Wales clinch series win over Argentina

Wales finished their summer tests unbeaten, and claimed their first series win in Argentina since 1999.

  • Wales secured a series victory over with a 30-12 victory over the Pumas in Santa Fe, completing a clean sweep of victories this summer
  • Wales U20s signed off from their World Rugby U20 Championship with a 34-17 win over Italy in Béziers, giving them seventh place in the tournament.
  • Elsewhere Ospreys lock Giorgi Nemsadze captained his national side Georgia against Fiji, with the Fijians claiming a 37-15 win at home
  • And next season’s new signing Lesley Klim was in action for Namibia in the 2018 Rugby Africa Gold Cup against Uganda. Namibia were victorious recording a 55-6 win!

Wales

Patchell nudged Wales into the lead after the hosts were deemed to be offside in the opening stages. The Scarlets outside half doubled Wales' lead five minutes later with a second penalty attempt.

Worcester winger Adams scored Wales' opening try with a stunning effort from inside his own half. With the visitors on the attack a loose pass from Patchell was regathered by Adams who beat three defenders before showing his pace to run in unopposed.

Gatland's side had a second try disallowed when Patchell chipped over the top of the defence for Owen Watkin to touch down. But the Ospreys centre was denied his first international try when the touch judge informed the referee he was in front of the ball. Instead they had to settle for three points.

Patchell further extended the visitors' lead from 35 metres out after Argentina had infringed at the breakdown. Just when Wales seemed to be coasting to a comfortable victory Pumas lock Guido Petti beat Scott Williams on the outside before drawing his man to put Delguy over for a try meaning the visitors led 19-5 at the interval.

Patchell extended Wales' lead straight after half-time with a successful penalty attempt from 45 metres out. The Argentinian scrum was under pressure throughout the 80 minutes and cost them a further three points in the early stages of the second period.

Wales' may have won the physical battle but their back-line was also mightily impressive. Their class behind the scrum was evident when Amos crossed for their second try of the game.

With the men in red on the front foot the ball was moved through the hands as Patchell, Williams, Amos and Ross Moriarty showed great hands under pressure before releasing George North who drew his man to put the Dragons full back over.

But the game finished on a sour note when Wales No 8 Moriarty was sent off for putting an Argentinian player in a headlock. This resulted in the hosts grabbing a consolation try when replacement hooker Montoya crossed from short range.

Wales U20s

Elsewhere Wales U20s finished the World Rugby U20 Championship with a convincing 34-17 victory against Italy in Béziers, gaining vengeance for their U20 Six Nations loss to the Italians earlier this year.

Wales were able to achieve dominance over the much-vaunted Italian pack, and their lineout functioned smoothly between Ospreys hooker Dewi Lake and locks Max Williams and Rhys Davies.

Cai Evans opened the scoring on three minutes when Italy failed to release the man. Evans then kicked a penalty for territory in the eighth minute. Wales were held up at their first attempt at goal, but at a follow-up scrum they produced a huge shove which saw the referee play advantage. Scrum-half Harri Morgan played it and passed to Ryan Conbeer, who wasn't going to be stopped from five metres out. Evans converted. 10-0.

Loosehead Rhys Carre was unlucky to be sin-binned on 14 minutes for what was judged to be a high tackle. Italy's Giovanni D'Onofrio then made an overlap in the backs count, the Azzurrini stretching the Welsh defence for the wing to score. Fly-half Antonio Rizzi converted, with Wales now leading by just three points.

The boundlessly energetic Dan Davis struck back for Wales, getting himself into the right position to snipe in for a try, which Evans had little trouble in converting for a 17-7 lead.

Approaching half time, Italy went offside in their 22, and after several warnings for doing so, blindside Lodovico Manni was yellow-carded. Wales were finally awarded a penalty try after the Italians were penalised at the scrum for the fourth time on the 5m line, taking the half-time score to 24-7.

Italy were still down to 13 men at the commencement of the second half. The ignominy of receiving a third yellow card - with two of his teammates already off the field - fell to loosehead Danilo Fischetti, who put his knee into the back of a Wales player at a collapsed scrum.

A series of scrums and static play saw the scoreboard go stale, so up stepped Evans after an hour of play to kick a penalty from a good distance out. 27-7.

Italy got only their second sniff at the Welsh line just after Evans' penalty, but Wales' defence was ready. Italy won a penalty, and rumbled over for a try.

Try-scorer Dan Davis turned try-assistant near the 70-minute mark, getting past the Italian wing before popping the ball up for Max Llewellyn to score his first try of the tournament. Evans added the extras: 34-7.

Italy received some consolation five minutes from time, replacement prop Guido Romano going over from close range.  Openside Davis continued his poaching ways, intercepting an Italian pass in midfield to race 50m downfield, only for the proud Italian defence to haul him back short of the line. That move encapsulated the endeavour of both teams, but only one could claim seventh place in the tournament, and that was Wales.