New Zealand v Argentina Match Preview

Match Details: All Blacks v Argentina, Saturday 17 August, 7.05pm NZT, Eden Park, Auckland

Played: 38

Won: All Blacks 34, Argentina 3, Drawn 1

Last Time: All Blacks 30, Argentina 38, Sky Stadium, 10 August, 2024. 

Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)

CHANGES

There are four changes to the starting side that went down 30-38 to Argentina last week, while former captain Sam Cane makes his return to the bench. Upfront, Tamaiti Williams comes into replace Ethan de Groot in the number one jersey who is having a neck injury assessed. There are three changes in the backline where wings Caleb Clarke and Will Jordan start on the left and right wings respectively and Rieko Ioane reclaims the 13 jersey.

PUMAS RESHUFFLE

Argentinian coach Felipe Contepomi has made a number of changes to his winning side. Inspirational loose forward Marcos Kremer moves from openside flanker to the second row, while Juan Martin Gonzalez switches from No. 8 to openside. Joaquin Oviedo will pack down at No. 8. Hooker Julien Montoya returns to the lineup to start and captain the side, with Ignacio Ruiz returning to the bench as last week’s standout performer Agustin Creevy drops out of the 23. On the bench, the Pumas have added exciting wing Batista Delguy, changing the makeup from a 6-2 to a 5-3 split, hinting at an even more attacking game plan in Auckland.

FORTRESS EDEN PARK

Since losing to France 20-23 in 1994, the All Blacks have gone unbeaten in the next 49 games played at the ground. They have only played Argentina once before, in the 2011 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal, where the All Blacks won 33-10. Piri Weepu memorably landed seven penalties, giving rise to the catch cry “keep calm, Piri’s on” across the nation.

TO SCRUM OR NOT TO SCRUM

Incredibly, in Wellington, it took until the 60th minute for the first scrum to be put down. Traditionally a strength of Argentinian rugby, the Pumas seemed to thrive without the regular scrum stoppages, while the All Blacks rued the lack of a consistent set-piece platform to launch their attack. Reserve prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi commented that it would be unlikely to see such a long period without scrums in a Test match anytime soon and gave an insight into the team’s mindset after the loss. "Over the weekend, we spoke about looking inwards, looking in the mirror, and what we can do better as players. And there was the same message from the management: 'what can they do better?’" Tu’ungafasi said.

RAZOR SHARP FOCUS

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said his side is ready to rebound from last Saturday’s loss. “We’ve reflected deeply on our performance, and our preparation individually and collectively is something we have all owned. Our intent and focus have shifted solely to Eden Park.”

TEAMS (caps in brackets)

All Blacks 

1. Tamaiti Williams (8) 2. Codie Taylor (88) (Vice Captain) 3. Tyrel Lomax (35) 4. Tupou Vaa’i (29) 5. Sam Darry (2) 6. Ethan Blackadder (12) 7. Dalton Papali’i (35) 8. Ardie Savea (85) (Captain) 9. TJ Perenara (83) 10. Damian McKenzie (51) 11. Caleb Clarke (21) 12.  Jordie Barrett (61) (Vice Captain)13. Rieko Ioane (72) 14. Will Jordan (32) 15. Beauden Barrett (127)

Reserves: 16. Asafo Aumua (10) 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi (60) 18. Fletcher Newell (17) 19. Josh Lord (5) 20. Sam Cane (95) 21. Cortez Ratima (3) 22. Anton Lienert-Brown (74)  23. Mark Tele’a (12)

Argentina

1. GALLO , Thomas 2. RUIZ, Ignacio 3. BELLO, Eduardo 4. KREMER , Marcos 5. RUBIOLO , Pedro 6. MATERA , Pablo 7. GONZALEZ, Juan Martin 8. OVIEDO, Joaquin

9. BERTRANOU , Gonzalo 10. CARRERAS, Santiago 11. CARRERAS, Matthew 12. CHOCOBARES, Santiago 13. CINTI, Lucio 14. MORONI, Matthias 15. MALLÍA, Juan Cruz

Reserves: 16. RUIZ, Ignacio 17. VIVAS, Mayco 18. SCLAVI , Joel 19. MOLINA, Franco 20. LAVANINI , Tomás 21. BAZAN VELEZ , Lautaro 22. ALBORNOZ , Thomas 23. DELGUY, Bautista