Argentina unleashed their full fury on Wales at San Juan's Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, leaving the visitors reeling from a 35-21 mauling in the Nations Championship. The Pumas' number eight, Joaquin Oviedo, was the driving force behind this dominant display, crossing for two crucial tries and leaving his opponents grasping at air.
Wales, buoyed by back-to-back Test victories since 2023, were caught cold by Argentina's relentless onslaught. Despite a promising start, they soon found themselves on the back foot as the Pumas' attacks piled the pressure on their beleaguered defence. Flanker Jac Morgan's try was cruelly denied by the referee and TMO, while the Welsh team's hopes of turning the tide were dealt a further blow with injuries to captain Dewi Lake and prop Rhys Carre.
Argentina's coach Felipe Contepomi made five bold changes to his line-up, handing props Boris Wenger and Tomas Rapetti their first Test starts. The move paid dividends as the Pumas' attacking flair proved too much for Wales to handle – a far cry from their 47-38 loss to Scotland in the tournament opener.
Next up for Wales is a daunting trip to Durban to face reigning world champions South Africa, while Argentina will welcome England to San Juan. The Pumas have sent a thunderbolt of a message to their opponents: they mean business and are not to be underestimated.