Argentina Nations Championship 2026: July Review & November Tour Preview
Argentina Nations Championship 2026 November tour is where Los Pumas’ tournament will be decided. After three matches at home in July — one win, two losses — Argentina travel to Europe needing a strong campaign against Ireland, Italy and France to keep their hopes of reaching the Twickenham final alive.
Here’s what July taught us, and what November needs to deliver.
Scotland 47–38 Argentina: A Difficult Debut
Opening matches of a July window are always hard for Argentina. The team arrives without full competitive rhythm, and the debut fixture consistently exposes that — it’s a recurring pattern in Los Pumas’ calendar that hasn’t been solved.
Against Scotland the problem was intensity. Argentina didn’t bring the edge required from the first whistle, and Scotland are exactly the kind of team that punishes that. The Scots are comfortable playing through multiple phases and exposing defensive systems that aren’t functioning at full concentration — and that’s precisely what happened.
The aerial battle was lost convincingly. Scotland exploited the space behind Argentina’s defensive line through the kick-chase game, putting Los Pumas under pressure they struggled to manage. The maul defence was the other clear problem — particularly inside the 25-yard zone, where Scotland converted pressure into points too easily. Conceding 47 points at home is a number that demands honest reflection.
Argentina 35–21 Wales: Back to Business
The response against Wales was exactly what was needed. Tomás Lavanini’s lineout has always been a strength, but with Pablo Petti reaching 100 caps for Los Pumas — a milestone that reflects everything this generation of Argentine rugby has built — the set-piece was a platform from the start. Petti at the lineout is a guarantee, and against Wales that reliability showed.
Bautista Oviedo stood out across the park — one of the performances of the July window from an Argentine perspective. The ruck cleanout work was notably sharp throughout, which directly freed the nine to distribute quickly and set the tempo Argentina needed. When the breakdown is that clean, the halfbacks control the game.
The one area that wasn’t fixed: the aerial game receiving Welsh kicks was still below the level needed. It’s a concern that appeared against Scotland and didn’t disappear against Wales — it will be targeted again in November, particularly by France.
The return of Marcos Kremer to the squad after missing the Scotland match added physicality and balance to the loose forward group that had been missing in the opening fixture.
England 31–24 Argentina: Close But Not Enough
The England match was the story of a game Argentina were in but couldn’t close. Los Pumas showed they can compete with the top northern hemisphere nations at this level — 24 points against England at home is not a poor return. But the margins in a match like this go to the team that makes better decisions in the final quarter, and England were sharper when it mattered.
For the full breakdown of that match read our dedicated Argentina vs England Nations Championship analysis.
What November Needs to Deliver
Argentina travel to Europe for three consecutive away Tests — arguably the hardest three-week block in international rugby.
Ireland — Aviva Stadium, Dublin (6 November)
The toughest fixture of the three. Ireland at home are the most complete team in the northern hemisphere and their defensive line speed will directly test the areas where Argentina have been vulnerable. Los Pumas need to control the aerial battle — something they haven’t done consistently in July — and win the physical battle at the breakdown to stay in the match.
Italy (14 November)
This is the match Argentina must win. Italy have improved considerably in recent seasons but this is a fixture where Los Pumas have the quality advantage if they bring the same intensity they showed against Wales. A win here keeps the Twickenham final in reach.
France — Stade de France, Paris (21 November)
The final match of the pool stage against a France team that will be dangerous on home soil. The aerial game that has been Argentina’s weakness throughout July will be France’s primary weapon — this is where that problem needs to be solved before kick-off.
The Bottom Line
Argentina need to win at least two of the three November matches to make a real case for the Twickenham final. Italy is the must-win. Ireland and France are the ambition. The July results showed the squad has the quality — the November tour will show whether they have the consistency.
For the full Nations Championship schedule and results, see our Nations Championship 2026 fixtures guide.
