Wales' World Cup aspirations took a hammer blow in San Juan on Saturday, as Argentina unleashed a blistering attack that left Steve Tandy's side reeling. The Pumas showed no mercy, ruthlessly pouncing on every Welsh weakness and running amok for five tries to secure a 35-21 thrashing in the Nations Championship.
The match began at breakneck pace, with hooker Dewi Lake bursting over for a try that had Wales dreaming of a fairy-tale start. Sam Costelow's conversion made it 7-0, but Argentina swiftly levelled the scores through Joaquin Oviedo's clinical finish just two minutes later. The Pumas then took control with Justo Piccardo's score, which was set up by Bautista Delguy's eye-catching catch and offload. Wales thought they had drawn level through Jac Morgan, only for their try to be cruelly disallowed after a lengthy review for a ruck infringement. Rhys Carre's crash-ball try did bring them back on terms.
But Argentina were just getting started, with the momentum shifting decisively in their favour as they scored two more tries before half-time. Marcos Kremer powered over, and then Santiago Carreras finished off a slick attacking move that left Wales reeling. The hosts continued to dominate after the restart, Oviedo securing his second try of the match and putting Argentina firmly in the driving seat.
Despite the mounting deficit, Wales refused to quit, with prop Ben Warren finding space to touch down and offer a glimmer of hope. Costelow maintained his perfect kicking record, converting all three Welsh tries. But Argentina were always in control, comfortably managing the closing stages of the game to secure a well-deserved win. Tomas Albornoz contributed 10 points from the boot for the Pumas, complementing their five-try haul.
This result is a major blow for Wales, coming on the back of a morale-boosting victory against Fiji last week. Argentina, meanwhile, bounced back impressively from their defeat to Scotland, dominating large periods of the game and showcasing their attacking prowess. The Nations Championship continues to provide a stern test for the Welsh squad as they seek to build consistency against top-tier opposition.