Wales and Argentina kick-off their respective end-of-year campaigns with a test match at the home of Welsh Rugby on Sunday. It is a must-win for both teams due to the upcoming draw for Rugby World Cup 2027. The draw will take place on December 03 with seedings used. Argentina is presently in the top band but in the bottom spot (6th) while Wales is bottom of there second band (12th).
The match also continues one of rugby’s fascinating rivalries. Wales and Argentina are both multiple-time Rugby World Cup Semi Finalists. France is the only other Semi Finalist who has not lifted the William Webb Ellis Trophy.
Sunday’s match takes place with Welsh Rugby surrounded by uncertainty over the professional game and a test team that has struggled since the last World Cup. Meanwhile, the state of the game in Argentina and of Los Pumas is optimistic. Super Rugby Americas is expanding, the league is succeeding in turning out talent and Felipe Contepomi has an expanding player base across professional rugby competitions.
The build up to Rugby World Cup 2027 sees Contepomi well into his work while his opposite, Steve Tandy, is debuting as Head Coach of Wales.
Current World Ranking: 12 (74.05 points)
2025-07-12 – Japan 31-22 Wales (Kobe, JP)
2025-07-05 – Japan 24-19 Wales (Fukuoka, JP)
2025-03-15 – Wales 14-68 England (Cardiff, GB-CYM)
2025-03-08 – Scotland 35-29 Wales (Edinburgh, GB-SCO)
2005-02-22 – Wales 18-27 Ireland (Cardiff, GB-CYM)
2005-02-08 – Italy 22-15 Wales (Rome, IT)
2005-01-31 – France 43-0 Wales (Paris, FR)
Current World Ranking: 6 (83.82 points)
2025-09-27 – Argentina 27-29 South Africa (London, UK)
2025-09-27 – South Africa 67-30 Argentina (Durban, ZA)
2025-09-13 – Australia 26-28 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
2025-08-23 – Australia 28-24 Argentina (Townsville, AU)
2025-08-23 – Argentina 29-23 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
2025-08-16 – Argentina 24-41 New Zealand (Córdoba, AR)
2025-07-19 – Argentina 52-17 Uruguay (Salta, AR)
2025-07-12 – Argentina 17-22 England (San Juan, AR)
2025-07-05 – Argentina 12-35 England (La Plata, AR)
2025-06-20 – British & Irish Lions 24-28 Argentina (Dublin, IE)
 + STARTING LINEUP CHANGES |
|
IN | OUT |
| 1 | Rhys Carré | Nicky Smith |
| 3 | Keiron Assiratti | Archie Griffin |
| 4 | Dafydd Jenkins | Freddie Thomas |
| 5 | Adam Beard | Teddy Williams |
| 7 | Jac Morgan | Josh Macleod |
| 9 | Tomos Williams | Kieran Hardy |
| 13 | Max Llewellyn | Johnny Williams |
|
IN | OUT |
| 3 | Pedro Delgado | Francisco Coria Marchetti |
| 5 | Marcos Kremer | Pedro Rubiolo |
| 7 | Juan Martín González | Marcos Kremer |
| 8 | Joaquin Oviedo | Santiago Grondona |
| 11 | Mateo Carreras | Juan Cruz Mallía |
| DEBUT |
– Olly Cracknell
| + MOST CAPS |
– T Williams (64), J Adams (63), A Wainwright (59), A Beard (58), N Smith (56), L Rees-Zammit (32)
– P Matera (118), J Montoya (114), M Alemanno (98), G Petti (95), M Kremer (79), S Carreras (61)
| + LEAST CAPS |
– L Belcher (2), D Edwards (3), F Thomas (4), A Mann (7), A Griffin (8), M Llewellyn (8), B Murray (10)
– T Rapetti (1), G Prisciantelli (2), A Moyano (5), P Delgado (6), S Benítez Cruz (7), J Piccardo (8)
| + NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Christ Tshiunza (LO), Josh Macleod (FL), Mason Grady (CE)
– Eduardo Bello (TH), Joel Sclavi (TH), Franco Molina (LO), Pedro Rubiolo (LO), Gonzalo García (SH), Tomás Albornoz (FH), Lucio Cinti (CE).
