Share

Wales grind past Pumas in Cardiff

Cape Town - Wales returned to the victory trail after grinding out a hard-fought 24-20 victory over Argentina in Cardiff on Saturday.

The home side dominated for large periods and should have won this match by a much bigger margin but they made several mistakes and were lucky to secure victory in the end.

Both sides crossed for two tries apiece but it was the goalkicking of Leigh Halfpenny which proved the difference for Wales as he finished with a 14-point haul courtesy of three penalties and a conversion.

The opening half was a slugfest with both teams battling to gain the ascendancy and neither side managed to score any tries during this period. 

Nicolás Sánchez opened the scoring from the kicking tee in the third minute before Halfpenny drew the home side level with a penalty of his own 10 minutes later.

The rest of the half was a war of attrition as both sides tried to assert their authority but the only points of the half was another Halfpenny penalty in the 23rd minute.

Argentina suffered a setback just before half-time when Ramiro Herrera was sent to the sin bin after referee Angus Gardner had warned Los Pumas for continous infringements on defence close to their tryline.

Herrera's yellow card would prove costly as Wales made full use of their numerical advantage when, two minutes into the second half, Liam Williams crossed for the opening try after Dan Biggar and Halfpenny combined brilliantly in the build-up.

Halfpenny failed with the conversion attempt and the visitors soon had their opening five-pointer when Juan Martín Hernández dived onto the ball behind the home side's try-line after Martín Landajo had stabbed a teasing grubber kick through for him to chase.

Five minutes later, Wales went on a line-out drive deep inside Argentina's 22 and when the maul's mometum was halted close Los Pumas' try-line Gareth Davies showed great determination and leg drive before diving over for a deserved try.

Halfpenny's conversion gave the hosts some breathing space but it didn't take long for Argentina to strike back - Landajo barging over from close quarters, and when Sanchez slotted the conversion it was game on with Wales holding a slender 18-17 lead with less than 20 minutes remaining.

Halfpenny and Sanchez then traded penalties, which meant it was still a one-point game inside the final 10 minutes. The home side would have the last laugh, however, as another Halfpenny penalty two minutes before the end sealed their victory.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE