Wales beat Argentina 23-10 in the San Juan Stadium
IN THE city of San Juan – where wild dogs roam the streets and some were even spotted inside the venue for this match – Wales’ bark more than matched the Pumas’ bite.
Warren Gatland’s young side stepped up to the mark in impressive fashion. This was their first win on Argentinean soil in 14 years as they refused to relinquish a 17-3 half-time advantage.
Tries from the supreme James Davies and George North had done the damage for Wales who, it must be said, delivered the goods with an inexperienced set of forwards excelling.
Rhys Patchell ended the game with ten points and Gatland would have been delighted with what he saw. The New Zealander has left his first-choice stars at home this summer and the 80 minutes here was proof the next generation have what it takes to succeed at the highest level.
Davies was a stand-out performer, but to give credit where it’s due, every Wales player stood up to a man. Argentina, it must be said, were underwhelming, but that must not detract from this result.
All the Pumas could manage was a penalty from the boot of Nicolas Sanchez and a late Tomas Lezana converted try.
Half an hour from the centre of San Juan and bordered by wasteland, the Estadio del Bicentenario – with its barbed wire surrounding three quarters of the ground – was no place for the faint of heart.
In front of nearly 23,200 baying Pumas supporters, Gatland nonetheless gave youth its chance, especially up front where rookie frontrow forwards Elliot Dee and Dillon Lewis both started.
Lock Cory Hill captained his country for the first time and while there was plenty of experience behind the scrum, the prematch concern was whether Wales’ pack could provide them any ball.
In their first Test of 2018, Argentina’s entire match squad came from the Jaguares, a team flying a high in Super Rugby. It gave Pumas boss Daniel Hourcade a sense of familiarity and Sanchez handed them a 3-0 lead, but an early deficit failed to deter Wales. Gatland’s men were plainly keen to play on a pristine surface and it soon paid dividends with a fine try.
A number of phases from the men in red put them on the front foot, Patchell spreading the ball back right where Hallam Amos delivered a sumptuous offload which put Davies in at the corner. It was the Scarlets flanker’s first Wales try and Patchell improved it further from out wide.
Sanchez then opted for touch rather than posts from a penalty and kicked the ball dead, but Wales were fronting up well to the opposition’s monster pack.
That was summed up when after concerted Argentina pressure, the Pumas drove over the line and referee Andrew Brace went upstairs. The replays showed Rob Evans had got underneath the ball, Davies then winning a crucial breakdown penalty when the hosts tried again.
It proved a pivotal moment as Wales then went up the other end to score their second as North crossed for his 33rd try for his country. It was as simple as you like.
From line-out ball off the top scrum-half Gareth Davies waltzed through a gap and offloaded to North who was given a facile run to the line. Patchell converted and then nailed a monster penalty won by Hadleigh Parkes to complete a dream first half.
A clinical Wales outfit had taken their chances despite boasting just 39 per cent possession and 29 per cent territory before the break. Argentina were out early for the second half.
Sanchez was replaced Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, but Patchell kicked his second penalty and Wales looked like they simply couldn’t be broken down.
More fine breakdown work – this time from Lewis – gave Patchell another shot, but his penalty effort went wide. Gatland then unloaded his bench, flanker Aaron Wainwright making his Wales bow and Tomas Francis providing fresh grunt in place of Lewis on the tighthead.
Still Wales refused to give an inch. Defence coach Shaun Edwards must have been purring in the stands, his men tackling everything in blue and white and never taking a backward step.
Argentina finally woke up and looked like scoring through Sebastien Cancelliere, but just as the replacement back looked bound for the line, the ball was knocked from his grasp by the covering Ross Moriarty.
By that stage the game had long since been decided as a contest despite Lezana crossing next to the posts late on. Iglesias converted, but Gareth Anscombe’s penalty with the game's final kick sealed the deal and now Wales’ challenge is to clinch a Test series victory in Santa Fe on Saturday.