Fairytale finale for revived Pumas

NICOLAS Sanchez was an Argentine rugby hero as its record points scorer before he touched down the interception try four minutes from time which ushered the Pumas into the semi-finals of the 2023 World Cup at Wales' expense.

- NICK CAIN

However, the way the 34-year-old centurion flyhalf read Sam Costelow's loop-pass to Tomos Williams on halfway, before holding off the Welsh chasers to score between the posts will confer legendary status on Sanchez.

That the veteran super sub-rounded off his devastating 11-minute contribution by then kicking a penalty - from a last-minute turnover won by their other bench grey-beard, Agustin Creevy to give Argentina their winning margin will have made the turnaround in the Pumas fortunes, not just in this quarter-final but also in the tournament as a whole, sweeter still.

This was the Argentina that everyone expected to see in their opening match against England, but that defeat, and a couple more lacklustre pool performances before the improvement against Japan last weekend, left big question-marks over their ability to progress against a resurgent Welsh side.

They remained unanswered until the scintillating last stanza of a match which was full of pendulum swings. It started with Wales taking a 10-6 half-time lead - thanks to a converted Dan Biggar try and penalty against two Emiliano Boffelli penalties and then falling behind when two further Boffelli penalties early in the second half gave Argentina a 12-10 advantage.

However, it did not last long, with the Welsh appearing to steal a crucial march by scoring a 56th minute try through bench scrum-half Tomos Williams, who nipped past the tiring Pumas ruck guards after a showand-go to score a fine opportunist try.