Wales 17-29 Argentina: Pumas seal World Cup semi-final spot with victory in Marseille
Argentina ended Wales’ World Cup journey in controversial fashion during an enthralling quarter-final in Marseille.
Wales started brightly with a 10-point lead before Argentina responded with four Emiliano Boffelli penalties. Tomos Williams restored Wales’ lead with a brilliant effort before two late tries from Joel Sclavi and Nicolas Sanchez sealed the win.
The Pumas face Ireland or New Zealand in the semi-final in Paris next Friday.
The match swung on a controversial decision by English referee Karl Dickson who had replaced Jaco Peyper early on in the game after the South African official suffered a calf injury.
Wales were leading 17-12 when Argentina lock Guido Petti’s shoulder caught the head of Wales centre Nick Tompkins at a ruck. Dickson decided Petti’s action was legal and gave no sanction and Pumas prop Scalvi went on to score to give Argentina a 19-17 lead. Tompkins was forced to go off to have a head injury assessment (HIA) which meant a limping Dan Biggar had to move to centre with fly-half Sam Costelow coming on.
With Wales chasing the game, Sanchez intercepted a Costelow pass to sprint away to score and added a late penalty to rub salt in the wounds and send Warren Gatland’s side home.
Wales wing Josh Adams escaped without a yellow card in the first half for a shoulder charge. Wales had a late chance to clinch victory, but following a Rio Dyer break, Louis Rees-Zammit was denied in the corner by a brilliant Matias Moroni tackle.
It was a chaotic game with the numbers of Wales’ players peeling off their shirts in the first half and they have now fallen out of the tournament.
The Pumas were ecstatic as they sealed a second World Cup semi-final in France to follow up their achievements in 2007.
Argentina finished as runners-up in their pool in this tournament after losing the opening game against England, but have won four successive games to continue their participation under Michael Cheika.
Line-ups
Wales: L Williams; Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Adams; Biggar, G Davies; G Thomas, Elias, Francis, Rowlands, Beard, Morgan (capt), Reffell, Wainwright.
Replacements: Lake, Domachowski, D Lewis, D Jenkins, Tshiunza, T Williams, Costelow, Dyer.
Argentina: Mallia; Boffelli, Cinti, Chocobares, M Carreras; S Carreras, Cubelli; Gallo, Montoya (capt), Gomez Kodela, Petti, Lavanini, Gonzalez, Kremer, Isa.
Replacements: Creevy, Sclavi, Bello, Alemanno, Bruni, Bazan Velez, Sanchez, Moroni.
Match officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Touch judges: Karl Dickson (Eng) & Andrea Piardi (Ita)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa).
(BBC)
