A new era for Wales began with energy, belief and fleeting parity. It ended with Argentina making a power statement.

Los Pumas stormed to a 52-28 victory at Principality Stadium on Sunday, a scoreline that flattered their finishing and exposed the gap still facing Steve Tandy’s rebuild in his first match as the Wales coach. 

For long stretches, Wales competed stride for stride, but Argentina finished every window and turned every wobble into points, scoring in damaging clusters to keep Cardiff at arm’s length.

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The match opened with thunder.

Pedro Delgado cracked open the contest with a close-range maul finish in the sixth minute, and fly-half Gerónimo Prisciantelli followed moments later after a slick Carreras chip and regather. 

Wales roared back through their Lions spine, Jac Morgan’s half break springing Tomos Williams for a darting try, before hooker Dewi Lake powered over from a quick tap to level at 14 all.

Parity, however, proved temporary. 

A turning point arrived when Ben Thomas was sent to the sin bin for kicking out at Pablo Matera. Argentina pounced. 

Simón Benítez Cruz burrowed over in the 38th minute, before Matteo Carreras turned a kick return into a full-field hammer blow, leaving Wales down 31-14 at the interval.

Wales opened the second half intent on a rebuttal. 

Morgan crashed through for a captain’s try on 53 minutes, but the cost was steep. The openside left the field with a wrist injury, later appearing in a sling, a blow with consequences beyond this match. 

Argentina answered immediately. 

Bautista Delguy and Prisciantelli both cut through soft edges in the Welsh line, pushing the deficit to 45-21, despite Welsh surges from Dan Edwards and a near Rees Zammit moment of magic.

Heart remained Wales’ currency. 

Blair Murray, moments after treatment, glided over for a 72nd-minute try, and Cardiff rose as if the comeback was still in reach. But Argentina always carried another score. 

Substitute Santiago Grondona applied the finishing touch with a sharp 79th-minute try to break the 50-point mark.

Wales showed flashes of punch, invention and resolve. Argentina showed something more consistent, more controlled and significantly sharper. 

For Tandy, it was a beginning laced with possibility, exposed by reality. 

For the Pumas, it was proof their summer evolution has steel, shape and genuine bite.

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79' TRY Santiago Grondona

Los Pumas break the half-century mark with a clever finish from replacement backrow Santiago Grondona. 

Such is the quality difference between the two sides that the Welsh did so much well, but still, Los Pumas punished them. 

When they needed points, the visitors always got them and generally scored in quick succession. 

Felipe Contepomi is building something special with this group, while Wales showed a pulse, albeit there is a long way to go for Tandy and company.

The final score here is Argentina 52, Wales 28.

72' TRY Blair Murray

Thirty seconds removed from grabbing his shoulder and receiving treatment from the medical staff, Blair Murray hits a sweet line to get over a try. 

Wales has shown so much heart here, yes, but has been heavily outclassed. Still, there is plenty to work with for Steve Tandy and his coaching staff going forward. WAL 28 - ARG 45.

64' Morgan In A Sling

That is a huge blow for Wales. 

Having seen Morgan miss a huge amount of last season with an injury, the skipper now is in a sling. It looks unlikely that we will see him again in November. 

Aaron Wainwright looked uncomfortable on the bench, too. The most likely replacement will be Leicester's Tommy Reffell, but he was not in the original squad.

61' Try Gerónimo Prisciantelli

That is far too soft once again from the Welsh defence. 

Los Pumas ran the same line two years ago in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinal against the Welsh. 

Wales has been undone by these lapses of concentration today. You simply cannot give Los Pumas an inch, or they will take a mile. 

Prisciantelli gets his second try of the afternoon, and this one was even easier than the first. WAL 21 - ARG 45.

58' Rees-Zammit Magic!

That is why Welsh Rugby was itching to get this man back from the NFL! 

Burning Argentina on the outside before putting a kick over the top, Louis Rees-Zammit came within a fingertip of getting the ball back to Max Llewellyn for a try only, for it to be a knock-on.

