2006 Wales rugby union tour of Argentina

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2006 Wales rugby union tour of Argentina
Coach(es)Gareth Jenkins
Tour captain(s)Duncan Jones
Summary
P W D L
Total
02 00 00 02
Test match
02 00 00 02
Opponent
P W D L
 Argentina
2 0 0 2

In June 2006, the Wales national rugby union team travelled to Argentina for a two-test series against the Argentina national team. The first test was played on 11 June in Puerto Madryn, a city in the heart of the former Welsh colony in Patagonia, founded by Welsh settlers in 1865. The second test was played in Buenos Aires a week later. They were Wales' first matches under the management of new head coach Gareth Jenkins, who had been appointed to replace Mike Ruddock in April 2006. The test series was thrown into doubt earlier in the year after 60 Argentine players threatened to retire from international duty due to a dispute with the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR), but this was resolved at the end of May 2006.[1]

Background

This was Wales' fourth tour to Argentina, and the third for which they awarded caps. The first tour took place in 1968, when Argentina won the first match and drew the second. Wales won both matches in the first capped series in 1999, while the two sides won a test each in 2004.[2]

Squad

The first test was coach Gareth Jenkins' first in charge of Wales, having been appointed to the role six weeks earlier following the resignation of 2005 Grand Slam-winning coach Mike Ruddock.[3] Jenkins named a 28-man squad for the tour on 10 May 2006. Several senior players were left out due to injury or to allow them a period of rest after the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand the previous summer and ahead of the 2007 Rugby World Cup the following year. Ospreys prop Duncan Jones was named as captain for the tour. Five uncapped players – Ian Evans, Richard Hibbard, James Hook, Alun Wyn Jones and Rhys M. Thomas – were included in the squad.[4]

Ospreys centre Gavin Henson was the first to withdraw from the original squad due to fitness concerns.[5] Although Jenkins initially said that a specialist inside centre would be called up to replace Henson,[6] Nathan Brew of the Dragons was called up two weeks later to fill the vacant berth.[7] Prop Gethin Jenkins and back row Dafydd Jones both withdrew with shoulder injuries before the end of May, replaced by Blues prop John Yapp and Dragons flanker Jamie Ringer respectively.[8] Centre Hal Luscombe was the final withdrawal, having suffered a rib injury in the Dragons' Heineken Cup play-off against Overmach Parma, and replaced by Blues utility back Nick Macleod.[9]

Name Position Club Notes
Huw Bennett
Hooker
Ospreys
Richard Hibbard
Hooker
Ospreys
Matthew Rees
Hooker
Llanelli Scarlets
Gethin Jenkins
Prop
Cardiff Blues Withdrew due to injury
Adam Jones
Prop
Ospreys
Duncan Jones (c)
Prop
Ospreys
Rhys Thomas
Prop
Newport Gwent Dragons
John Yapp
Prop
Cardiff Blues Injury replacement for Gethin Jenkins
Luke Charteris
Lock
Newport Gwent Dragons
Ian Evans
Lock
Ospreys
Ian Gough
Lock
Newport Gwent Dragons
Alun Wyn Jones
Lock
Ospreys
Gareth Delve
Back row
Bath
Dafydd Jones
Back row
Llanelli Scarlets Withdrew due to injury
Alix Popham
Back row
Llanelli Scarlets
Jamie Ringer
Back row
Newport Gwent Dragons Injury replacement for Dafydd Jones
Robin Sowden-Taylor
Back row
Cardiff Blues
Gavin Thomas
Back row
Llanelli Scarlets
Mike Phillips
Scrum-half
Cardiff Blues
Andy Williams
Scrum-half
Bath
James Hook
Fly-half
Ospreys
Nicky Robinson
Fly-half
Cardiff Blues
Nathan Brew
Centre
Newport Gwent Dragons Late addition
Gavin Henson
Centre
Ospreys Withdrew due to fitness
Hal Luscombe
Centre
Newport Gwent Dragons Withdrew due to injury
Jamie Robinson
Centre
Cardiff Blues
Matthew Watkins
Centre
Llanelli Scarlets
Chris Czekaj
Wing
Cardiff Blues
Mark Jones
Wing
Llanelli Scarlets
Shane Williams
Wing
Ospreys
Lee Byrne
Full-back
Llanelli Scarlets
Nick Macleod
Full-back
Cardiff Blues Injury replacement for Hal Luscombe

