WALES v ARGENTINA (Tomorrow, KO 2.30)

WALES coach Neil Jenkins believes victory over Rugby Championship outfit Argentina at the Millennium Stadium this weekend will be regarded as something of a scalp, writes Iwan Davies.

Despite finishing bottom of this season’s inaugural four-team tournament, Los Pumas made a good impression.

They came within an ace of beating South Africa at home and should have beaten Australia away before being held 16-16 and going down 25-19 respectively.

This current side may not be in the same class as the vintage of 2007 who finished third in the World Cup – now missing two recently retired greats in loosehead Rodrigo Roncero and hooker Mario Ledesma – but they still pack a formidable punch.

On being asked if he thought a Wales win would represent a scalp for skipper Sam Warburton’s side against a team who will be mixing it regularly every season with the All Blacks, South Africa and Australia, former Wales kicking ace Jenkins replied: “Most definitely for us. Every time we’ve played them the last couple of times, it has been very tough.

“They are an uncompromising side and considering it was their first Rugby Championship, I think they did pretty well.

“They probably should have won in Australia after being 19-6 up with not long to go.

“South Africa at home was a tight call – they could have won that game.

“We know what Argentina are all about and we know they are very tough.”

Wales kicking coach Jenkins believes the South Americans are developing more to their armoury than the traditional game plan of trying to destroy teams by beating them up with brute force in the forwards, combined with an aerial bombardment.

“They play to their strengths which is the set piece,” the 1997 Lions hero said.

“They play a huge amount of their stuff in the forwards and going to the air an awful lot, the aerial game, which they will do on Saturday, there’s no doubting that.

“But when they do get a sniff they can certainly play as well. They’ve got some good backs out wide.”

Jenkins is an admirer of their Racing Métro star Juan Martín Hernández, their key man at the 2007 World Cup in France.

A former IRB international player of the year award nominee, full back/outside half Hernández is selected to play at 15 for Argentina tomorrow.

“I don’t think Hernández has played an awful lot of rugby at full back of late, more at 10 with Argentina,” Jenkins said.

“But again, he is a quality rugby player. I’ve seen him play centre for Racing Métro as well. He can play anywhere in the back line – 10, 12, 13 and 15. He’s one of the best.”