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 17-0 Argentina, 31 minutes
Penalty to Argentina once more as Tomas Cubelli picks his forward runners around the corner. Santiago Carreras flicks to his inside but Marcos Kremer is levelled by Sam Cane. That rather stalls things - back for the penalty.
New Zealand 17-0 Argentina, 29 minutes
Matias Moroni spins out of a tackle and tries to put his foot down! David Havili again looks for the little lob wedge for Will Jordan, but the bounce is kinder for the Argentina centre, who manages to escape a tackle and sprint away.
Moroni does not have the toe to prevent Jordan rushing back to haul him in from behind, and with support lacking, Nic Berry brings the players back for Jordan’s initial tackle attempt, which slipped up high.
New Zealand 17-0 Argentina, 28 minutes
A hobbling Santiago Carreras will continue to see if he can run it off. Argentina do have the classy Benjamin Urdpilleta on the bench if required.
Carreras begins to look to be moving more freely as Argentina make metres up the left, but the fly-half’s errant pass ends up wasting any chance of an overlap on the right as Pablo Matera is forced to hurry back and pick up.
New Zealand 17-0 Argentina, 27 minutes
Caleb Clarke’s excellent score has given New Zealand a sizeable first half advantage.
New Zealand 17-0 Argentina, 27 minutes
The surface may be damp but there’s a bit of firmness beneath, another long kick from Argentina hopping dangerously towards the dead ball line. Richie Mo’unga watches, watches, watches...and eventually picks up with the ball coming to a halt a yard shy. He scurries away from a tackler and boots into touch.
Oh no! In centrefield, Mo’unga’s opposite Santiago Carreras is down in some discomfort after an awkward collision with Sam Cane. Looks to be a leg injury.
New Zealand 17-0 Argentina, 26 minutes
Excellent maul defence from New Zealand, battening down the hatches and holding back the blue and white surge. Argentina look short of ideas thereafter, and a handling error ends any hope of converting territory into points.
New Zealand 17-0 Argentina, 24 minutes
Much more fluent from the visitors, Pablo Matera and Santiago Cordero combining, the wing bouncing from right to left foot and pushing off a tackler. Into the All Blacks 22...penalty to Argentina.
And they kick to the corner....
New Zealand 17-0 Argentina, 23 minutes
Sam Cane harpoons the ball to end the Argentina attack, the merest sniff of a turnover and the All Blacks captain was in. He can’t quite pick it up cleanly, though - Argentina scrum
New Zealand 17-0 Argentina, 22 minutes
I mentioned before kick-off that the All Blacks do tend to go well in the wet and their handling has been much, much better than Argentina so far, granting them the confidence to play when opportunities are there.
Tomas Lavanini gets a bit of treatment on a cut by his right eye, before Argentina maul strongly on the right.
TRY! NEW ZEALAND 17-0 Argentina (Caleb Clarke try, 20 minutes)
A thing of beauty from the All Blacks! What a score!
Richie Mo’unga threads a grubber through, a kick that initially appears destined for the Argentina backfield but hops high twice to keep Will Jordan interested. The wing extends his fingertips to clutch it to his body and flip up for Jordie Barrett, who can’t quite release for Aaron Smith.
Regardless, the scrum-half is sharply there to explore what options might present themselves to the left. Sam Whitelock ships it on, Sam Cane, too, and Rieko Ioane turns Emiliano Boffelli inside out with mesmerising, snaking hips.
He draws the last man and puts Caleb Clarke in the corner. The All Blacks strike for a second time - and Mo’unga ensures it is another seven-pointer from the tee.
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