Results

First test

The first test was played in Puerto Madryn, a city founded by Welsh settlers in Patagonia in 1865. Despite the large Welsh-speaking population in the area, this was the Wales national team's first visit there.[10]

Ian Evans and Alun Wyn Jones started the match to earn their first caps for Wales, while Richard Hibbard and James Hook came off the bench.[11] Evans scored a 45-metre interception try to put Wales in front after Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe had cancelled out Mark Jones' third-minute opening score, but José María Núñez Piossek's try and a pair of penalties from Federico Todeschini meant the home side took a 20–12 lead into half-time, helped by the sin-binnings of Wales back row forwards Gavin Thomas and Alix Popham. Two penalties from Nicky Robinson reduced the margin to two points, but Francisco Leonelli put Argentina 27–18 up with three minutes of the game to go. Hook scored a try in injury time, converted by Robinson, but it proved mere consolation.[12]

FB 15 Juan Martín Hernández
RW 14 José María Núñez Piossek
OC 13 Gonzalo Tiesi
IC 12 Rafael Carballo
LW 11 Lucas Borges
FH 10 Federico Todeschini
SH 9 Agustín Pichot (c)
N8 8 Gonzalo Longo
OF 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe
BF 6 Juan Manuel Leguizamón
RL 5 Rimas Álvarez Kairelis
LL 4 Ignacio Fernández Lobbe
TP 3 Martín Scelzo
HK 2 Mario Ledesma
LP 1 Rodrigo Roncero Yellow card
Replacements:
HK 16 Pablo Gambarini
PR 17 Marcos Ayerza upward-facing green arrow
LK 18 Santiago Sanz
FL 19 Martín Schusterman
SH 20 Nicolás Fernández Miranda
WG 21 Francisco Leonelli upward-facing green arrow
FB 22 Federico Serra Miras
Coach:
Marcelo Loffreda
FB 15 Lee Byrne
RW 14 Mark Jones
OC 13 Jamie Robinson
IC 12 Matthew Watkins
LW 11 Shane Williams
FH 10 Nicky Robinson
SH 9 Mike Phillips
N8 8 Alix Popham Yellow card
OF 7 Gavin Thomas Yellow card
BF 6 Alun Wyn Jones
RL 5 Ian Evans
LL 4 Ian Gough
TP 3 Adam Jones
HK 2 Matthew Rees
LP 1 Duncan Jones (c)
Replacements:
HK 16 Richard Hibbard upward-facing green arrow
PR 17 Rhys M. Thomas
PR 18 John Yapp upward-facing green arrow
N8 19 Gareth Delve upward-facing green arrow
SH 20 Andy Williams
FH 21 James Hook upward-facing green arrow
WG 22 Chris Czekaj upward-facing green arrow
Coach:
Gareth Jenkins

Second test

The second test was played in Buenos Aires six days later. Argentina fly-half Federico Todeschini opened the scoring with a penalty after Ian Evans was sin-binned for killing the ball. Felipe Contepomi returned to the starting line-up after completing his medical exams in Ireland – one of three changes to the home side's starting line-up[13] – and was involved in the first try, charging down a clearance kick from James Hook to present centre partner Gonzalo Tiesi with a simple try. Todeschini converted the try and kicked two more penalties in the first half, while two from Hook meant Argentina led 16–6 at half-time. The home side added to their lead shortly after the break, when Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe burst through a tackle from Gavin Thomas to score a try, which Todeschini converted before kicking a further two penalties. Hook was sin-binned for a high tackle on Todeschini shortly before the hour mark, while Rhys M. Thomas came on for Adam Jones to make his international debut. The numbers were levelled soon after, when Martín Scelzo was yellow-carded for foul play, and Wales took advantage through Gareth Delve's first international try; however, two more Todeschini penalties sandwiched Tiesi's second try, which the fly-half also converted from out wide. Wales completed the scoring with tries from Shane Williams and Lee Byrne, while Hook and Nicky Robinson chipped in with the conversions, reducing the losing margin to 18 points. With five minutes to go, Argentina hooker Pablo Gambarini came on to make his international debut.[14] Wales coach Gareth Jenkins blamed the loss on their inability to create a strong platform through the forwards.[15] Despite losing the series 2–0, assistant coach Nigel Davies said the tour was a success in terms of having been able to expand the nation's player pool with five new caps.[16] Shane Williams said the young players would have to adapt physically and improve their discipline in order to make a successful transition to the international level.[17] Ian Evans was later cited for a late charge on Argentina captain Agustín Pichot that was not punished with a card during the game; he was banned for six weeks, beginning in August 2006, ruling him out of the Ospreys' pre-season programme and the start of the Celtic League season.[18]

