Wales hold on for morale-boosting win

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Wales returned to winning ways after surviving a nail-biting final 10 minutes to beat Argentina in Cardiff on Saturday.

Tries from No 8 Taulupe Faletau and scrumhalf Tomos Williams either side of half time, as well as the boot of flyhalves Gareth Anscombe and Rhys Priestland, helped set up a 20-13 victory for Wayne Pivac’s charges at the Principality Stadium, the scene of a heavy defeat to the All Blacks last week.

However, Argentina clawed back at the death with a converted try from substitute prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, but inevitably it was too little, too late for the South Americans.

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Left wing Emiliano Boffelli put Los Pumas ahead in the first quarter with two well-struck penalties and they held onto their advantage despite trailing to their hosts in the territorial and possession stakes.

Wales took a four-point lead into the interval after Faletau barged over from the back of a powerful lineout drive, with Anscombe on song from the kicking tee.

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The Welsh struck first after the break when Williams dotted down from a charged down Juan Cruz Mallia kick. Anscombe added the extras to make it 17-6 going into the final 20 minutes, but Wales were down to 14 men as lock Will Rowlands saw yellow for playing the ball off his feet.

Priestland split the uprights to give the hosts some breathing room with the clock winding down, before fellow replacement Chaparro crossed the whitewash for the visitors – and Boffelli pinged another over the crossbar – to set up a thrilling finish to the north-south clash.

Photo: @WelshRugbyUnion/Twitter

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Devin Hermanus