Tomas Francis knocked on in the tackle and Liam Williams was hauled into touch as the returning winger tried to attack from deep.
The tourists are renowned for playing high-tempo, high-risk rugby. Skipper Agustin Creevy experimented with a short line-out and, with Ken Owen penalised for holding on in the tackle, Nicolas Sanchez kicked the first points.
Sanchez was off target with his second penalty. His back line showed a willingness to attack from deep and it backfired, with Leigh Halfpenny levelling the score with a 15th-minute penalty.
Wales did not lead once in the series opener against the Wallabies, but Halfpenny kicked them ahead with a 24th-minute penalty. But without Roberts acting as midfield lynchpin, there was a lack of structure that resulted in costly, loose passes going to ground. With a heavier pack, Wales made their gains through the forwards. Ross Moriarty is becoming a household name in the back row with his powerful ball carrying and, breaking the gain line, he put Wales on the front foot in the second quarter.
The return of Alun Wyn Jones, accompanied by Sam Warburton, bolstered the set-piece and Wales reverted to basics. Williams was shunted into touch from a blind break, before Argentine prop Ramiro Herrera was sin-binned after sustained scrum pressure.
Gethin Jenkins took the plaudits on his 133rd Test — overtaking All Blacks legend Keven Mealamu as the world’s most-capped front row — but Wales missed another shot before the break. Despite having a winger filling in at flanker, the Pumas turned over the final scrum, with Wales failing to turn another period of pressure into points, going into the break with a six-point return for 70 per cent possession.
Argentina’s defence broke early in the second half. Biggar broke down the right, before a switch of play allowed Williams to wriggle over.
Pressure has been growing on Shaun Edwards after Wales conceded 26 tries in their five previous Tests. And the defence coach was left seething as his players were caught out by a quick tap-and-go from Martin Landajo. The scrumhalf beat Francis for pace and his grubber kick was touched down by Juan Martin Hernandez to narrow the deficit to a point.
Soon the game opened up and, following a rare chip by Jenkins, No 9 Gareth Davies scored off the back of a driving maul. But his opposite man Landajo then touched down after a powerful run by Facundo Isa.
Halfpenny and Sanchez exchanged further penalties and Wales suffocated the visitors with their choke tackle — before Wales struck one last kick to seal the win.