Argentina overpower Wales in Nations Championship

Nations Championship

Argentina (28) 35

Tries: Oviedo 2, Piccardo, Kremer, S Carreras, Cons: Albornoz 5

Wales (14) 21

Tries: Lake, Carre, Warren Cons: Costelow 3

Number eight Joaquin Oviedo scored two tries as Argentina overpowered Wales in the Nations Championship in San Juan.

The Pumas brushed aside their opening tournament defeat against Scotland with this dominant five-try display.

Centre Justo Piccardo, flanker Marcos Kremer and full-back Santiago Carreras also scored for the home side while fly-half Tomas Albornoz kicked 10 points.

Wales had opened the scoring with a try from captain Dewi Lake, who later limped off injured. Rhys Carre also went over before Ben Warren crossed as the tourists rallied in the final quarter.

Flanker Jac Morgan again excelled but this proved a reality check for Wales after they had achieved back-to-back Test victories for the first time since 2023 by overcoming Italy and Fiji.

This was always going to prove a much tougher test against a team ranked seventh in the world - four places above Wales - and one who had beaten Steve Tandy's side 52-28 in Cardiff in November 2025.

Wales now travel to face world champions South Africa in Durban next Saturday, while Argentina will host England.

Only 16,000 fans had watched Wales win at the Cardiff City Stadium on the opening weekend of the tournament and this 25,000-capacity venue was also not full.

Following the victory against Fiji, Wales had made the 7,000-mile journey to Buenos Aires on an 18-hour flight, split into two different parties.

Only one training session was possible in Argentina's capital before another two-hour flight followed on Thursday to San Juan, where Wales had won in 2018.

Tandy made three changes, with wing Louis Rees-Zammit on the bench as Ellis Mee started, while fly-half Sam Costelow and flanker James Botham replaced Dan Edwards and Alex Mann respectively.

Argentina head coach Felipe Contepomi decided on five changes from the team that lost 47-38 to Scotland, with props Boris Wenger and Tomas Rapetti making first Test starts and Kremer, Piccardo and Bautista Delguy also coming into the side.

Harlequins lock Guido Petti led the home side out as he became the sixth player to reach 100 caps for the Pumas, but it was Wales who struck first.

Lake was driven over from a maul after Wales had scored three similar tries against Fiji.

Argentina responded with a flowing move involving Santiago Carreras and Mateo Carreras that was briefly halted by Eddie James before being finished off by a charging Oviedo.

The hosts looked dangerous with Mateo Carreras and Rapetti bumping off attempted tackles from Mee and Botham before that attacking move broke down.

Argentina asserted dominance in the aerial battle when Delguy towered over Costelow to collect an attacking kick which laid the foundations for Montpellier centre Piccardo to evade Eddie James' tackle and cross in the corner.

Wales responded with controlled pressure, with Morgan appearing to have dived over to score, but following a long conversation between referee Paul Williams and his television match official (TMO), the try was ruled out with the flanker adjudged to have been part of the ruck before he picked up the ball.

Wales did not panic and Carre dived over for his fifth try in six internationals following a familiar well-worked, short-range penalty move.

The visitors repelled Argentina, with Morgan and Botham holding up Oviedo over the Welsh line, but the game then turned in the home team's favour.

Incessant pressure caused Wales to give away a series of penalties which resulted in Kremer being driven over.

Argentina were rampant and brought up the bonus-point fourth try for Santiago Carreras with a move that overpowered Wales just before half-time.

Wales brought on props Nicky Smith and Warren, Rees-Zammit and lock Teddy Williams for the second half, but the home dominance initially continued with Oviedo striding away for his second try.

Replacement Matias Moroni was denied a try following a knock-on before Wales hooker Ryan Elias came on for his 50th Test appearance as he replaced injured captain Lake.

Another milestone arrived as Exeter back-rower Kane James came on to win his first cap, replacing Aaron Wainwright, who had also made his Test debut in San Juan eight years ago.

James had only been on the field for seconds when Warren crashed over for his first Test try in his second international.

That gave the tourists some encouragement as they enjoyed more possession and territory in the final exchanges, but Wales could not break down the home defence again.

Argentina: S Carreras; Delguy, Cinti, Piccardo, M Carreras; Albornoz, Garcia; Wenger, Montoya (capt), Rapetti, Petti, Alemanno, Grondona, Kremer, Oviedo.

Replacements: Ruiz, Vivas, Coria Marchetti, Molina, Matera, Benitez Cruz, Moroni, Ignacio.

Wales: Murray; Mee, E James, Hawkins, Adams; Costelow, Tomos Williams; Carre, Lake (capt), Lewis, Carter, Beard, Botham, J Morgan, Wainwright.

Replacements: Elias, N Smith, Warren, Teddy Williams, K James, Hardy, Llewellyn, Rees-Zammit.

Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

TMO: Tual Trainini (France).