56' Olly Cracknell Debut

Now, this is a nice story. 

Leicester Tigers' backrow Olly Cracknell is making his debut at 31-years-old. 

Cracking into Welsh squad nearly a decade ago, it appeared as though it would never happen for him, but here we are on the same weekend that 32-year-old Tom Farrell made his debut for Ireland. What a story of determination this is.

55' DAN EDWARDS!

Straight from the kickoff, the fly-half runs a nice out-the-back line off Ben Thomas and breaks 70m down the field. 

Argentina gets a tap tackle on him to deny another Welsh try, but that is what this side can do. 

Despite being 17 points down, this game feels far from over.

53' TRY Jac Morgan

Who else but the skipper! 

Driving through three Argentine defenders from a quick tap, the openside would not be denied. 

Unfortunately, he looks to be in serious discomfort as he leaves the pitch with what looks like a wrist injury. WAL 21 - ARG 38.

45' Welsh Backfield Issues

A common theme in this match has been the positioning, or lack thereof, from the Welsh back three. 

Once again, they are found wanting by a basic long kick downfield by Los Pumas. 

Blair Murray tracks back and gets tackled right on his line. 

Wales clears, but Los Pumas have a line-out 15m out. That is a massive loss for the home side, both for this match and the rest of the series. 

43' TRY Bautista Delguy & Yellow Card For Wales

That was so soft from the hosts, yes.

Argentina looked great as the team always does with the ball in hand, but Welsh players were slow to get back in defense and soaked tackles. 

Adding to their woes, Tomos Williams is sent to the sin-bin for an off-the-ball tackle. 

Wales rings the replacements, with Louis Rees-Zammit amongst the changes and a full new front row.

Second Half

Wales need to start this half with some points. 

You feel as though if Argentina scores once more, it is over. 

Louis Rees Zammit is warming up; could we see him enter the contest early in this half? 

Wales has struggled to contain Argentina out wide, his pace and power could go a long way toward shoring up that area. 

Dan Edwards gets us underway; all will be revealed. 

Halftime Report

Wales and Argentina spent the first half punching in rhythm, a tense, crackling contest that felt destined for a one-score scrap. 

Jac Morgan tore at breakdowns, Tomos Williams sniped through traffic for a try and Dewi Lake’s close-range score hauled the hosts level at 14 all. 

Cardiff was locked in; the contest was finely balanced, with thin margins.

Then, Argentina landed a rapid, ruthless sequence that reshaped the half. 

Three tries inside a seven-minute span created separation where parity previously had existed. 

Simón Benítez Cruz burrowed over from short range, Matteo Carreras scorched clear from the restart to score his side’s third and the Pumas turned short windows into long shadows. 

A yellow card to Ben Thomas cracked the door, but Argentina blew it off its hinges, spreading the ball at tempo and finishing with clarity.

At 31-14, it feels distant, but it isn’t done. 

Wales already has shown line-breaking punch and breakdown disruption. 

Argentina has delivered the cleaner detail and the sharper edge. One side struck late, the other must strike back early. There’s another half to flip the script.

39' TRY Matteo Carreras 

That is a back breaker for the hosts. 

Straight from the kickoff, Pablo Matera races away and finds support on his inside. 

Los Pumas kick forward, and Matteo Carreras outpaces the Welsh cover before stepping Blair Murray to dot down. WAL 14 - ARG 31.

38' TRY Simón Benítez Cruz

That felt inevitable. 

Los Pumas have been in dominant form for the past 10 minutes. 

The scrumhalf pounces from close to reward his pack's hard work. Carreras converts. WAL 14 - ARG 24.

36' A Very Lucky Ben Thomas

That is a head-scratching call to say the least. 

Ben Thomas clearly looked at Matera and kicked out. Irrespective of the outcome, the intention was there. Very strange. The yellow remains a yellow.

35' Argentina Hitting Top Gear

Los Pumas are a joy to watch in full flow. They are hitting their straps here with slick running lines, perfect offloads and some serious intent.

