There were more accusations flying around in the build-up to this game than there was tickertape littering the main street in Buenos Aires following Argentina’s destruction of Serbia & Montenegro in the football World Cup. If even half the allegations made by both camps were true, there were more dirty tricks in the first Test in Puerto Madryn than in the average political campaign. A busy afternoon beckoned for English referee Dave Pearson and so it proved.
He had to blow for four penalties in the first three minutes -— Federico Todeschini handing the Pumas the lead with the last of them — and by the 19th minute had brandished his first yellow card, to Wales lock Ian Evans for a professional foul.
The young and relatively inexperienced side put out by coach Gareth Jenkins in the 27-25 defeat last weekend was rightly praised for the way they matched the notoriously physical Argentinians at close quarters.
But the real test was whether they could be equally competitive at the breakdown and just as committed in defence only six days after tacking such a physical battering. And while they started off impressively, Argentina were clearly in no mood to let Wales enjoy as much dominance in the contact area as they had the previous week, and were able to turn over plenty of possession.
It was in the back division, however, that the real difference showed from the first Test, as Felipe Contepomi returned to the Pumas side having sacrificed his place in last weekend’s game to sit medical exams. The Leinster playmaker lined up at inside-centre to add an extra dimension to Argentina’s attack and slotted in effortlessly, enjoying himself far more than his opposite number James Hook, from whom big things are expected.
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Hook scored on his Test debut in Patagonia and was rewarded with a first start for Wales in place of Matthew Watkins, who was demoted to the bench after suffering with a back injury and illness during the week. Jenkins also trusted 20-year-old Hook with the kicking duties as fly-half Nicky Robinson was carrying a groin strain but, amidst much jeering from the local crowd, he missed with his first attempt at goal and then had a kick charged down, which led to the Pumas’ opening try.
Hook has now played more rugby for Wales than he has for the Ospreys region and Contepomi, who is described as the Maradona of Argentine rugby, clinically exposed his lack of game time at senior level and demonstrated how much experience counts.
Within the first few minutes he had lived up to his billing, launching a typically risky move by launching an Argentina attack from his own try-line. Then in the 18th minute Contepomi’s smart back-flick to Gonzalo Longo allowed the No 8 to send flanker Martin Durand over the line, only for the television match official to rule that he had been held up by the combined efforts of Shane Williams and Gavin Thomas.
Just three minutes later, however, with Wales now down to 14 men following Evans’s indiscretion, the Pumas did log their first try and, of course, Contepomi was as the centre of things.
Hook’s clearance kick was charged down by the centre in the Wales 22 and Gonzalo Tiesi, who has made such a striking impression with London Irish, was quick to touch down the loose ball.
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STAR MAN: Felipe Contempomi (Argentina)
Argentina: J M Hernandez; F Leonelli, G Tiesi, F Contepomi, L Borges; F Todeschini, A Pichot (capt); R Roncero, M Ledesma, M Scelzo, I Fernandez Lobbe, R Alvarez Kairelis, J M Fernandez Lobbe, Gonzalo Longo, M Durand.
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Tries: Tiesi 20, 65, Lobbe 42
Conversions: Todeschini (3). Penalties: Todeschini (8)
Wales: L Byrne; M Jones, J Robinson, J Hook, S Williams; N Robinson, M Phillips; D Jones (capt), H Bennett, A Jones, I Evans, I Gough, A Wyn Jones, A Popham, G Thomas.
Yellow card: Wales: I Evans (19min)
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Tries: Delve 59, Williams 79, Byrne 80
Conversion: Robinson, Hook (2). Penalties: Hook (2)
Referee: D Pearson (England). Attendance: 18,000