Argentina delivered the physical statement Wales could not answer, running in five tries to win 35-21 in San Juan and hand Steve Tandy's rebuilding side a sharp reality check in the Nations Championship.
In front of a packed Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, the Pumas turned a competitive opening into a rout before half-time. Marcos Kremer and full-back Santiago Carreras crossed to stretch the lead to 28-14 at the break, and Wales, for all their early ambition, found no way back. It was Argentina's third consecutive win over the Welsh and their first victory of this year's competition after a chastening 47-38 loss to Scotland the previous week.
No.8 Joaquin Oviedo was the game's dominant figure. Named player of the match, he led all players for carries (20), defenders beaten (six) and metres gained (98), and scored twice before being withdrawn just before the hour. Inside centre Justo Piccardo was almost as influential, adding a try to go with his 15 carries and two clean breaks, while fly-half Tomas Albornoz kicked 10 points. There was a milestone on the night too, with Harlequins lock Guido Petti leading the side out as he became the sixth man to reach 100 caps for the Pumas.
Wales had their moments. Hooker Dewi Lake, prop Rhys Carre and Ben Warren all crossed to keep the scoreboard ticking, and Tandy was adamant the effort was there even as the result slipped away.
"We're disappointed with the result, disappointed with some of the performance in the first half," Tandy said. "But I thought, fair play, the boys stuck in and potentially could have got four tries and a losing bonus point at the back end. There's a lot of lessons in there for us. Coming away from home you need to be a bit more accurate and Argentina probably dominated the physicality piece early doors."
That physical edge was the theme Tandy kept returning to. His side, still short of the intensity that top-tier rugby demands, were second best at the collision for long stretches.
"I thought there was more of a response from us in the second half but we are going to have to be more physical in large parts of our game, in particular," he added. "That is something that we definitely need to have a look at moving forward. We fell off a few tackles in the first half and then that creates momentum and it's hard to get that wrestled back."
For Felipe Contepomi, the result vindicated five changes to the side beaten by Scotland, with props Boris Wenger and Tomas Rapetti handed first Test starts. After the previous week's setback, the Pumas rediscovered the clinical edge that has made them such awkward opponents at home, and left Wales with plenty to fix before their campaign continues.
