New Zealand vs Argentina LIVE: Rugby Championship result and final score as All Blacks crush Pumas
New Zealand secured revenge for defeat in Christchurch last week with a dominant victory in the Hamilton rain
New Zealand thrashed Argentina in Hamilton today 53-3 with an All Blacks performance of old, scoring seven tries to none with the Pumas thoroughly out-classed in the wet. New Zealand played the percentages well but it was their execution and accuracy that made the difference in inclement conditions.
“Obviously massively important,” said captain Sam Cane after the match. “We were under a bit of pressure. This week we were in the game rihgt from the start and were able to turn that into points. I thought our defence was outstanding. Our discipline, too. I’m pleased with the way we kept it on for the full 80. I just love the attacking mindset. It’s awesome. We are really stoked to be able to put out a performance that we are proud of at home. We hadn’t really done that this year.
“There’s always massive pressure and we put it on ourselves too. It was just a nice reward for the hard work we have been putting in and getting everyone to see it.”
Re-live the Test between the All Blacks and the Pumas with our live blog below.
New Zealand 39-3 Argentina, 70 minutes
Fletcher Newell’s stint in the sin bin is over, allowing both he and Sam Whitelock, sacrificed to ensure the All Blacks had a qualified tighthead on, to return. Newell’s first scrum back amongst things is unsteady on the set - and the tighthead is deemed the cause, free-kicked for an early push.
TRY! NEW ZEALAND 39-3 Argentina (Ardie Savea try, 68 minutes)
Ardie Savea is over! He’s taken the captaincy with Sam Cane off and the decision to go for the corner proves a good one.
The maul is felled illegally by Argentina before it can get going, but Dane Coles is again patient, waiting for a hole to open. He finds it, caught at the thighs by a tackler but holding his balance to wait for Savea to arrive in support and score from all of three metres. Jordie Barrett can’t convert but suddenly the All Blacks are eyeing 50.
New Zealand 34-3 Argentina, 66 minutes
Coles shepherds the maul forward, biding his time at the back as it begins to lumber forward, first slowly, then making more rapid inroads in Argentine territory. Argentina pinged - Beauden Barrett will ask the forwards to have another go, this time from six metres or so out.
New Zealand 34-3 Argentina, 64 minutes
That try-scoring pass is virtually Sam Cane’s last act. He is warmly received by a Hamilton crowd that know him well as Dalton Papali’i replaces the All Blacks captain. A much-needed, much-improved performance from the flanker.
Beauden Barrett is on, too, and Dane Coles.
TRY! NEW ZEALAND 34-3 Argentina (Jordie Barrett try, 62 minutes)
Coast-to-coast from the All Blacks! All that huffing and puffing on the New Zealand line and Argentina are cut open immediately on defence.
New Zealand tap a scrum penalty quickly inside their own 22 and Rieko Ioane cuts the sharpest of lines into space. He gambols upfield and his teammates come with him, in excellent support as the centre is eventually chopped down in the Argentina half.
Through the bodies come with Finlay Christie exploring the spaces, the scrum half providing razor-sharp service. Sam Cane makes the bust and has Jordie Barrett to his left - the full-back trots beneath the posts for another brilliant All Blacks try.
New Zealand 27-3 Argentina, 59 minutes
Immediate impact from Brodie Rettalick! Reunited in the second row, old warhorses Retallick and Sam Whitelock lead the defensive drive at the maul, decisively repelling the Argentina eight attempting to put the pressure on.
Out to the backs...knocked on! The New Zealand defensive line was set and up swiftly with that maul in retreat, and Argentina’s scoring chance goes awry.
No try! New Zealand 27-3 Argentina, 58 minutes
Three more quickfire penalties against New Zealand, but have Argentina scored with the advantage? It’s the long arm of Tomas Lavanini reaching through....
No try! There was a sliver of space for the big lock Lavanini to reach his left arm through, but he can’t maintain secure enough grip of the ball as Richie Mo’unga seeks to close it.
Still, back for one of those penalties. Into the left corner as Brodie Retallick replaces Shannon Frizell in the All Blacks pack - Scott Barrett will go to six.
YELLOW CARD! Fletcher Newell is sent to the sin bin, New Zealand 27-3 Argentina, 56 minutes
Fletcher Newell collapses the maul and off he will go for a ten-minute sit down!
Little patience from Nic Berry - New Zealand drop to 14 men.
New Zealand 27-3 Argentina, 55 minutes
Held up! So close for Argentina, so nearly a magnificent score from Thomas Gallo! The beefy loosehead is a rather nifty athlete and shows his skills, weaving between two tacklers, moving Caleb Clarke aside and dragged down two metres out by Ardie Savea. The next Argentine carrier is held up over the line - back for a penalty, poked into the corner with discipline becoming a problem for New Zealand all of a sudden.
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