Argentina def Wales, quarter final result, score, Michael Cheika, video, highlights\u060c<\/p>\n
Argentina head coach Michael Cheika played down his half-time team talk after his Pumas side twice came from behind to stun Wales in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Wales led 10-0 after the first quarter and led 17-12 with 12 minutes remaining, but Argentina finished strongly with two tries to win 29-17 and claim a semi-final on the week next against Ireland or New Zealand.<\/p>\n
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Argentina looked disjointed in the opening half hour, appearing unable to break down the Welsh defense and slow to reorganize their own.<\/p>\n
But two late first-half penalties from winger Emiliano Boffelli kept them in the game at the break and Cheika insisted there was little he needed to change in the dressing room.<\/p>\n
“In the first half we made two or three mistakes which cost us dearly, the first was the try,” said the Australian, who took his country to the World Cup final in 2015.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then Wales were tactically very intelligent. They played with width, which we didn’t expect.<\/p>\n \u201cIt took us two or three times to reorganize ourselves.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom there we were good defensively, apart from the mistake that led to their try in the second half.\u201d <\/p>\n Cheika insisted he was not worried, even during the first half hour when Wales appeared to be in control of the game.<\/p>\n \u201cI have experience in these types of matches, 10-0 is a lot but the momentum is what is important,\u201d Cheika added.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you get positive momentum, you can score points quickly and we were still in the game.\u201d <\/p>\n Argentina have become a completely different proposition to the team that so meekly surrendered 27-10 to 14-man<\/a> England in their opening World Cup group match.<\/p>\n But Cheika insisted it was simply part of the building process. \u201cWe knew the first match would be a bit difficult and we learned a lot because there were a lot of new players in the World Cup,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think there has been a radical turnaround. We just built on what we learned and tried to be a little better in the next game. <\/p>\n Cheika said his team showed one of their main qualities in this match. \u201cWe’re starting to have a little flow, but this team has always had a lot of fight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cEven in that England game we showed a lot of fight, but we just didn\u2019t handle the occasion very well.\u201d <\/p>\n As for whether Argentina can go all the way, Cheika admitted she would not be favorite in the semi-finals in Paris.<\/p>\n We’re just excited to go to Paris, we haven’t had a taste of it yet at this World Cup,”<\/a> he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will watch the game tonight and I know we will not be favorites but we will do our best.\u201d<\/p>\n – ‘Not perfect’ –<\/b><\/p>\n Argentina captain Julian Montoya paid tribute to the strength of character of his team.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it comes from our personality and the way we train,\u201d Montoya said. <\/p>\n \u201cNothing has been too easy for us in recent years. <\/p>\n \u201cWe trust each other. We are a very close-knit group. Montoya, however, acknowledged that it hadn’t been a perfect performance. \u201cWe know it\u2019s not going to be perfect: life isn\u2019t perfect,\u201d the hooker said. \u201cIt\u2019s how you enjoy the moment and fight for each other. That’s rugby. <\/p>\n Argentina will now remain in the tournament until the end, even if they lose their semi-final against Ireland or New Zealand, with a third place play-off awaiting those teams who fail to qualify for the final .<\/p>\n \u201cTwo more weeks with this team. I never want this to end. \u00bb: Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n – Wales street of lost chances –<\/b><\/p>\n Wales coach Warren Gatland was left bemoaning his side’s lack of discipline after losing 29-17 in their World Cup quarter-final to Argentina in Marseille on Saturday.<\/p>\n Emiliano Boffelli’s 19 points from the start<\/a>, combined with tries from Joel Sclavi and Nicolas Sanchez, were enough to see Los Pumas overtake a Welsh side for whom Dan Biggar and Tomos Williams scored tries.<\/p>\n Biggar, playing his 112th and final Test, added seven points with the boot before coming off with five minutes remaining.<\/p>\n “They’re a tough team to put down and they held on and fought hard,” Gatland said of Argentina, who qualified for the quarter-finals as runners-up in Pool D behind England and who will now face Ireland or New Zealand. in the semi-final.<\/p>\n