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Wales player ratings vs Argentina | 2021 Summer Tests
By Ian Cameron
Wales player ratings: Argentina may have struggled against Romania last week, but they were always going to be a far more robust challenge than the Canadians, given a similar Pumas 23 toppled the All Blacks just nine months previously.
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What unfolded was the flattest Welsh performance of 2021, in which the best they could do was a draw against an Argentinian outfit that had just 14 men for the bulk of this contest.
WALES PLAYER RATINGS:
1 NICKY SMITH – 6.5
As prop’s go, Smith is a real competitor over the ball and he picked the Puma’s pockets here more than once. Tackled his guts out.
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2 ELLIOT DEE – 6
Beavered away all afternoon, his trademark industriousness on display before being replaced by Elias.
3 DILLON LEWIS – 6
Uncompromising in defence from the off and was just about edging his setpiece battle with loosehead Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro before the pair were sent to the sin bin by Matthew Carley.
4 BEN CARTER – 5
Relatively anonymous here off the back of a very impressive debut against Canada. Facing Kremer and co on your second cap will do that.
5 WILL ROWLANDS – 6
A hot mess of a performance, with too many silly errors and coach killer penalties. On the flip side ran a great supporting line to pop up out wide for Wales’ 52nd-minute try which saw him having to rely on a Go-Go Gadget arm extension to take. Won’t have liked to being handed off by Matera.
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6 ROSS MORIARTY – 6
A fumble early on set the tone for a pretty flat first half for Moriarty. A couple of decent contributions with ball in hand in the second half, but he’s still some way off his combative best.
7 JAMES BOTHAM – 5
Lucky to get away with a penalty for lifting Pablo Mattera beyond the horizontal and dumping him. Other than that, the game largely passed him by.
8 AARON WAINWRIGHT – NA
A bright start for Wainwright, an early canter up the pitch no doubt filling him with confidence, but he was hauled off with an unspecified injury after just 23 minutes.
9 KIERAN HARDY – 6
Targeted by the Pumas for some extra attention, ultimately resulting in a red card for the South Americans and a sore jaw for Hardy. Excellent service.
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10 CALLUM SHEEDY – 4
Shaved the posts from 47 metres out with 13 minutes on the clock before gifting the Puma’s their opening points by surprising his teammates with a tap and go before entering the subsequent ruck from the side. Didn’t provide the control Wales’ needed here and found wanting when it came to containing Argentina’s ball carriers in the 1o channel. His first bad performance in the red of Wales.
11 OWEN LANE – 6
Like Jonah Holmes on the opposite wing, didn’t get a great deal of quality ball, but made the most of what he did get. Came looking for work but the Pumas contained him.
12 JONATHAN DAVIES – 5
Sheedy needed minding in defence and Davies didn’t do him any favours here. No bright ideas in attack either as Wales’ struggles to capitalise on the extra man. At times the veteran looked too beaten up for the task in front of him.
13 UILISI HALAHOLO – 4
Was clearly annoyed at himself after a midfield fumble binned off a promising Welsh attacking position. A game to forget for Halaholo.
14 JONAH HOLMES – 5.5
Did he touch the ball in the first half? Wales generally failed to get the ball anywhere near their wings today and Holmes was a victim of that failure. A few decent contributions in the second stanza but he didn’t worry the Pumas in attack.
15 HALLAM AMOS – 6.5
A good dustpan and brush, in the best sense of that metaphor. Some classy touches with the boot, although he opted to run the ball back at the Pumas more often than not. The best of mediocre back division today.
REPLACEMENTS
19 JOSH TURNBULL – 7.5 The big blindside made an impression off the bench and was one of a few Welshmen to take the flight to Argentina. 20 TAINE BASHAM – 7 A notable improvement on Botham. 21 TOMOS WILLIAMS – 7.5 – Took his try remarkably well while those around him looked on listlessly. 23 NICK TOMPKINS – 7 Injected pace and intent into Wales’ misfiring backline. He’s not a world-beater but he makes **** happen.