NICKY SMITH (WALES PROP)
“They have always had a big pack but now we have seen how expansive they can be. Their backline is incredible and the forwards are big and physical but can chuck the ball around as well. They will always pride themselves on physicality but there is more to them than that and we have to be ready for anything.”
FELIPE CONTEPOMI (ARGENTINA HEAD COACH)
“The challenge is probably about more than the results, but we are focusing on each match. We have the opportunity to do something different from here on out. Beyond the complexity of statistics, for us it is about continuing to grow as a team. If this enables us the opportunity to get two or three wins, excellent, but for us it is about improving from one game to the next.”
- The match is Wales’ first home game in November. Japan, New Zealand and South Africa are to follow.
- Argentina face Wales, Scotland and England on tour in November.
- Sunday’s test match is the first meeting between the teams since Rugby World Cup 2023. Argentina eliminated Wales in the Quarter Finals.
- Wales were 20-13 winners the last time the teams met in Cardiff in 2022.
- Warren Gatland’s second term as Welsh Head Coach ended abruptly during the 2025 Six Nations. Matt Sherratt took over interim Head Coach from February to July. Steve Tandy will have his first match as Head Coach of Wales in the Sunday test match against Argentina.
- Tandy has recalled Rhys Carre for his first start since 2023.
- Replacement Louis Rees-Zammit makes his eagerly-awaited return following his move to the NFL.
- Olly Cracknell will debut as a replacement for Wales. He was born and raised in England. He qualifies for Wales via a grandparent.
- Having missed the Japan tour due to British & Irish Lions duty, captain Jac Morgan starts and Tomos Williams are back for Wales. Second-rowers Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard also return for Wales.
- Adam Beard and Justo Piccardo are teammates at Montpelier in France.
- Gloucester is another club with players on both teams. Matías Alemanno will earn his 1st cap of the year and his 99th of his Pumas career.
- Thomas Gallo is back after missing the Rugby Championship. He and rookie Tomás Rapetti are the replacement Pumas props.
- Marcos Kremer moves to second-row in place of the injured Pedro Rubiolo. Kremer last started in the position in 2024 against New Zealand. Rubiolo is expected back only for the final match of the tour.
- Replacement Argentine scrum-half, Agustín Moyano signed for the Western Force earlier this week.
- The match, and Wales’ November Internationals are surrounded by uncertainty due to the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) wanting to cut a professional team to go from four to three. Either the Ospreys or Scarlets are expected to be terminated. Meanwhile, players including Jac Morgan, Josh Adams and Aaron Wainwright are on the radar of foreign clubs.
- International competition between Wales and Argentina began in 1968 with Wales playing two matches as Wales XV.
Felipe Contepomi’s Pumas have had a mixed 2025. While wins have come against the British & Irish Lions, Uruguay, New Zealand and Australia, the problem of inconsistency remains. Wales’ year though has been worse. The first seven matches were losses with the most recent being a 31-22 win over Japan. It ended a 17 match losing streak, Wales’ worst of all-time. Appointing Steve Tandy is hitting the reset button and Welsh preparations for Australia 2027 officially begin against the best team from the Americas. Argentina are favorites to win in Cardiff.