FB 15 Juan Martín Hernández
RW 14 Lucas Borges
OC 13 Gonzalo Tiesi
IC 12 Felipe Contepomi downward-facing red arrow 73'
LW 11 Francisco Leonelli downward-facing red arrow 75'
FH 10 Federico Todeschini
SH 9 Agustín Pichot (c) downward-facing red arrow 70'
N8 8 Gonzalo Longo
OF 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe
BF 6 Martín Durand downward-facing red arrow 55'
RL 5 Rimas Álvarez Kairelis
LL 4 Ignacio Fernández Lobbe downward-facing red arrow 64'
TP 3 Martín Scelzo Yellow card 57'
HK 2 Mario Ledesma downward-facing red arrow 75'
LP 1 Rodrigo Roncero downward-facing red arrow 73'
Replacements:
HK 16 Pablo Gambarini upward-facing green arrow 75'
PR 17 Marcos Ayerza upward-facing green arrow 73'
LK 18 Manuel Carizza upward-facing green arrow 64'
FL 19 Martín Schusterman upward-facing green arrow 55'
SH 20 Nicolás Fernández Miranda upward-facing green arrow 70'
WG 21 José María Núñez Piossek upward-facing green arrow 75'
FB 22 Federico Serra Miras upward-facing green arrow 73'
Coach:
Marcelo Loffreda
FB 15 Lee Byrne
RW 14 Mark Jones
OC 13 Jamie Robinson downward-facing red arrow 34'
IC 12 James Hook Yellow card 55'
LW 11 Shane Williams
FH 10 Nicky Robinson
SH 9 Mike Phillips downward-facing red arrow 67'
N8 8 Alix Popham downward-facing red arrow 41'
OF 7 Gavin Thomas
BF 6 Alun Wyn Jones
RL 5 Ian Evans Yellow card 18'
LL 4 Ian Gough
TP 3 Adam Jones downward-facing red arrow 57'
HK 2 Huw Bennett downward-facing red arrow 67'
LP 1 Duncan Jones (c)
Replacements:
HK 16 Richard Hibbard upward-facing green arrow 67'
PR 17 Rhys M. Thomas upward-facing green arrow 57'
PR 18 John Yapp
N8 19 Gareth Delve upward-facing green arrow 41'
SH 20 Andy Williams upward-facing green arrow 67'
CE 21 Nathan Brew
CE 22 Matthew Watkins upward-facing green arrow 34'
Coach:
Gareth Jenkins

References

  1. ^ "Argentina confirm summer fixtures". BBC Sport. 30 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Wales v Argentina: Full record". BBC Sport. 28 September 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Wales unveil Jenkins as new coach". BBC Sport. 27 April 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  4. ^ "Jones leads Wales against Pumas". BBC Sport. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  5. ^ "Unfit Henson to miss Pumas tour". BBC Sport. 16 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  6. ^ "Wales wait for Henson replacement". BBC Sport. 22 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Surprise Wales call delights Brew". BBC Sport. 30 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  8. ^ "Wales replace Jones with Ringer". BBC Sport. 31 May 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  9. ^ "Luscombe forced out of Wales tour". BBC Sport. 3 June 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Wales book Patagonia Test match". BBC Sport. 21 April 2006. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Ospreys pair handed Wales debuts". BBC Sport. 7 June 2006. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Argentina 27-25 Wales". BBC Sport. 11 June 2006. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Contepomi returns for Pumas". ESPNscrum. 15 June 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Argentina 45-27 Wales". BBC Sport. 17 June 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Jenkins admits forward battering". BBC Sport. 17 June 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Argentina tour strengthens Wales". BBC Sport. 19 June 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  17. ^ "Pumas lesson valuable - Williams". BBC Sport. 18 June 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  18. ^ "Wales lock Evans gets heavy ban". BBC Sport. 18 June 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2023.