30' Penalty | Santiago Carreras

You can view that penalty in two prisms. 

One, if Tomos Williams had been more patient, Wales could've gotten that ball back. Or, that was a heck of a defensive stand from Wales to deny an Argentina side that looked destined to score a try.

27' Turnover | Jac Morgan Again!

The Welsh skipper is having a half for the ages! 

He single-handedly stopped a forward-moving Argentine maul and turned the ball over. That is why he was a Lion this summer. 

Jac Morgan is a man possessed here. That was three big turnovers in the space of five minutes.

There is no doubt he will be the key man for this Welsh rebuild.

A legend in the making.#WALvARG

— Philip Bendon (@PBendon) November 9, 2025

27' Yellow Card | Ben Thomas

That was just plain silly from the Welsh inside center. 

Thomas was being held back by Pablo Matera and clearly got frustrated. He then looked back and kicked the Pumas' backrow. This will be upgraded to a red card. 

26' What A Defensive Stand

Cometh the hour, cometh the man! 

Jac Morgan pilfers Argentina's ball when they were asking some serious questions of the Welsh defense. 

Argentina turns the ball back over three phases later. Los Pumas get back within an inch of scoring another try, only for Wales to force a knock-on.

20' TRY! Dewi Lake

Wales gets over the line, but Rhys Carre knocks on. 

The home side is growing in confidence after Argentina's quick start. 

Thirty seconds later, Dewi Lake barges over from a quick tap penalty! Game on! 

Dan Edwards adds the two points, and we are level! WAL 14 - ARG 14.

14' TRY! Tomos Williams

Now we are talking! 

The hosts hit top gear, and it is their two Lions who do it! 

Jac Morgan makes a half break and slips the offload to Tomos Williams, who scampers over. 

If Wales can get its discipline under control, the Welsh can stay in this match. WAL 7 - ARG 14.

9' TRY! Gerónimo Prisciantelli

Two tries in three minutes. 

That was very poor from Wales, but it highlighted how exceptional Los Pumas are when they are in full flow. 

From a turnover, Matteo Carreras chips forward and regathers to find his fly-half for the easiest of tries. Carreras converts. WAL 0 - ARG 14.

6' TRY! Pedro Delgado

As simple as that, Los Pumas land the first blow through the big men! 

Wales appeared to have held them up on a few occasions, yet when big powerhouse prop Pedro Delgado picked the ball up a few inches from the line, there was only going to be one outcome. Santi Carreras adds the conversion. WAL 0 - ARG 7.

3' Fast & Furioous

Both sides have come to play here today, and the ball-in-play time has been high through the opening five minutes. 

Argentina has worked its way up to 5m from the Welsh line. 

Kickoff!

The roof is closed, and there is an air of anticipation for this new era of Welsh Rugby under Steve Tandy.

Wales vs. Argentina Rugby Head-To-Head Record

Last Five Test Results

• 14 Oct, 2023: Argentina 29, Wales 17
• 12 Nov, 2022: Wales 20, Argentina 13
• 17 Jul, 2021: Argentina 33, Wales 11
• 10 Jul, 2021: Wales 20, Argentina 20 (Draw)
• 16 Jun, 2018: Wales 30, Argentina 12

Overall Test Record (since 1991)

• Played: 22
• Wales wins: 14
• Argentina wins: 7
• Draws: 1
• Argentina points: 487
• Wales points: 573

Largest Wins:

• Wales: 43 30 (1998), 40 6 (2013)
• Argentina: 50 44 (2004), 33 11 (2021)

Current rankings (World Rugby, Nov 3, 2025):

• Argentina: 6th (83.82)
• Wales: 12th (74.05)

Modern Context

The most recent meeting was brutal if you wore red. 

Argentina booted Wales out of the 2023 Rugby World Cup with a 29-17 quarterfinal victory in Marseille. 

