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.
Argentina’s defensive effort
The defensive performance from Argentina last week could come to define this Pumas side under Michael Cheika. There has been a feeling that Argentine rugby has been a little aimless at times since the 2015 World Cup, with the Jaguares’ addition to Super Rugby never quite panning out as planned and a squad of undoubted talent plagued by inconsistency and, at times, curious selection. Under Cheika, they appear to be settling into a clearer identity, lacking the set-piece might of vintage sides of the past but with a defensively sound, physical unit led by Julian Montoya, Pablo Matera and co. up front.
I’d be surprised if the All Blacks’s ruck detail is as poor as it was seven days ago, so Montoya and the rest of the Pumas’ scavengers may not have the same level of breakdown joy, but if Argentina can replicate their intensity and accuracy in contact then they will be right in this game.
Can New Zealand solve their problems?
It’s hard to get a real read on how New Zealand have reacted to that defeat last weekend, their third consecutive loss at home. Most expected at least a handful of changes to change out some combinations that perhaps weren’t working, but Ian Foster has decided to stick and give his starting side a chance at atonement.
It’s a big evening for Sam Cane, the under-fire skipper whose place in the best All Blacks side is now under severe scrutiny, and I think the midfield of David Havili and Rieko Ioane will have to perform much better. Ioane is still yet to fully convince as a Test 13 and Havili can drift in and out of games. I’d expect the home side to come out firing and strike a couple of early blows.
New Zealand vs Argentina
The weather hasn’t played ball in Hamilton - it looks pretty nasty on the banks of the Waikato River. The All Blacks tend to go well in the wet but a messy, fractured game might again suit Argentina.
Team News - Argentina
Conversely, Michael Cheika reckons a refresh is in order as Argentina bid to repeat their feat. The Australian makes four changes to his starting Pumas side: Guido Petti is promoted to the starting second row and joined in the pack by Santiago Grondona on the blindside.
Behind the scrum, Tomas Cubelli swaps in for Gonzalo Bertranou in a competitive battle for the starting nine shirt, while Santiago Cordero will hope to have rather more opportunity to dance and dazzle in space than Lucio Cinti got a week ago.
“There were different reasons for all of them, some relating to the competition that we’re having inside of the team and we’re trying to reward training performance as well,” Cheika explained of his changes.
“And also just some things about how we want the team to set up this week with different combinations. It’s been a good week in training and it’s getting harder to pick the team every week.”
Argentina XV: T Gallo, J Montoya (c), J Sclavi; G Petti, T Lavanini,; S Grondona, M Kremer, P Matera; T Cubelli, S Carreras; S Cordero, M Orlando, M Moroni, E Boffelli; J Cruz Mallia.
Replacements: S Socino, M Vivas, E Bello, M Alemanno, JM Gonzalez; G Bertranou, B Urdapilleta, L Cinti.
Team News - New Zealand
There is no undue panic from New Zealand despite a first home defeat to Argentina last weekend, Ian Foster keeping faith in the side that fell short in Christchurch. The starting lineup, in fact, is unchanged for a third All Blacks game in a row for
There are changes on the bench – punchy, experienced ones, too. Dane Coles is recalled to the matchday 23 and both Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett are fit enough to return to the bench with potentially crucial final quarter roles to play. "Great All Black teams have always been good in that last 20 minutes at backing themselves and doing the right thing. We got it right in South Africa, but wrong in Christchurch." Foster said.
“It is something we are working hard on to grow the confidence in the last part of the game to make sure we embrace those moments but also stay clear in our decision-making.”
New Zealand XV: E de Groot, S Taukei’aho, T Lomax; S Whitelock, S Barrett; S Frizell, S Cane (c), A Savea; A Smith, R Mo’unga; C Clarke, D Havili, R Ioane, W Jordan; J Barrett.
Replacements: D Coles, G Bower, F Newell, B Retallick, D Papali’i; F Christie, B Barrett, Q Tupaea.
New Zealand vs Argentina - Michael Cheika bats away suggestion Pumas are favourites
Argentina coach Michael Cheika has laughed off suggestions that his in-form Pumas will be favourites when they take on the All Blacks in Hamilton this weekend.
The Pumas top the Rugby Championship standings after handing Australia a record defeat in San Juan three weeks ago and beating the All Blacks for the first time on New Zealand soil in Christchurch last weekend.
Cheika, though, reacted with incredulity when a reporter at his team-naming news conference suggested Argentina might be favoured to beat the three-times world champions on Saturday.
“Mate, we’re in New Zealand, like, playing against New Zealand,” he scoffed.
“I know you guys like to manoeuvre the story around but we’re about as underdog as you get. The guys that need to believe we can do it is us.”
Argentina reject favourites tag ahead of All Blacks rematch
New Zealand vs Argentina - Ian Foster believes All Blacks will bounce back
Seven days on from a first ever defeat to Argentina on home soil, Ian Foster is confident that his New Zealand side will bounce back.
The All Blacks head coach has made no changes to his starting side, but insists that they will be improved in Hamilton.
“For those that want blood, I guess we haven’t given it, have we?” he told reporters. “But ... we’ve been pretty ruthless and hard on ourselves behind the scenes. We’re hurting with where the team’s at.
“But if you play under fear then you restrict your options, you restrict your thinking ... and what actually happens is you just don’t get the game going the way you want to do it.”
Ian Foster backs out-of-form All Blacks to bounce back against Argentina
New Zealand vs Argentina
New Zealand and Argentina meet again today in Hamilton a week on from the Pumas famous win over the All Blacks in Christchurch. Argentina ran out deserved winners to claim their first victory on Kiwi soil, and Michael Cheika’s side are out to repeat the trick from their position at the top of the Rugby Championship table.
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