Preview - Argentina v Wales
Welsh development could take a crucial step
After the rustic country delight of Puerto Madryn, the rugby heads back to its capital in Argentina on Saturday, as the Pumas aim for a whitewash-claiming win over Wales at Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires.
Would it be so bad for Wales to lose? Not really. The narrow defeat last weekend proved that the forwards, oft-maligned as a bunch to be bullied, can in fact match fire with fire as Juan Manuel Leguizamon testified to earlier this week.
It also proved that there is a steady stream of players emerging from the academies strewn around the four regions who are able to compete at the highest level.
James Hook has been rewarded for his try-scoring debut and superlative sevens displays with a possible full eighty minutes in this game, and Ian Evans also gets a go after he too scored a try on his debut. Hook is the one they are making all the fuss about though, and he is up for the challenge.
"I can't wait for Saturday," he said.
"I was not expecting to start an international at this age but this will really top off my season in the best possible way. I'm delighted.
"I was just pleased to get on last week for half an hour last week. All I was hoping for was some game time and to learn from the experience.
"Getting a try was amazing and now to start is a real surprise. But I feel that I'm ready for it."
Other new or newish names to the mix include Alun Wyn Jones, Huw Bennett, Richard Hibbard, Rhys Thomas...and the list from this tour goes on. Particularly noticeable is that nearly all are forwards as well - the observation that Jenkins is forward-thinking has been rendered true in every way on this tour.
Given all that then, performance is more important than results right now. The Welsh chairman has already lauded the 'bold selections', as he called them, and with the youngsters about to front up to what is likely to be Argentina's strongest team, both Jenkins and Pickering will be looking for those young players who can puff out their chests and stand strong, rather than just rigidly hoping for a 'W' at all costs.
Getting that 'W' would be something special though, and it is not inconceivable. Green some of the team maybe, but there is plenty of the Welsh red about their aggression and invention. Imagine how much psychological progress the youngsters could make by beating Pichot, Contempomi, Roncero et al in their own back yard. A year before the World Cup starts, the light of dawn is very much on the horizon for this Wales squad.
As far as Argentina are concerned, this is a critical dress rehearsal for what will be one of the most important matches in their history against a full-strength All Blacks team next week.
For the Pumas, a comfortable win is crucial over Wales' youngsters, as is a dominant performance, and an improvement is needed on both counts from the grinding triumph of last week.
The team is as strong as can be, and with Felipe Contempomi buffering Federico Todeschini at twelve and the pitch not so constraining, you can expect a great deal more adventure this time. Having Contempomi at twelve also frees up Gonzalo Tiesi to show some of the pace on the outside that has had London Irish fans so admiring this term.
So it is a match in which both teams may look for performance more than the actual result. But given the smouldering aggression evident in the build-up to the match - Wales' fingers of accusation over dirty play and Leguizamon's obvious relish at the corpulence of the clashes - that kind of cool analysis might be left until after the game.
Players to watch: James Hook's reputation grows and grows, although Lyn Jones's declaration of a 'new Barry John' is perhaps a smidgeon premature, and given Gareth Jenkins' - and the Ospreys' - reputation for nurture, his star is on a safe trajectory. He could be the one shining brightest in the Buenos Aires evening. However, he will start in the shadow of his illustrious counterpart in the number twelve shirt, Felipe Contempomi, who will no doubt be out to prove that he should be facing Dan Carter at ten in Buenos Aires next week.
Head to Head: Both sets of forwards have expressed their reaction to the physical intensity of the initial clash last week: Juan Manuel Leguizamon registering surprise at Wales' weight-throwing abilities, and the Welsh allegedly displeased with the Pumas throwing other things around. The reaction for the second Test will be a spectacle to observe only once the ornaments have been secured.
Prediction: A Wales win would be an enormous leap in the right direction for Gareth Jenkins's plans, and anything is possible with these enthusiastic youngsters, but the Pumas are stronger this time and should win a little more comfortably. Pumas by ten points.
Previous Results:
2006: Argentina won 27-25 in Puerto Madryn
2004: Wales won 35-20 in Buenos Aires
2004: Argentina won 50-44 in Tucumán
2001: Argentina won 30-16 in Cardiff
1999: Wales won 23-18 in Cardiff
1999: Wales won 23-16 in Buenos Aires
1999: Wales won 36-26 in Buenos Aires
1998: Wales won 43-30 in Llanelli
1991: Wales won 16-7 in Cardiff
The teams:
Argentina: 15 Juan Martin Hernandez, 14 Francisco Leonelli, 13 Gonzalo Tiesi, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Lucas Borges, 10 Federico Todeschini, 9 Agustin Pichot (c), 8 Gonzalo Longo, 7 Martin Durand, 6 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Rimas Alvarez Kairelis, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 Martin Scelzo, 2 Mario Ledesma, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Pablo Gambarini, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Manuel Carizza, 19 Martin Schuterman, 20 Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, 21 Jose Maria Nunez Piossek, 22 Federico Serra.
Wales: 15 Lee Byrne, 14 Mark Jones, 13 Jamie Robinson, 12 James Hook, 11 Shane Williams, 10 Nicky Robinson, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Alix Popham, 7 Gavin Thomas, 6 Alun Wyn Jones, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Ian Gough, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Duncan Jones (captain).
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 John Yapp, 18 Rhys Thomas, 19 Gareth Delve, 20 Andy Williams, 21 Nathan Brew, 22 AN Other.
Date: Saturday June 17
Venue: Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Kick-off: 15:40 (18:40 GMT)
Weather: 15°C and sunny, but a strong north-easterly breeze
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Touch judges: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Television match official: Eric Darrière (France)
Assessor: Frans Muller (South Africa)