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Pumas maul Wales as Tandy's first game in charge ends in defeat

rugby09 November 2025 17:12| © AFP
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Argentina overpowered Wales 52-28 in Cardiff on Saturday as home coach Steve Tandy's first game in charge of the national side ended in a record loss.

Victory gave Argentina their highest score and largest winning margin against Wales.

To make matters worse for Wales, talismanic captain Jac Morgan went off with a shoulder injury early in the second half that threatens to rule the flanker out of the remainder of their Autumn Nations Series campaign.

The Pumas, sixth in the world rankings to Wales' 12th place, ran in seven tries, with Geronimo Prisciantelli scoring two and Pedro Delgado, Simon Benitez Cruz, Mateo Carreras, Bautista Delguy and Santiago Grondona also going over.

All of those scores were converted by Santiago Carreras, who also landed a penalty in a faultless haul of 17 points from the kicking tee.

Four of those tries came in a first half when Argentina led 14-0, were pegged back to 14-14, but still turned round in command at 31-14.

"We're really happy with the result," fly-half Prisciantelli, the player of the match, told the BBC. "We knew Cardiff is a very difficult place to come and we knew Wales would be tough."

This was Wales' 10th successive home defeat. Their cause was not helped by yellow cards for backs Ben Thomas and Tomos Williams.

'SLOPPY MOMENTS'

"We're disappointed with the result but there's some pride in the good things we did and scoring four tries," said Tandy as he praised a "battle-hardened" Argentina, who beat Australia and New Zealand in the recent southern hemisphere Rugby Championship.

He added: "There is always that disappointment when you concede seven tries and there were too many sloppy moments to win any big game. That's not something we want defensively, but also we know the bits where we need to grow."

Wales only ended a record run of 18 straight test losses with a 31-22 win over Japan in Kobe in July.

Welsh fans must have feared the worst when Argentina surged into a 14-0 lead with just 11 minutes played.

The Pumas' driving maul paved the way for prop forward Pedro Delgado's seventh-minute try, his first for Argentina, who soon doubled their lead.

Wing Mateo Carreras kicked ahead and Prisciantelli won the race to touch down for his maiden test try.

Wales hit back with two converted tries of their own.

Tom Rogers, scything through the midfield, was well supported by Morgan and the flanker's excellent pass released scrum-half Tomos Williams for a try.

Wales, roared on by a freshly-inspired crowd under the closed roof of the Principality Stadium, were level minutes later after Dewi Lake powered over.

Wales found themselves a man down when inside centre Thomas was sin-binned for lashing out with the boot at Argentina flanker Pablo Matera.

Argentina regained their composure and edged 17-14 in front through Santiago Carreras' 31st-minute penalty.

Before Thomas' yellow card expired, scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz dived against the post for a 38th-minute try.

'NOT LOOKING GOOD FOR JAC'

From the kick-off, with the last play of the half, the Pumas scored again after Matera's superb left-footed kick was scooped up by dashing wing Mateo Carreras.

Just three minutes into the second half, Prisciantelli and Delguy combined before the wing barged past Rogers, Williams shown a yellow card for tackling a man without the ball.

A cheer rang round the ground in the 45th minute as Louis Rees-Zammit came off the bench. It was the 24-year-old wing's first Wales appearance since the 2023 World Cup after an 18-month unsuccessful stint in American Football.

Morgan pulled a try back but was injured in the act of scoring.

"I think there's a dislocated shoulder, so it's not looking good for Jac," said Tandy of the "world-class" Morgan.

"We know how much he loves playing for Wales and how he leads the team. It is a massive blow for us, but ultimately it's someone else's opportunity."

Prisciantelli then grabbed his second try – Argentina's sixth – in the 62nd minute, intercepting Thomas' pass and racing clear from 25 metres out.

Wales wing Blair Murray crossed the Pumas' line seven minutes from time but Argentina had the last word through replacement back-row Grondona's 79th-minute try.

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