The 1976 Argentina rugby union tour of Wales and England was a series of six matches played by the

Argentina national rugby union team The Argentina national rugby union team (Spanish: ''Selección de rugby de Argentina'') represents Argentina in men's international rugby union; it is organised by the Argentine Rugby Union ( es, Unión Argentina de Rugby). Nicknamed the Pumas ...

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 The Wales national rugby union team ( cy, Tîm rygbi'r undeb cenedlaethol Cymru) represents Wales in men's international rugby union. Its governing body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), was established in 1881, the same year that Wales played thei ...

. 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 Philip Bennett (24 October 1948 – 12 June 2022) was a Welsh rugby union player who played as a fly-half for Llanelli RFC and the Wales national team. He began his career in 1966, and a year later he had taken over from Barry John as Llanell ...

. Wales had won the

Grand Slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...

in 1976 and Argentina's performance was considered a shock.Rothmans p51

Matches

East Wales: M. Richards;

Clive Rees Clive Frederick William Rees (born 6 October 1951 in Singapore) is a former Welsh rugby union player. He won thirteen caps as left wing for Wales between 1973 and 1983. Clive Rees's rugby career started at Llanelli Grammar School in the late 19 ...

, N. D. Butcher, N. J. Shanklin, N. B. Juliff; G. Lawrence, N. A. Lewis;

Terry Cobner Terence John Cobner (born 10 January 1946)
Scrum.com is a former

Clive Burgess Robert Clive Burgess (25 November 1950 - 2 May 2006) was an international rugby union flanker who played for Wales from 1977 to 1982. Burgess was a popular player who had many nicknames some of which were ''Budgie'', ''Animal'' and ''The Steel Cl ...

, B. Lease; J. Watkins, J. Floyd;

Graham Price Graham Price MBE (born 24 November 1951 in Moascar, Egypt) is a former Welsh rugby union player, who was a member of the famous Pontypool RFC front row known as the "Viet Gwent". He won 41 caps for , and a record 12 for the British and Irish Li ...

Bobby Windsor Robert William Windsor (born 31 January 1948 in Newport, Monmouthshire), known as Bobby and nicknamed "The Duke", is a former rugby union player who gained 28 rugby union caps for Wales as a hooker between 1973 and 1979. Windsor published his au ...

Charlie Faulkner Anthony George "Charlie" Faulkner (born 27 February 1941, in Newport, Wales)Charlie Faulkner player ...

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 ---- Cardiff: J. Davies;

Gerald Davies Thomas Gerald Reames Davies CBE DL (born 7 February 1945 in Llansaint) is a Welsh former rugby union wing who played international rugby for Wales between 1966 and 1978. He is one of a small group of Welsh players to have won three Grand Slams ...

(capt.), M. Murphy, A. J. Finlayson (Holand), D. Thomas; Gareth Davies,

Gareth Edwards Sir Gareth Owen Edwards CBE (born 12 July 1947) is a Welsh former rugby union player who played scrum-half and has been described by the BBC as "arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey". In 2003, in a poll of international ru ...

;

Stuart Lane Stuart Lane (born 12 November 1952) is a former international rugby union player. In 1980 he toured South Africa with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Cardiff RFC. British and Irish Lions Lane holds the unfo ...

, B. Dubin-Jones, T. Morgan, I. Robinson, P. Rawlins;

Mike Knill Franklyn Michael David Knill (born 22 December 1941) is a Welsh former rugby union international. Knill was born in Monkton, Pembrokeshire, and attended Pembroke Grammar School. A tighthead prop, Knill was regarded as one of the best scrummagers ...

, Mike Watkins,

Barry Nelmes Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 195 ...

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) ---- Aberavon: P. Bessant; R. James, A. Rees, I. Halle, I. Keene; John Bevan,

Clive Shell Clive Shell (9 September 1947 – 6 January 2012) was a Wales, Welsh international rugby union player. Shell made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team on 10 November 1973 against Australia where he kissed the ball on his first touch ...

(capt.); O. Alexander, P. Clarke, R. Davies; P. Bell,

Billy Mainwaring William Thomas Mainwaring (born Gwilym Thomas Mainwaring; 24 January 1941 – 1 April 2019) was a Welsh international second row rugby union player who played for Aberavon RFC. Rugby career Nurtured in his village team of Taibach RFC, Mainwar ...

; 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 ---- North and Midlands

Dusty Hare William Henry "Dusty" Hare (born 29 November 1952) is a former international rugby union footballer who played fullback. Hare holds the world record for points scored in a first-class rugby career, with 7,337 points. He was born in Newark ...

; John Carleton,

Paul Dodge Paul William Dodge (born 26 February 1958 in Leicester, England) is a former English rugby union international footballer who gained 32 caps for his country between 1978 and 1985. His Leicester Tigers career earned him 436 appearances. Dodg ...

, Tony Bond,

Mike Slemen Michael Anthony Charles Slemen (11 May 1951 – 20 July 2020) was an international rugby union player. He toured South Africa in 1980 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for Liverpool St Helens F.C., Liverpool. ...

; John Horton,

Steve Smith Stephen, Steve, Stevie, or Steven Smith may refer to: Academics *Steve Smith (political scientist) (born 1952), British international relations theorist and senior university manager *Stephen Smith (journalist) (born 1956), American journalist, a ...

; D. Forfar,

Tony Neary Anthony Neary (born 25 November 1948) is a former England international rugby union player. He represented England at U18s basketball as well as rugby. He attended De La Salle College in Pendleton, Salford and Liverpool University before qual ...

, Garry Adey; D. Trickey,

Bill Beaumont Sir William Blackledge Beaumont, (born 9 March 1952 in Chorley, Lancashire, England) is a former rugby union player, and was captain of the England rugby union team, earning 34 caps. His greatest moment as captain was the unexpected 1980 Grand Sl ...

;

Fran Cotton Francis Edward Cotton (born 3 January 1947) is a former rugby union prop forward who played for England and the British Lions. His clubs included Coventry R.F.C. and Sale. After retiring, he remained in rugby administration and founded a clo ...

(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 ---- West Wales: Clive Griffiths;

Elgan Rees Harold Elgan Rees (born 5 January 1954) is a Welsh former international rugby union player. Rugby career Rees toured with the British & Irish Lions to New Zealand in 1977, when he had yet to be capped by Wales, and South Africa in 1980 and at ...

(L. Thomas), P. Phillips,

Roy Bergiers Roy Thomas Edmond Bergiers (born 11 November 1950) is a Welsh former rugby union player. Born in Carmarthen, he played his club rugby for Llanelli RFC Llanelli Rugby Football Club ( cy, Clwb Rygbi Llanelli) is a Welsh rugby union club founde ...

, Andy Hill; David Richards, S. Williams; G. Jones, H. Jenkins,

Trefor Evans Trefor Pryce Evans (born 26 November 1947, in Chorley) is a former Wales international rugby union player. He played as a flanker. Evans played club rugby for Pantyffynon Youth RFC Amman United RFC and Swansea RFC. He had 10 caps for Wales ...

; Phil May,

Geoff Wheel Geoff Wheel (born 30 June 1951, in Swansea) is a former Wales international rugby union player who attained 32 international caps. A lock-forward, he played club rugby for Mumbles RFC and then Swansea RFC Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Wels ...

; 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 ----

Bibliography

* *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Argentina

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

1976–77 in English rugby union 1976–77 in Welsh rugby union

September 1976 sports events in the United Kingdom October 1976 sports events in the United Kingdom