1976 Argentina rugby union tour of Wales and England

1976 Argentina rugby union tour of Wales and England
Summary	P W D L
Total	6 3 0 3
Test match	1 0 0 1
Opponent	P W D L
Wales XV[1]	1 0 0 1

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.

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]

Matches

29 September 1976

East Wales	22 - 25	Argentina XV
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: H.Richards; C.F.W.Rees, N.D.Butcher, N.J.Shanklin, N.B.Juliff; G.Laurence, N.A.Lewis; T.Cobner (capt.), C.Burgess, B.Lease; J.Watkins, J.Floyd; G.Price, R.W.Windsor, A.G.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.

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2 October 1976

Cardiff RFC	25 - 29	Argentina XV
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 R.F.C.: J.Davies; T.G.Davies (capt.), M.Murphy, A.J.Finlayson (Holand), D.Thomas; G.Davies, G.Edwards; S.Lane, B.Dubin-Jones, T.Morgan.I.Robinson, P.Rawlins; M.Knill, M.Watkins, B.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).

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6 October 1976

Aberavon RFC	6 - 18	Argentina XV
Pen: G.Beccar Varela 3		Try: Travaglini Con: G.Beccar Varela Pen: Sansot

Port Talbot Referee: R.C.Quittenton (England)

Aberavon: ' P.Bessant; R.James, A.Rees, I.Halle I.Keene; J.Bevan, C.Shell (capt.); O.Alexander, P.Clarke, R.Davies; P.Bell, W.Mainwaring; C.Williams, W.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.

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9 October 1976

North and Midlands	24 - 9	Argentina XV
Try: Slemen. Con: Hare Pen: Hare 5 Drop: Horton		Pen: G.Beccar Varela 2,

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, C. 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.

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12 October 1976

West Wales	14 - 12	Argentina XV
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:C.Griffiths; E.Rees (L.Thomas), P.Phillips, R.Bergiers, A.Hill; D.Richards, S.Williams; G.Jones, H.Jenkins, T.Evans; P.May, G.Wheel; P.Llewellyn, R.Thomas, G.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.

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16 October 1976

Wales XV	20 - 19	Argentina
Try: Davies, Edwards Pen: Bennett 4		Try: G Beccar Varela, Gauweloose Con: Porta Pen: G Beccar Varela 2, Porta

Arms Park, Cardiff Attendance: 4.000 Referee: Norman Sanson (Scotland)

Wales XV		Argentina
JPR 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

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Sources

• Vivian Jenkins, ed. (1979). Rothmans Rugby Yearbook 1979-80. Queen Anne Press. pp. 47–51. ISBN 0-354-09087-9.
• Union Argentina de Rugby (November 1976). "MEMORIA Temporada año 1976" (.doc) (in Spanish).

Notes

1. the match was considered official only for Union Argentina de Rugby, not by WRU
2. Rothmans p51