Two years later, the Pumas return to Cardiff with confidence, ranked sixth in the world, loaded with breakdown power, line-out disruptors and some of international rugby’s most destructive wide threats.

Wales, meanwhile, is beginning life under Steve Tandy, the new head coach tasked with ending 27 months of hurt at the Principality Stadium, where Wales has not won since beating England in a 2023 World Cup warm-up. 

This is a rebuild, not a revolution, but momentum is non-negotiable.

Team Rosters

Wales 

15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Max Llewellyn, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Jac Morgan (c), 6 Alex Mann, 5 Adam Beard, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Rhys Carre

Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Olly Cracknell, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Louis Rees Zammit

Argentina 

15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Justo Piccardo, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Gerónimo Prisciantelli, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 7 Juan Martín González, 6 Pablo Matera (vc), 5 Marcos Kremer, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Pedro Delgado, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Mayco Vivas

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Tomas Rapetti, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Santiago Grondona, 21 Agustin Moyano, 22 Juan Cruz Mallia, 23 Rodrigo Isgro

Players To Watch

Wales

The entire front row carries a blinking red warning light.

Carre, Lake and Assiratti must survive, then thrive, at scrum time to give Wales oxygen. 

Tomos Williams and Dan Edwards control tempo and field geography, while Louis Rees Zammit provides nuclear bench impact after 18 months in the NFL orbit.

Argentina

Brutal and brilliant. 

Pablo Matera is a collision serial killer, Kremer and Petti own line-out intimidation and the back three will punish every square inch of Welsh hesitation. 

Mateo Carreras and Bautista Delguy bend defensive lines for fun, while Juan Cruz Mallia is the ace under glass from the bench.

Match Details

• Date: Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025
• Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
• Kick off: 3:10 p.m. GMT
• Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
• Assistants: Karl Dickson (England), Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
• Weather: Sunny spells, chance of rain, 14°C

What’s at Stake?

Wales needs belief. Structure can wait, confidence cannot.

Argentina wants a statement win in Europe and the first step toward a potential sweep of Wales, Scotland and England.

Tandy wants tempo, honesty and energy. 

Contepomi wants physical dominance, pace at the edges and ruthless detail.

One team is trying to rise. The other is trying to prove it already has.

Which Cities Will Host 2031 Rugby World Cup Matches? Here's Who is In The Running

Rugby’s biggest stage is heading to the United States, as the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup makes its historic debut in the Americas.

A total of 27 cities and regions have been proposed as potential hosts and celebration hubs, including Houston, New York/New Jersey and Los Angeles. 

Read More For The Full List: 27 U.S. Cities In Running To Host 2031 Rugby World Cup

Autumn Nations 2025 Schedule & Autumn Internationals 2025 Schedule

Saturday, Nov. 8

• 7 a.m. ET – Georgia vs. USA – Adjarabet Arena (Autumn International)
• 7:40 a.m. ET – Ireland vs. Japan – Aviva Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 10:10 a.m. ET – Scotland vs. New Zealand – Scottish Gas Murrayfield (Autumn Nations)
• 12:40 p.m. ET – Italy vs. Australia – Bluenergy Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 12:40 p.m. ET – England vs. Fiji – Allianz Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 3:10 p.m. ET – France vs. South Africa – Stade de France (Autumn Nations)
• 10 a.m. ET – Colombia vs. Mexico – Estadio Cincuentenario (Autumn International)
• 10 a.m. ET – Romania vs. Canada – Stadionul Național Arcul de Triumf (Autumn International)
• 10 a.m. ET – Portugal vs. Uruguay – Estádio Nacional do Jamor (Autumn International)

Sunday, Nov. 9

• 10:10 a.m. ET – Wales vs Argentina – Principality Stadium (Autumn Nations)

