The 1976 Argentina rugby union tour of Wales and England was a series of six matches played by the Argentina national rugby union team in September and October 1976.
| 1976 Argentina rugby union tour of Wales and England | |||||
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| Summary |
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| Total |
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| Test match |
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| Opponent |
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 Wales[1] |
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Five of the six matches were played in Wales, including an international match against the Wales national rugby union team. Argentina won the first three matches of the tour but lost the last three. Although Wales did not award caps for the international game, they did select a full-strength team and Argentina came close to winning; they led 19–17 as the match went into injury time but were beaten by a late penalty from Phil Bennett. Wales had won the Grand Slam in 1976 and Argentina's performance was considered a shock.[2][3]
Matches
edit| 29 September 1976 |
| East Wales | 22–25 |  Argentina |
| Try: Juliff, Butcher Con: Lewis Pen: Lewis 4 | Try: G. Beccar Varela, Neyrá Carracedo, Penalty try Con: Sansot, G. Beccar Varela, Porta Pen: Porta |
| Rodney Parade, Newport Referee: Alan Welsby (England) |
East Wales: M. Richards; Clive Rees, N. D. Butcher, N. J. Shanklin, N. B. Juliff; G. Lawrence, N. A. Lewis; Terry Cobner (capt.), Clive Burgess, B. Lease; J. Watkins, J. Floyd; Graham Price, Bobby Windsor, Charlie Faulkner
Argentina: M. Sansot; D. Beccar Varela, A. Travaglini, A. Rodríguez Jurado (capt.) (G. Beccar Varela), J. Gauweloose; H. Porta, A. Etchegaray; J. Carracedo, R. Mastai, C. Neyra; E. Branca, J. J. Fernández; R. Irañeta, J. Costante, M. Carluccio
| 2 October 1976 |
| Cardiff RFC | 25–29 | Argentina |
| Try: Dudley-Jones 2, Rawlins Con: G. Davies 2 Pen: G. Davies 3 | Try: Gauweloose 2, D.Beccar Varela Sansot Con: G.Beccar Varela, Porta Pen: Porta, Sansot Drop: Porta |
| National Stadium, Cardiff Referee: Kenneth Pattinson (England) |
Cardiff: J. Davies; Gerald Davies (capt.), M. Murphy, A. J. Finlayson (Holand), D. Thomas; Gareth Davies, Gareth Edwards; Stuart Lane, B. Dubin-Jones, T. Morgan, I. Robinson, P. Rawlins; Mike Knill, Mike Watkins, Barry Nelmes
Argentina: M. Sansot; D. Beccar Varela, G. Beccar Varela, A. Travaglini, J. Gauweloose, H. Porta, A. Etchegaray (capt.); C. Neyra, R. Mastai, J. Carracedo; E. Branca, J. J. Fernández; F. Insúa, J. Braceras, M. Carluccio (R. Irañeta)
| 6 October 1976 |
| Aberavon RFC | 6–18 | Argentina |
| Pen: Bevan 2 | Try: Travaglini Con: G.Beccar Varela Pen: G. Beccar Varela 3, Sansot |
| Port Talbot Referee: R. C. Quittenton (England) |
Aberavon: P. Bessant; R. James, A. Rees, I. Halle, I. Keene; John Bevan, Clive Shell (capt.); O. Alexander, P. Clarke, R. Davies; P. Bell, Billy Mainwaring; Clive Williams, Billy James, B. Lewis
Argentina: M. Alonso; M. Sansot, A. Travaglini, G. Beccar Varela, G. Álvarez; H. Porta (F. González Victorica), A. Etchegaray (capt.); J. Carracedo; R. Sanz, H. Massini; J. J. Fernández, E. Branca; R. Irañeta, J. Costante, F. Insúa
| 9 October 1976 |
| North and Midlands | 24–9 | Argentina |
| Try: Slemen Con: Hare Pen: Hare 5 Drop: Horton | Pen: G. Beccar Varela 2, Sansot |
| Welford Road, Leicester Referee: P. J. Lillington (England) |
North and Midlands Dusty Hare; John Carleton, Paul Dodge, Tony Bond, Mike Slemen; John Horton, Steve Smith; D. Forfar, Tony Neary, Garry Adey; D. Trickey, Bill Beaumont; Fran Cotton (capt.), Peter Wheeler, Colin White
Argentina: M. Alonso; M. Sansot, A. Travaglini (capt.), G. Beccar Varela, J. Gauweloose; F. González Victorica, R. Castagna; H. Massini, R. Mastai, C. Neyra; E. Branca, J. J. Fernández; F. Insúa, J. Costante, R. Irañeta
| 12 October 1976 |
| West Wales | 14–12 | Argentina |
| Try: Evans, Griffiths, Hill Con: Phillips | Pen: Sansot 2, G. Beccar Varela Drop: G. Beccar Varela |
| Stradey Park, Llanelli Referee: D. H. Burnett (Ireland) |
West Wales: Clive Griffiths; Elgan Rees (L. Thomas), P. Phillips, Roy Bergiers, Andy Hill; David Richards, S. Williams; G. Jones, H. Jenkins, Trefor Evans; Phil May, Geoff Wheel; Phil Llewellyn, R. Thomas, Glyn Shaw
Argentina: M. Sansot; D. Beccar Varela, A. Travaglini, G. Beccar Varela, J. Gauweloose; H. Porta, A. Etchegaray (capt.); J. Carracedo, J. Sanz, C. Neyra; J. J. Fernández, E. Branca; M. Carluccio, J. Braceras, A. Risler
| 16 October 1976 |
| Wales | 20–19 | Argentina |
| Try: Davies, Edwards Pen: Bennett 4 | Try: G. Beccar Varela, Gauweloose Con: Porta Pen: G. Beccar Varela 2, Porta |
| Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Norman Sanson (Scotland) |
       Wales
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    Argentina
|
| Wales XV | Argentina | |||
| J. P. R. Williams | FB | 15 | FB | Martin Sansot |
| Gerald Davies | W | 14 | W | Daniel Beccar Varela |
| Ray Gravell | C | 13 | C | Alejandro Travaglini |
| Roy Bergiers | C | 12 | C | Gonzalo Beccar Varela |
| J. J. Williams | W | 11 | W | Jorge Gauweloose |
| Phil Bennett | FH | 10 | FH | Hugo Porta |
| Gareth Edwards | SH | 9 | SH | Adolfo Etchegaray (capt.) |
| Derek Quinnell | N8 | 8 | N8 | Jorge Carracedo |
| (capt.) Terry Cobner | F | 7 | F | Ricardo Mastai |
| Trefor Evans | F | 6 | F | Carlos Neyra |
| Geoff Wheel | L | 5 | L | Jose Fernandez |
| Barry Clegg | L | 4 | L | Eliseo Branca |
| Charlie Faulkner | P | 3 | P | Rito Iraneta |
| Bobby Windsor | H | 2 | H | Jose Costante |
| Graham Price | P | 1 | P | Fernando Insua |
| Replacements | ||||
| Jeff Squire | L | 16 | H | Jorge Braceras |
Bibliography
edit- Jenkins, Vivian, ed. (1979). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1979-80. Queen Anne Press. pp. 47–51. ISBN 0-354-09087-9.
- "Memoria y Balance" (PDF) (in Spanish). Union Argentina de Rugby. November 1976. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 November 2021.