Argentina Provide Reality Check for Wales
Wales have now lost their last three matches against Argentina.
Following consecutive Test victories over Italy and Fiji, Wales faced a challenging encounter away against Argentina in San Juan, which proved to be a significant step up in difficulty.
The Pumas delivered a commanding performance, scoring five tries en route to a 35-21 win, fully justifying their victory.
While Scotland's recent win in Argentina had offered some hope for an upset, this match featured a different, more cohesive Pumas side.
Wales demonstrated considerable determination to remain competitive and aimed to secure bonus points, improving on the 52-28 defeat they suffered against Argentina in Cardiff in November 2025.
However, Wales ultimately fell short, being outclassed and overpowered by their hosts, who showcased why they are ranked among the world's top seven teams, while Wales remain 11th.
"They're a good team and they've had more time together off the back of the Scotland game as well," said Steve Tandy, Wales head coach. "We felt in a good place coming here and it's disappointing the way the game finished for us."
Argentina now prepare for a double-header against England, with rugby and football matches scheduled within three days of each other ahead of a World Cup semi-final next Wednesday.
Nations Championship Highlights: Argentina 35-21 Wales
Argentina's superior pace, power, and tactical skill proved decisive against Wales, whose defence was resilient but occasionally faltered on initial tackles.
"There's a lot of lessons in there for us," Tandy reflected. "Coming away from home we need to be a bit more accurate and Argentina probably dominated the physicality. It's something we definitely need to look at. We fell off a few tackles in the first half and that creates momentum which is hard to wrestle back."
Statistical analysis underscores Argentina's dominance: they gained 458 metres in attack, achieved 15 clean breaks, and beat 31 defenders, compared to Wales' 209 metres, three clean breaks, and 15 defenders beaten.
Wales' attack was more methodical, with tries scored by front-row forwards Dewi Lake, Ben Warren, and Rhys Carre. Carre marked his fifth try in six internationals with a well-executed effort.
Gaining ground was a significant challenge for Wales in San Juan, and their offensive approach was less dynamic than Argentina's.
The Wales midfield remains under evaluation, with Scarlets players Sam Costelow, Joe Hawkins, and Eddie James selected for this match.
Wales' primary offensive threat came from their driving line-out, and only in the final quarter did their attack begin to show greater fluidity.
Flanker Jac Morgan was a standout performer for Wales, recording 23 tackles, an impressive turnover, and a notable second-half run that highlighted his overall impact.
Exeter back-rower Kane James made a significant contribution as a second-half substitute, earning his first cap.
Will Wales Captain Lake Play Against South Africa?
Wales captain Dewi Lake is notable for having started all 11 Tests during Steve Tandy's inaugural season as head coach.
Tandy awaits updates on Lake's fitness after the captain exited the match in the second half due to a leg injury; full-back Blair Murray also faced fitness concerns.
"The boys are having treatment so we'll have probably more of an idea in the next 24 hours," Tandy said.
Wales will travel to South Africa following their South American fixtures. Tandy is likely to consider squad rotation to refresh the team after a demanding season.
His 33-man squad includes flanker Tommy Reffell and centre Ben Thomas, who have yet to participate in the Nations Championship campaign.
"Everyone might not get a chance but we'll definitely make some changes from the game," Tandy explained. "It's a lot of travel and it was very physical playing against Fiji and Barbarians as well. We'll assess everyone to see how they pull up and make a decision on the team."
Argentina Beat Wales in Nations Championship - As It Happened
Scotland fell short in a 10-try thriller against South Africa.
Finishing the Season Against South Africa
Wales face the challenge of crossing five time zones on a flight exceeding 5,000 miles, adding to the travel demands of the tournament.
They will confront the double world champions, South Africa, with memories still fresh of a 73-0 defeat inflicted by the Springboks in Cardiff in November.
While Argentina was always a formidable opponent, South Africa represents an even greater challenge.
The Springboks have already defeated England and Scotland in this tournament with heavily rotated squads, and Wales will conclude their season with a shortened preparation period in South Africa.
"It's brilliant for us and I talk a lot about us, where we're going from our first campaign to our third," Tandy said. "We had a great result last week and now there is this disappointment against Argentina. Going to the world champions we know they could probably put two or three teams up that are really impressive. So we will be up against it but these are the challenges we want."