Saturday, Nov. 15

• 7 a.m. ET – Georgia vs. Canada – Adjarabet Arena (Autumn International)
• 7:40 a.m. ET – Italy vs. South Africa – Allianz Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 10 a.m. ET – Romania vs. USA – Stadionul Național Arcul de Triumf (Autumn International)
• 10:10 a.m. ET – England vs. New Zealand – Allianz Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 12:40 p.m. ET – Wales vs. Japan – Principality Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 3:10 p.m. ET – France vs. Fiji – Stade Matmut-Atlantique (Autumn Nations)
• 3:10 p.m. ET – Ireland vs. Australia – Aviva Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 10 a.m. ET – Portugal vs. Hong Kong China – Estádio Nacional do Jamor (Autumn International)

Sunday, Nov. 16

• 10:10 a.m. ET – Scotland vs. Argentina – Scottish Gas Murrayfield (Autumn Nations)

Saturday, Nov. 22

• 7 a.m. ET – Georgia vs. Japan – Mikheil Meskhi Stadium (Autumn International)
• 10:10 a.m. ET – Wales vs. New Zealand – Principality Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 11 a.m. ET – Spain vs. Fiji – Estadio Ciudad de Málaga (Autumn International)
• 12:40 p.m. ET – Ireland vs. South Africa – Aviva Stadium (Autumn Nations)
• 3:10 p.m. ET – Italy vs. Chile – Stadio Luigi Ferraris (Autumn Nations)
• 3:10 p.m. ET – France vs. Australia – Stade de France (Autumn Nations)
• 10 a.m. ET – Romania vs. Uruguay – Stadionul Național Arcul de Triumf (Autumn International)
• 11 a.m. ET – Portugal vs. Canada – Estádio Municipal Cidade de Coimbra (Autumn International)

Sunday, Nov. 23

• 8:40 a.m. ET – Scotland vs. Tonga – Scottish Gas Murrayfield (Autumn Nations)
• 11:10 a.m. ET – England vs. Argentina – Allianz Stadium (Autumn Nations)

Saturday, Nov. 29

• 10:10 a.m. ET – Wales vs. South Africa – Principality Stadium (Autumn Nations)

How To Watch Autumn Nations Series 2025

The 2025 Autumn Nations will be broadcast on different networks all over the world. 

If you live in the USA, you can watch the games on Peacock. 

• UK: TNT Sports
• USA: Peacock
• Ireland: TNT Sports (Autumn Nations Games) / Virgin Media (Ireland Games)
• Wales: S4C
• South Africa: SuperSport
• Australia: Stan Sport
• New Zealand: Sky Sport NZ

World Rugby Rankings: England Closes In On Ireland (Nov. 3)

See the official rankings on World.Rugby here.

1. South Africa — 92.20
2. New Zealand — 91.00
3. Ireland — 88.85
4. England — 88.04
5. France — 87.82
6. Argentina — 83.82
7. Australia — 82.90
8. Scotland — 81.57
9. Fiji — 81.16
10. Italy — 77.77
11. Georgia — 74.69
12. Wales — 74.05
13. Japan — 73.25
14. Spain — 69.12
15. USA — 67.40
16. Samoa — 66.94
17. Chile — 66.72
18. Tonga — 66.66
19. Uruguay — 66.59
20. Portugal — 66.44
21. Romania — 62.67
22. Belgium — 61.20
23. Hong Kong China — 59.98
24. Canada — 59.20
25. Zimbabwe — 58.80
26. Netherlands — 57.01
27. Namibia — 56.97
28. Switzerland — 55.26
29. Poland — 54.36
30. Sweden — 53.05

European Union Rugby Lives On FloSports And FloRugby

Rugby fans can stream every match from the Top 14, Gallagher Premiership and United Rugby Championship on FloRugby, along with the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup, making the platform the U.S. home for the world’s biggest club competitions and the game’s top players.

How To Watch Rugby Matches In The United States On FloRugby

Professional club rugby in Europe all streams on FloRugby and the FloSports app in the United States. FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to: 

• United Rugby Championship
• PREM Rugby
• Top 14
• Investec Champions Cup
• EPCR Challenge Cup
• Currie Cup
• Super Rugby
• And more

FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays. 

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