Scragged: Tavis Knoyle
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Wales scored their second Test victory in as many weeks on Saturday with a 28-13 victory over 2007 World Cup semi-finalists Argentina at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Wales led 14-3 at half-time thanks to try from number eight Andy Powell and a handful of penalties from James Hook.
The Pumas pack dominated in opening stages but their kickers - Felipe Contepomi and Marcelo Bosch - failed to reflect the visitors' ascendancy on the scoreboard.
Wales lock Alun-Wyn Jones provided the spark the hosts need just before the break, setting up Powell to score before touching down himself shortly after the break.
The home side raised their game in the second period, taking charge to seal victory via a late try from wing George North.
Replacement front-row Martin Scelzo scored a consolation try for Argentina in the dying moments which Felipe converted but the result was already beyond doubt.
Wales were determined to build on the triumph over England last weekend and enter their World Cup opener against world champions South Africa on September, 11, on the back of two victories.
One worry, though, for Wales was they lost veteran fly-half Stephen Jones before kick-off, with a recurrence of a calf injury, with Scott Williams stepping up to the bench.
But Wales led by Martyn Williams, who won his 99th cap, comfortably completed their mission.
The Pumas gave the hosts a real scare early on after Contepomi threaded a grubber along the touchline.
Leicester Tigers' Horacio Agulla scorched-up the wing and beat Jonathan Davies to the ball but it had brushed the touchline on the bounce.
Wales had their first chance eighteen minutes into the scrappy encounter but Davies was unable to hold-on to Hook's pass following a Tavis Knoyle quick tap.
Contepomi opened the scoring on 29 minutes with a well-taken penalty. Moments later the Argentine fly-half had the chance to extend the visitors lead but was once again off target with the boot.
And Wales took full advantage moments later when they surged into the lead thanks to Powell's first ever try for his country.
Knoyle broke off the back of a scrappy scrum and linked with second-row Jones who then released Powell to race into the corner. Hook expertly slotted the touchline conversion and they grabbed a second quick-fire try within moments of the restart.
Jamie Roberts offloaded out of contact to release North and the Scarlets flyer beat his opposite number and Contepomi before drawing Martin Rodriguez to put Jones over for a try of his own.
Hook was again on target to hand Wales a 14-3 half-time lead. Wales started the second-half with much better effect than the first and they got their reward with a Hook penalty on 44 minutes.
He added a second on 53 minutes to extend Wales' lead to 20-3. Argentina were dealt a blow when Juan Fernandez Lobbe was sent to the sin-bin after taking Jones out at the restart.
But Contepomi struck-back with a penalty on 62 minutes to reduce the deficit to 20-6. Wales made a raft of replacements in the final quarter and it was no surprise that the game lost its shape and rhythm.
And they were dealt a World Cup scare when Roberts limped off with what appeared to be a dead leg. But the hosts finished in style with North crashing over for his seventh try in nine matches for Wales.
It was a well-worked move by Wales, they sucked in the Pumas' defence and spread the ball wide to centre Davies who flicked a pass inside to North.
Argentina grabbed a late consolation try with a trademark drive over maul which Contepomi converted but it was not enough and Hook added a final penalty at the death.
The scorers:
For Wales:
Tries: Powell, AW Jones, North
Pen: Hook 3
For Argentina:
Try: Scelzo
Cons: Contepomi
Pens: Contepomi 2
Wales: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Leigh Halfpenny, 13 Jamie Roberts, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 George North, 10 James Hook, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Martyn Williams (capt), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun-Wyn Jones, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paul James.
Replacements: 16 Huw Bennett, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Jonathan Thomas, 19 Justin Tipuric, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 Scott Williams, 22 Aled Brew.
Argentina: 15 Martin Rodriguez, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Gonzalo Camacho, 10 Felipe Contepomi (c), 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16Agustin Creevy, 17 Martin Scelzo, 18 Mariano Galarza, 19 Alejandro Campos, 20 Alfredo Lalanne, 21 Nicolas Sanchez, 22 Juan Imhoff.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Comments
blametheref says...
