Argentina vs Wales: Warren Gatland demands players to use ‘legal violence’ in bid to secure series win

The incident surrounding New Zealand’s defeat of France last week has added extra scrutiny on the physicality of the game, but Gatland backs his side to find the right balance

Warren Gatland has called on his Wales squad to maintain their level of aggression this Saturday (Getty)

Warren Gatland wants his Wales side to use “legal violence” against Argentina on Saturday to help them to what would be a first Test series victory in the land of the Pumas since 1999.

Wales are 1-0 up in the two-match contest after an impressive defensive rearguard from Gatland’s young side sealed a thoroughly deserved 23-10 success in San Juan.

The 80 minutes at the Estadio del Bicentenario saw Gatland’s side stop a giant Argentina outfit in their tracks, No 8 Ross Moriarty leading the way with a mammoth 26 tackles.

Gatland has urged his side to repeat those heroics in Santa Fe on Saturday. He said: “Defending is not enjoyable, but it depends on how big the game is.

“When you’re playing in big matches and the adrenalin is pumping, you can get a real buzz out of that. It’s about coming off your line and being legal, but violent.

“You’re trying to smash someone and you’re trying to hurt them. That’s what our guys do. You’ve got to be in the right mental state to go out there, do that, and deliver.”

Gatland’s comments come in the same week World Rugby controversially cleared New Zealand pair Sam Cane and Ofa Tu'ungafasi of any wrongdoing for their dual tackle on France’s Remy Grosso.

The incident left wing Grosso with a double fracture to the skull, both players somehow escaping punishment. Gatland wants his players to stay firmly within the game’s legal parameters, but knows Wales must bring a steely edge against an Argentina side who were very poor in the first Test.

“Sometimes you can think everything is about attacking, but if you don’t concentrate on the defensive side of the game, then you can get yourself caught out,” the New Zealander said.

Gatland has made five changes to his side for the second Test, picking two openside flankers in the form of Ellis Jenkins and James Davies. Lock Cory Hill maintains the captaincy.

Wales recorded an impressive victory in the first Test (Getty)

Rhys Patchell has edged Gareth Anscombe for the fly-half jersey with Owen Watkin coming in for Hadleigh Parkes at inside centre. Parkes suffered a compound fracture to a finger just four minutes into the first Test, but still played the full 80 minutes before undergoing minor surgery.

Prop Samson Lee is also out and has flown home to Wales to rectify a niggling back problem.

Gatland has heaped the pressure on an experienced Argentina side after his young players took them to the cleaners last weekend.

“There’s no doubt it’s going to be a lot tougher on Saturday than it was last week,” he said. “If I was coaching Argentina, I wouldn’t be making too many changes and if you were in their group of players, you’d probably be reasonably embarrassed about last weekend.

“The expectation was they were going to win quite comfortably and they were beaten by a group of young men and boys. We embarrassed them.”

Wales team to face Argentina

Hallam Amos; Josh Adams, Scott Williams, Owen Watkin, George North; Rhys Patchell, Aled Davies; Rob Evans, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis; Adam Beard, Cory Hill; Ellis Jenkins, James Davies, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Nicky Smith, Dillon Lewis, Bradley Davies, Josh Turnbull, Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Tom Prydie