Wales will face Argentina in their Rugby World Cup quarter-finals next weekend after Newcastle winger Mateo Carreras scored three tries in a 39-27 win over a resilient Japan side at the Stade de la Beaujoire in France on Sunday.
Wales will be in for a tough Pool ‘D’ match against a Pumas side that were tested throughout an enthralling game of rugby that saw tries exchanged back and forth throughout the 80 minutes.
Argentina went ahead early in Nantes, with a try from Santiago Chocobares in just the second minute, but 2019 World Cup hosts Japan bounced back with a try of their own 15 minutes later, with Amato Fakatava the scorer. Japan were temporarily down a player, after Pieter Labuschagne was sent to the sin bin for a head-on-head tackle. The yellow card did not become more severe as both players dipped for the tackle.
A fabulous team try then allowed Carreras to put the South American side back ahead before Emiliano Boffelli scored a penalty a few minutes later. Japan didn’t roll over though. Seconds after Flanker Labuschagne returned to the field, Naoto Saito burst through the Argentine defence to bring it back to a one-point game heading into half time.
Six minutes after the break, Carreras scored his second try of the match to give Argentina some breathing space. Japan knocked on the door as they looked to bounce back for a third time in
the match and did so with a penalty and drop-goal. Boffelli then scored a crucial try, which was converted, to put Las Pumas ahead 29-22.
Japan continued to chase, continuing the cat-and-mouse match with a converted try from Jone Naikabula. But it was the star of the match, Carreras, that again put his side another stride ahead with his third try of the day.
Japan threw everything at Argentina, but the resolute South Americans held on to book a quarter-final against Wales, who they played just 11 months ago in a 20-13 loss at the Principality Stadium. The World Cup quarter-final will be played at the Stade de Marseille on October 14. (C.D)