From an Irishman looking at Wales there's huge positives, Alun Wynn Jones is a world class lock, George North is going to be one of the world's best wingers and I hope a class team like Leinster sign him to see him reach his full potential. Hook is beginning to look like a proper 10 and Adam Jones is back. You have 2 good centres in Roberts and Davies and Halfpenny should be full back because it's a problem position with Byrne...All in all Wales have a very good team that could beat any team if given licence to play with abandon in the backs which should be the game plan with so much "individual" talent out wide...What Wales need is to NOT take Ryan Jones to the WC, in recent years it seems when he plays that Wales are all about him and I think his ego affects the team negatively. He has slipped into mediocrity as an 8 and when it comes to Wales playing Ireland I love to see his name on the team sheet as I know Heaslip will take him to the cleaners...But I really like the look of this Welsh team and think they will surprise at this WC
Posted 09:23 22nd August 2011
oldwire says...
I fear for wales going into the world cup on the recent performances, the physicality of S/H teams could be our undoing. This was the pumas 1st game and they looked rusty but did show flashes and could have scored 2 tries in the first half, they will improve.
I hope Gatland will pick the form players from these matches and not just go on names, Byrne should not go th NZ and full back seems a problem, Hook is not the answer there, he needs to play at 10, he will only improve. We also have lost another hooker and god we need our lineout to improve, SA will take our ball all day. Scrum looked better with Jones back and B Davies in 2nd row, tho he had aquiet game in the loose, prob all the work he was doing in the scrum.
Our centres are not firing at all, pity Henson isn't fit to see what he could add but S Jones could play at 12 and give some options also swapping with Hook at 10 at times.
Back row will have Warburton and Lydiate for sure, M williams popped up as he does in the right places but size has always let him down, not a bad bloke on the bench tho! No8 is a good debate with Powell using his brain at least 80% of the time on sat, Felatau had some bad moments in Eng games with ball in hand but did an awesome amount of work otherwise. Jones is pretty steady but not on fire.
Positives- A Jones, T Knoyle, Hook, North.
My other gripe is the celebration after our 1st try, played badly for 37 minutes then scored a try as much down to poor puma defence as us and the players went wild, where was the sense in that.
Posted 08:05 22nd August 2011
ruckman says...
Island - my reasons are that they beat a truly awful (awfully coached and awfully selected) England side narrowly at home, and a v v poor Pumas - but not that easily.
They are a long was behind the top tier (amongst whom I include Samoa), and for all their bravery and effort have no realistic chance of silverware.
Posted 13:49 21st August 2011
sully12uk says...
im not one to normally have a go at the ref, but he was dreadfull. he had zero control at the breakdown aread.
Posted 08:41 21st August 2011
stumpy says...
I agree. For those saying Argentina will finish above England in their world cup pool are ridiculous. England might not be the greatest test side, but Argentina were woeful. The only players that have any spark they have on the bench (Creevy at hooker). The backline is a shadow of the 2007 team, with no creativity or imagionation. The remaining members of the 2007 team are now passed it (Contempomi, Ledesma etc) and they havent filled the gaps of those such as Pichot. I actually think theyll finish 4th in the group, behind Georgia England and Scotland, but will finish above Romania.
Posted 01:49 21st August 2011
makemehappy says...
Interesting and wrong decision to give a try by the video ref. Any human in real time might give it, and there is no doubt that the ball is grounded over the line, and no doubt that there is a hand that could belong to 'thing' on it. Yip - you couldn't identify who the hand belonged to. Nice one - another idiot video ref. He forgot that he needs to be 100%. Obviously it was a try, but he couldn't give it. Where do they get these morons from?
Well done to Wales. Destroying the scrum was key. Adam Jones ate his opposite number, though well done to the referee for not actually knowing that.
Yip - there goes another idiot. Argentina cheated all game. Obviously the words 'off-side' dont translate into spanish or french!
Posted 20:28 20th August 2011
ruckman says...
Argentina have gone a mile backwards since the last WC - I think their front row is well past it, and Ayerza will start come WC time - the superb Ledesma also should be bench material at best.
Contepomi is way past his best, and generally, this side is v . v disappointing.
As for Wales - well done - but no way they will be a force in the WC.
Posted 20:04 20th August 2011