Wales vs Argentina LIVE rugby: Result and reaction from autumn international as Wales edge to win
Wales 20-13 Argentina: Wayne Pivac’s side bounced back from to New Zealand last week with a hard-fought win
Tries from No 8 Taulupe Faletau and scrum-half Tomos Williams took Wales to a 20-13 victory over a below-par Argentina in their autumn international fixture at the Principality Stadium.
Wales fell 6-0 behind early on but from that moment looked the likely winners as they showed considerably more control in possession and defensive solidity than in the 55-23 hammering they endured against New Zealand last weekend.
Argentina were coming off victory over England but were well below the standard they set in that game, with numerous unforced handling errors and poor kicks before prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro scored their only try late on.
Wales host Georgia next Saturday, while Argentina travel to Murrayfield to play Scotland.
Relive all the action from Cardiff with our blog below:
England 17-6 Japan, 39 minutes
The English lineout malfunctions, and Japan kick again, this time with a bit more oomph. Freddie Steward gathers and releases an up-and-under...which the full-back claims imperiously!
England 17-6 Japan, 38 minutes
A penalty against England should allow Japan to advance up the left, but the visitors fail to find touch with their punt.
Another error from Japan, a dropped ball in midfield hacked through off the floor by Jonny Hill, forcing Gerhard van den Heever into brisk retreat. The sliding wing nearly makes a hash of his collection but just about smothers it. Japan clear.
PENALTY! England 17-6 JAPAN (Takuya Yamasawa penalty, 35 minutes)
Three more points for Takuya Yamasawa.
YELLOW CARD! Jonny May is sent to the sin bin! England 17-3 Japan, 34 minutes
But just like that, Japan nearly go the length! Michael Leitch takes an inside ball and shows remarkable gas, powering away from the English chasers.
Dylan Riley takes Leitch’s pass, which looks suspiciously close to forward, and toes beyond Jonny May - and out-pacing the England wing to the ball.
May jackals, but fails to show a clear release - off he is sent for a ten minute sit-down!
England 17-3 Japan, 33 minutes
Some predictably lively variation from Japan, even as they attack deep in their own territory. Gerhard van den Heever watches the bounce of a crossfield kick well, but finds support lacking, and has to kick away.
Jack van Poortvliet goes to the skies...and Jonny May claims it.
PENALTY! England 17-3 JAPAN (Takuya Yamasawa penalty, 32 minutes)
Takyua Yamasawa kicks Japan’s first points of the afternoon.
England 17-0 Japan, 30 minutes
An opening for Japan? England get their lineout wrong, and the visitors have the ball.
The livewire Nagare keeps the tempo up, but England do enough to stall Japan’s heavier lumberers.
A sharp blast of the whistle from the referee - England were offside.
England 17-0 Japan, 28 minutes
Deft from Gerhard van den Heever, the wing roaming off the left and producing a delicious little backhand flick for Yutaka Nagare to collect.
Japan do look a threat with ball in hand. Tevita Tatafu uses his rather large frame to make a bust up the centre, but Michael Leitch can’t keep his sizeable limbs in the field of play as he attempts to run over Joe Cokanasiga on the left.
England 17-0 Japan, 26 minutes
Twickenham, so flat for the Argentina game, is purring like a contented cat now - the home fans appear rather pleased by the attacking intent shown by their players.
Luke Cowan-Dickie claims the restart impressively above his head, showing rather more dexterity in the air than he did against Scotland at the start of the Six Nations. A high hoist comes down to earth via hands both English and Japanese - with the initial knock on from Joe Cokanasiga. Japan scrum.
TRY! ENGLAND 17-0 Japan (Marcus Smith try, 24 minutes)
A thing of beauty from England on the counter!
It’s Freddie Steward who sparks it. The full-back spies a slightly disjointed Japanese chase, evading one tackler as he moves infield to muscle through two more.
Steward gets his arms free and combines with Leicester mate Jack van Poortvliet, who asks an onrushing Joe Cokanasiga to do the hard charging. Cokanasiga briefly looks to be free but manages to keep the ball alive even as he is dragged to floor with Marcus Smith collecting a one-handed offload off the deck and scampering over in the right corner.
Owen Farrell draws his conversion through perfectly.
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