WALES
15 Blair Murray (Scarlets), 14 Tom Rogers (Scarlets), 13 Max Llewellyn (Gloucester, ENG), 12 Ben Thomas (Cardiff), 11 Josh Adams (Cardiff), 10 Dan Edwards (Ospreys), 9 Tomos Williams (Gloucester, ENG), 8 Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), 7 Jac Morgan (Ospreys) – captain, 6 Alex Mann (Cardiff), 5 Adam Beard (Montpellier, FR), 4 Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs, ENG), 3 Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), 2 Dewi Lake (Ospreys), 1 Rhys Carré (Saracens, ENG)
Replacements: 16 Liam Belcher (Cardiff), 17 Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers, ENG), 18 Archie Griffin (Bath, ENG), 19 Freddie Thomas (Gloucester, ENG), 20 Olly Cracknell (Leicester Tigers, ENG), 21 Kieran Hardy (Ospreys), 22 Jarrod Evans (Harlequins, ENG), 23 Louis Rees-Zammit (Bristol Bears, ENG)
ARGENTINA
15 Santiago Carreras (Bath, ENG), 14 Bautista Delguy (Clermont, FR), 13 Justo Piccardo (Montpellier, FR), 12 Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse, FR), 11 Mateo Carreras (Bayonne, FR), 10 Gerónimo Prisciantelli (Racing 92, FR), 9 Simón Benítez Cruz (Newcastle Red Bulls, ENG), 8 Joaquín Oviedo (Perpignan, FR), 7 Juan Martín González (Saracens, ENG), 6 Pablo Matera (Honda Heat, JP) – vice-captain, 5 Marcos Kremer (Clermont, FR), Guido Petti (Harlequins, ENG), 3 Pedro Delgado (Harlequins, ENG), 2 Julián Montoya (Pau, FR) – captain, 1 Mayco Vivas (Oyonnax, FR)
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz (Perpignan, FR), 17 Thomas Gallo (Benetton, IT), 18 Tomás Rapetti (Toulouse, FR), 19 Matías Alemanno (Gloucester, ENG), 20 Santiago Grondona (Bristol Bears, ENG), 21 Agustín Moyano (Western Force, AU), 22 Juan Cruz Mallía (Toulouse, FR) – vice-captain, 23 Rodrigo Isgró (Harlequins, ENG)
Date: Sunday, October 04
Kickoff: 3:10pm (Wales); 12:10pm (Argentina)
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (Wales)
Broadcasts: ESPN, Disney + (Argentina)
Weather Forecast: Light Rain; 13°C; Wind 14 km/h
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (England); Anthony Woodthorpe (England)
Television Match Official: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Split Screen/FPRO: Eric Gauzins (France)
| HISTORY vs (1968-2023) |
2023-10-14 Wales 17-29 Argentina (Marseilles, France)*
2022-11-12 Wales 20-13 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2021-07-17 Wales 13-31 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2021-07-10 Wales 20-20 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2018-06-16 Argentina 12-30 Wales (Santa Fé, Argentina)
2018-06-09 Argentina 10-23 Wales (San Juan, Argentina)
2016-11-12 Wales 24-20 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2013-11-26 Wales 40-06 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2012-11-10 Wales 12-26 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2011-08-20 Wales 28-13 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2009-11-21 Wales 33-16 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2007-08-18 Wales 27-20 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
2006-06-17 Argentina 45-27 Wales (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2006-06-11 Argentina 27-25 Wales (Puerto Madryn, Argentina)
2004-06-19 Argentina 20-35 Wales (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
2004-06-12 Argentina 50-44 Wales (Tucumán, Argentina)
2001-11-10 Wales 16-30 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
1999-10-01 Wales 23-18 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales) *
1999-06-12 Argentina 16-23 Wales (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1999-06-05 Argentina 26-36 Wales (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1998-11-21 Wales 43-30 Argentina (Llanelli, Wales)
1991-10-09 Wales 16-07 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales) *
1976-10-16 Wales 20-19 Argentina (Cardiff, Wales)
1968-09-28 Argentina 9-8 Wales (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
1968-09-15 Argentina 9-5 Wales XV (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
* Rugby World Cup Fixture
| OVERALL RESULTS vs (1991-2023) |
– 15
– 8
DRAW – 2
