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Argentina were at their ferocious best to record their first win of The Rugby Championship against a New Zealand side who couldn’t handle their aggressive and in-your-face approach.
Gonzalez (32'), Garcia (58')
Tries
Proctor (19'), Newell (25'), Taukei'aho (67')
Carreras (33', 59')
Conversions
McKenzie (68')
Albornoz (2'), Mallia (14'), Carreras (51', 55', 73')
Penalties
Barrett (11')
Argentina were at their ferocious best to record their first win of The Rugby Championship against a New Zealand side who couldn’t handle their aggressive and in-your-face approach.
Juan Martin Gonzalez, and Gonzalo Garcia scored the Pumas tries, and Tomas Albornoz, Juan Cruz Mallia, and Santiago Carreras added points with their boots that gave Argentina a first win over New Zealand on Argentine soil.
Victory also ensured all four teams have a victory to their name after the opening two weekends of the tournament.
Billy Proctor, Fletcher Newell, and Samisoni Taukei'aho crossed for the All Blacks tries, while Beauden Barrett slotted a penalty, and Damian McKenzie a conversion. McKenzie then rescued a losing bonus point with a penalty at fulltime.
Scott Robertson will have questions about his team’s discipline though after three players went to the sinbin. Will Jordan and Tupou Vaa'I went in the first half, and Sevu Reece sat out the last 10 minutes after a deliberate knock on that allowed Santiago Carreras to put the cap on a famous win.
Both teams have injury worries. The Pumas flyhalf Albornoz went off early on, as did the All Blacks’ scrumhalf Cortez Ratima.
Once the week break is over, Argentina face Australia in Townsville and Sydney in weeks three and four, while New Zealand welcome defending champions South Africa for matches in Auckland and Wellington.
QUICK START
Argentina came flying at the All Blacks and Albornoz landed an early penalty to give an already pumped up crowd plenty to cheer. From the restart centre Santiago Chocobares played on the emotion with a powerful carry.
The Pumas continued their aggressive start and while they didn’t give the All Blacks any chance to rest, Beauden Barrett drew the visitors level.
It didn’t last long, and Cruz Mallia pushed the hosts back ahead after he took over kicking duties from Albornoz who had taken a heavy knock and went off. He then linked up with Santiago Carreras to break the line, but Cortez Ramirez snuffed out the danger.
It gave New Zealand the chance to finally build some phases. That earned a penalty, and while Rieko Ioane was stopped in the corner, when the ball came back Proctor had a simple job of finishing an outstanding move.
Before you knew it, they’d made it two after Newell burst through two defenders for his second international try. Again, Argentina came back and Gonzalez found a gap in New Zealand’s defence to squeeze over from close range and ensure it was all-square at the break.
AERIAL BATTLE
The intensity continued after half-time and while Argentina struggled to break through the New Zealand defence, Santiago Carreras scored his second penalty to put the home side ahead.
They continued to ask New Zealand questions, helped by their dominance in the air, and Santiago Carreras stretched their lead further with a penalty inside their half.
Argentina were relentless. New Zealand managed to haul down a charging Pablo Matera, but it left a gap which Garcia squeezed through to stretch their lead to 13 points.
Their defence then stood up when the All Blacks attacked from their lineout. When New Zealand tried to attack off the scrum they scrambled and while Argentina bundled Reece out in the corner, Taukei'aho drove over off the back of a rolling maul.
Reece’s next intervention was to dangle an arm out when he found himself in no-man’s land. It gave Santiago Carreras to put his side over a score head, an invitation he didn’t waste.
With one last chance, New Zealand were pinged at a lineout, but McKenzie held his nerve at the last to ensure they all at least left with something.
| # | Team | PL | W | L | D | PD | BP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  New Zealand | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 06 |
| 2 |  Australia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 05 |
| 3 |  South Africa | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -8 | 0 | 04 |
| 4 |  Argentina | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -11 | 0 | 04 |
Argentina Starting XV (1-15) Mayco Vivas, Julian Montoya, Pedro Delgado, Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo, Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Joaquin Oviedo, Gonzalo Garcia, Tomas Albornoz, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Chocobares, Lucio Cinti, Bautista Delguy, Juan Cruz Mallia
Argentina Replacements (16-23) Ignacio Ruiz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Joel Sclavi, Guido Petti, Marcos Kremer, Simon Benitez Cruz, Santiago Carreras, Justo Piccardo
New Zealand Starting XV (1-15) Ethan de Groot, Codie Taylor, Fletcher Newell, Scott Barrett, Fabian Holland, Tupou Vaa'i, Ardie Savea, Simon Parker, Cortez Ratima, Beauden Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Billy Proctor, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan
New Zealand Replacements (16-23) Samisoni Taukei'aho, Tamaiti Williams, Pasilio Tosi, Josh Lord, Wallace Sititi, Finlay Christie, Quinn Tupaea, Damian McKenzie
