Argentina down Japan in entertaining affair to book Wales World Cup QF

Mateo Carreras scored a hat-trick of tries as Argentina beat Japan 39-27 in a thriller in Nantes on Sunday to set up a World Cup quarter-final against Wales.

Los Pumas finished as Pool D runners-up behind England and fixed a date against the Welsh in Marseille next weekend. Defeat meant Japan failed to advance to the knock-out phase.

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In a roller-coaster of a game at the Stade de la Beaujoire in glorious, sunny conditions, both sides threw caution to the wind, Argentina eventually outscoring the Brave Blossoms by five tries to three.

The Pumas made a sensational start, Marcos Kremer pounding Japan captain Kazuki Himeno from the kick-off and then producing a driving maul before the ball was recycled right into the hands of Santiago Chocobares.

The Toulouse centre broke a tackle in midfield and sidestepped full-back Lomano Lemeki for a brilliant try with barely two minutes gone. Emiliano Boffelli hit the extras.

On the back of a scrum penalty, Japan surged into Argentinian territory. Naoto Saito's dink over the top was gathered by Lemeki and worked right where Michael Leitch did well to hold on to a bobbling ball.

Argentina cleared their lines, but what came next was superb. Japan moved the ball quickly to the left, where Leitch drew two defenders and offloaded to hard-charging lock Amato Fakatava.

Fakatava accelerated past the first defender, ball in one outstretched hand, and then chipped ahead.

The ball sat up nicely and the Tongan-born lock gathered and galloped over for a fine individual try converted by Rikiya Matsuda.

Japan were hit by a 22nd-minute yellow card for flanker Pieter Labuschagne for a high tackle on Pumas prop Thomas Gallo, but Boffelli pushed the