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Argentina’s Quarter Final win over Wales in Marseille was historic in more ways than one. It marked Los Pumas’ first-ever win over Wales in a Rugby World Cup match. It also saw Argentina eliminating a Celtic Nation, hereby completing the Triple Crown.
Los Pumas have now eliminated all three Celts in Rugby World Cup Quarter Finals. Argentina defeated Scotland in a Rugby World Cup Quarter Final in Paris in 2007. Argentina’s 19-13 win saw the South Americans book a first-ever Semi Final.
Gonzalo Longo scored for Argentina that day. The N8 charged down and regathered a kick from Australian Dan Parks to score. World Rugby Hall of Famer Felipe Contepomi converted the try and also landed two penalties. The soon to be Hall of Famer, Juan Martín Hernández landed a drop goal.
Argentina and Scotland crossed paths again at Rugby World Cup 2011. A nail-bitter in the rain of Wellington, New Zealand saw Los Pumas winning 13-12. The South Americans went on to then beat Georgia to qualify for the Quarter Finals while Scotland was eliminated by England in their final pool match.
Rugby World Cup 2007 saw Argentina winning their pool. The South Americans did so by eliminating Ireland in their final pool fixture in Paris. It was the third meeting in as many World Cups. Argentina knocked Ireland out of Rugby World Cup 1999 in Lens, France while Ireland returned the favor in Adelaide, Australia at Rugby World Cup 2003.
20023 was controversial. The match schedule meant Argentina having played all four pool matches before England had played their third match. Ireland faced Australia on the following weekend in Melbourne in a pool match.
While the teams hade both eliminated each other at Rugby World Cups the matches had all been prior to the Quarter Finals stage. 2007 and 2003 were both pool matches. Rugby World Cup 1999 was a Quarter Finals play-off. It had been designed with Ireland to have a home Quarter Final in Dublin. Argentina’s win in Lens saw the South Americans facing France in the Irish capital.
The Argentina vs Ireland rivalry did not end at Rugby World Cup 2007. Instead, the teams crossed paths again at Rugby World Cup 2015. This time it was in a Quarter Final. Ireland had beaten Canada, France, Italy, and Romania to win their pool.
Argentina fell to New Zealand in their opening match of the 2015 campaign in London. Los Pumas recovered to defeat Georgia, Tonga and Namibia in Gloucester, and Leicester. This set-up a Quarter Final against Ireland in Cardiff, Wales.
Los Pumas came out with a bang. A pair of early tries to Matías Moroni and Juan Imhoff were converted by Nicolás Sánchez. He also slotted a penalty for a 17-0 lead. Ireland came back but the deficit was too great. Argentina booked a place in the Semi Finals by eliminating Ireland by a scoreline of 43-20.
Either years after defeating Ireland in Wales, Los Pumas made history in Marseille. Argentina’s 29-17 win over the Dragons was the first loss for Wales against Argentina in a Rugby World Cup match and the first at Rugby World Cup 2023.
Wales went out to a 10-0 lead and had the upper hand. Los Pumas responded to make it a 10-6 deficit at half-time before taking the lead in the second-half. The lead changed hands again before Argentina scored through Joel Sclavi. Matías Moroni saved a certain Dragons try before Sánchez ran over for an intercept try to seal the win.
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RUGBY WORLD CUP – CELTIC TRIPLE CROWN
Rugby World Cup 2007 – Argentina 19-13 Scotland (Paris, France)
Rugby World Cup 2015 – Argentina 43-20 Ireland (Cardiff, Wales)
Rugby World Cup 2023 – Argentina 29-17 Wales (Marseille, France)
