Argentina reaches Rugby World Cup semifinals after coming back twice to beat Wales
By The Associated Press on October 14, 2023.
MARSEILLE, France (AP) – Argentina came from behind twice to beat Wales 29-17 and reach its third Rugby World Cup semifinal on Saturday. The underdog Pumas were 10-0 down in the first half then 17-12 behind going into the last quarter. They regained the lead thanks to a freshened pack which overpowered Wales for replacement prop Joel Sclavi to barge over for their first try in the 68th minute. Emiliano Boffelli’s extras made it 19-17. Matias Moroni then pulled off a try-saving tackle on Louis Rees-Zammit with six minutes to go, and three minutes later new flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez intercepted Wales’ Sam Costelow and scooted 50 meters to secure victory for the Pumas. Their first semifinal since 2015 next Friday in Paris will be against Ireland or New Zealand, which met later Saturday. Only five weeks ago, the Pumas started the World Cup by losing to 14-man England in the same Stade Velodrome. They crawled out of Pool D with three straight must-wins and, on Saturday, won a quarterfinal after trailing at halftime for the first time. Wales held out a strong Pumas start and scored the opening try in the first 20 minutes for a fifth straight test. From scrum ball on halfway after a Boffelli knock on, Gareth Davies looped Dan Biggar and put center George North in space. After the ruck, North’s half break had Davies in support and Biggar finished between the posts. He added the extras. That was the last of referee Jaco Peyper, who hurt his left Achilles and was replaced by Karl Dickson. Dickson penalized Pumas prop Thomas Gallo to give Biggar and Wales three more points for 10-0 after 21 minutes. Biggar hooked his next penalty and the Pumas were given more hope by Wales losing three consecutive lineouts, two of them overthrows. The Pumas turned them into pressure and Wales succumbed. A couple of silky breaks by flyhalf Santiago Carreras and a silly off-the-ball shoulder tackle by Wales’ Josh Adams that started a melee gave Boffelli two easy penalties to slot. The Pumas trailed only 10-6 at the interval, during which Wales hooker Ryan Elias was hooked. Argentina’s surge ahead 12-10 came from Boffelli’s third and fourth penalties, the last of which was a stunner from 55 meters out. They led for the first time in the 49th minute. Wales retook the lead in the 57th out of nothing when replacement scrumhalf Tomos Williams dummied off an unguarded ruck and flew away. Biggar’s extras made it 17-12. Argentina’s physicality forced Wales to replace backs Liam Williams and Nick Tompkins and they held out two lineout mauls but not a third from which new prop Sclavi scored. Boffelli’s conversion put them in front 19-17 with 11 minutes to go. A Rio Dyer break with Tomos Williams in support gave Rees-Zammit a chance to dive into the left corner and win the match for Wales in the 77th, but Moroni came from nowhere to tackle him into touch. Sanchez’s interception try finished off a thrilling quarterfinal. ___ AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby 21-20
