Wales snapped a three-match losing streak at Principality Stadium with a dogged victory against in-form Argentina.
Taulupe Faletau and Tomos Williams scored a try each, while Gareth Anscombe and Rhys Priestland slotted penalties, in a scrappy affair in Cardiff.
Wales lost to France and Italy in the Guinness Six Nations, before New Zealand romped to a comfortable victory last week in their Autumn Nations Series opener.
However, in front of a vocal home crowd, Wales got back to winning ways in front of their own supporters – holding on to win despite a late Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro try.
Argentina started well but struggled to assert themselves on the game, failing to match the level of performance they reached when beating England last weekend, and fall to a first defeat in the 2022 Autumn Nations Series
FALETAU TRY SEPERATES TEAMS IN TIGHT FIRST HALF
After last week’s heavy defeat to New Zealand, Wales were under pressure to secure a result against Argentina – and they started like a team on a mission.
Louis Rees-Zammit, starting at full-back for the first time in his Test career, broke two tackles and sprinted into Argentina territory in just the second minute, prompting a reaction from the crowd, but the move broke down when George North knocked on.
Argentina quickly went on the front foot and they scored the first points of the match in the eighth minute when Emiliano Boffelli, the hero at Twickenham last weekend, booted through a penalty.
Los Pumas enjoyed a positive stint inside the Wales 22 and another penalty gifted Boffelli three more points.
Discipline was again a problem for Wales, who conceded six penalties in the first 20 minutes, but Argentina struggled to capitalise and then spent much of the last 15 minutes of the half on the back foot.
Ken Owens should have scored the game’s first try when he muscled his way to the line from the back of a rolling maul but spilled the ball at the vital moment.
However, they finally broke through in the 32nd minute, Faletau under a pile of bodes following another maul to score, while Anscombe added the conversion.
Anscombe added his first penalty of the match late in the first half to extend their slender lead to four points, as the hosts enjoyed a promising end to the opening 40.
DETERMINED WALES HOLD ON
Starting Rees-Zammit at full-back proved a wise call by head coach Wayne Pivac, with the Gloucester man seeing more of the ball than he did against New Zealand.
His pace and direct running helped to pin Argentina back and Wales soon has a second try courtesy of a Los Pumas mistake.
Juan Cruz Mallia, deep in his own half, had possession and aimed a kick upfield. But he mis-hit straight at Tomos Williams and the ricochet fell perfectly for the scrum-half, who touched down for his 10th Test try.
That settled Wales down and a Rhys Priestland penalty stretched their lead to 14 points, as a frustrated Argentina continued to struggle.
However, the Rugby Championship team have got a taste for winning this season and they hit back with a little more than 10 minutes to go, as Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro wrestled the ball down from close range.
Boffelli’s conversion cut the gap to seven points but they were unable to haul themselves level, as Wales saw the game out for a crucial win.
