Captains Set for Saturday's International Clash
Julian Montoya, Lionel Messi, and Dewi Lake will lead their respective international teams on Saturday.
Argentina's Football Fever Overshadows Rugby Match
This week in Argentina, one sporting event has overwhelmingly captured public attention.
It is not Wales' Nations Championship rugby match against the Pumas, scheduled for Saturday evening in San Juan.
The dominant narrative among the football-obsessed locals is Argentina's pursuit of a consecutive round-ball World Cup victory.
Wales will face the Pumas at 16:10 local time on Saturday, with the rugby match concluding approximately four hours before Lionel Messi and his teammates kick off against Switzerland in the World Cup quarter-final.
While most Argentinians will be eagerly awaiting the football match in Kansas, the Welsh rugby team hopes to generate their own headlines by then.
Welsh Team Arrives in Argentina Amid Football Celebrations
Wales arrived in San Juan, located in western Argentina, on Thursday after spending a few days in Buenos Aires.
In Buenos Aires, football was impossible to ignore, with enormous murals of Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi displayed throughout the city, especially visible on the drive from the airport.
Following Argentina's thrilling last-16 World Cup victory over Egypt, where Messi helped overturn a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 in Atlanta, the city erupted in celebration.
Thousands gathered around television screens in shops, bars, and restaurants, with the street atmosphere revealing the score through cheers and sounds.
After the comeback win, fans moved to a city square featuring the iconic Obelisk monument, a traditional site for celebrations, where horns blared and chants filled the night air.
The celebrations were intense, involving people of all ages and backgrounds, and at one point, armed riot police briefly intervened. Remarkably, this was only the round of 16.
Nations Championship: Argentina vs Wales
Venue: Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan
Listen to the match on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, , and the website and app, which also provide live text commentary. The game will be broadcast live on S4C.
It is winter in South America, with chilly conditions and darkness settling shortly after 5pm, a stark contrast to the ongoing heatwave in Wales.
Steve Tandy’s squad has had limited preparation time and faces six flights within two weeks, as their next match will be against South Africa in Durban.
The touring party was split over two flights on consecutive days from London Heathrow to Buenos Aires, an 18-hour journey crossing four time zones.
The first group arrived on Monday, with the remainder arriving 24 hours later, resulting in only one full training session with the entire squad, lasting about an hour, at the Buenos Aires Rugby and Cricket ground on Wednesday.
Despite these logistical challenges, Wales have not expressed complaints.
“You can complain about the travel and the flights and things like that, but many sportspeople in different countries will be used to it,” said captain Dewi Lake.
“Argentina would have done it coming over to play us plenty of times.
“The first couple of days is tough, but you get back to normal and into a rhythm. This week is no different.”
Coach Tandy has emphasized a no-excuses approach, echoed by Lake.
Previous Encounters and Rugby Context
Thursday was Argentina’s national independence day, marked by celebrations and ceremonies that brought parts of Buenos Aires to a standstill.
Meanwhile, Wales traveled to San Juan on another two-hour flight.
San Juan is a quieter city compared to bustling Buenos Aires, situated at the summit of the Andes mountain range and renowned for its wine, with Mendoza located 100 miles away.
This will be Argentina’s eighth official match in San Juan and their second against Wales here, with Wales having won 23-10 in 2018.
The stadium is an intimate venue seating approximately 25,000, adorned in Argentina’s traditional blue and white colors, featuring unique fencing that creates a caged effect separating supporters from players.
Located on an industrial estate with mountains visible beyond, stray dogs roam the area as natural inhabitants.
That 2018 victory marked Aaron Wainwright’s debut, and current squad members Adam Beard, Dillon Lewis, Ryan Elias, Tomos Williams, and Josh Adams were also part of that successful tour.
Coach Tandy brings experience of playing in Argentina from his time as Scotland’s defence coach.
Captain Dewi Lake led Wales Under-20s to a notable win against New Zealand in Rosario in 2019, a squad including Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, Ben Warren, Sam Costelow, and Teddy Williams.
Rugby has received limited attention during this football-focused week, with some discussion about Argentina’s reputation as slow starters in rugby campaigns, exemplified by their recent 47-38 loss to Scotland in Cordoba.
Tandy and Wales will be mindful of recent disappointments against Argentina, including Wales’ 2023 World Cup quarter-final defeat in Marseille and Argentina’s record 52-28 victory in Cardiff last November, which was Tandy’s first game in charge.
Wales have recently achieved a mini-revival with back-to-back Test wins over Italy and Fiji, their first consecutive victories since the World Cup.
Currently ranked 11th in the world, Wales sit four places below Argentina but can move into the top 10 with a win.
They are seeking a breakthrough victory on multiple levels.
Team Selection and Player Highlights
Coach Tandy has refreshed the squad with selections that have sparked discussion.
In a country that reveres football number 10s, the Wales fly-half position is a focal point.
Sam Costelow has been selected to start instead of Dan Edwards.
Louis Rees-Zammit, Wales' own rising star, has been moved to the bench following a subdued performance against Fiji.
Tandy described this as part of a rotation strategy, though former Wales centre Jonathan Davies commented on Scrum V that Rees-Zammit needs to show more hunger to engage in play.
Adding to the narrative is Exeter back-rower Kane James, who will earn his first cap from the bench, joining the ranks of Welsh greats such as Alun Wyn Jones, James Hook, and Aaron Wainwright who debuted in Argentina.
Kane James’ father, Chris, undertook a 24-hour journey to be present for his son's debut, arriving just in time to witness the occasion and hoping for a Welsh victory.
Should Wales win alongside an Argentine football victory, celebrations in both sports, albeit in different forms, could be significant.
