After three wins over the All Blacks in the past four years, Argentina are making it clear that the black jersey no longer holds any barriers or mental hurdles. It doesn’t hold any fear for Los Pumas.
When asked if the Pumas fear the All Blacks, prop Eduardo Bello said "absolutely not".
"We know they’re one of the best teams in the world — but we also know we can win."
Halfback Gonzalo Bertranou is also not scared of the All Blacks after last weekend's 38-30 win.
"Fear?... no fear, but we respect the All Blacks, we know their history," said Bertranou.
"New Zealand will be a different beast, we know what’s coming. This week is a new challenge, but we know if we train well and prepare we can win again."
So clearly no issues with hunger, motivation and focus for Saturday night at Eden Park.
Argentina's been hard at work this week, based out in West Auckland at the Waitematā Rugby Club. It's not the usual venue for touring Test teams, but the ground is virtually hidden away with tight security around the ground.
When asked how much confidence the upset win in Wellington has given this Argentina team, prop Bello fired back without hesitation.
"We’re really happy for the win but we’ve come here to win two games."
Bello said the big improvement they need to make this weekend is reducing penalties.
“We gave away too many penalties in the first 20 or 30 minutes in Wellington. We also need to gain points every time we’re inside the All Blacks' 22."
In nearly 50 years playing against the All Blacks, Argentina has been sent to the provinces Nelson, Napier, New Plymouth, Hamilton, and Wellington several times.
Quite remarkably, the Pumas have played the All Blacks once at Eden Park. That was in 2011 — for a World Cup quarterfinal.
Remember Colin Slade's groin injury that ruled him out of the remaining games? The All Blacks calling in Stephen Donald? There was Piri Weepu's pinpoint goal-kicking, Mils Muliaina's 100th cap, and a 33-10 win for the All Blacks.
New Pumas coach Felipe Contepomi played in that match.
A handful of the Pumas squad have played on Eden Park before. That was back in 2018, when the Super Rugby Jaguares upset the Blues.
But halfback Bertranou said playing on Eden Park in a Test match "means all" for him.
"I think that Eden Park is one of the important stadiums in the world, along with Twickenham in England."
If Argentina win again this weekend, it would be still be an upset as they would break the All Blacks 30-year-old stranglehold on the Auckland venue — unbeaten in 49 matches, with number 50 up for grabs this weekend.
Bertranou said, "it's always good to be the first time for everything".
Bello said "it’s a rugby pitch. The same size as any field but, again, it will be a special occasion."
He’s also hoping for more scrums this weekend. There was only four scrums in the Wellington Test overall. "Never in my life have I played a game for 50 minutes without scrums."
No longer in Super Rugby, Argentina — like the Springboks — rely on players featuring mainly in European competitions, although loose forward star Pablo Matera plies his trade in Japan these days.
The European feel to their Test rugby clearly worked last weekend. The Pumas are also trying to attack more through new assistant coach Kenny Lynn. A former Southland and Highlanders player, he was assistant coach with Lyon in France for several years and also with the Highlanders earlier in 2024.
The Pumas know there will be an All Blacks backlash, as occurred in Hamilton in 2022. A week after the All Blacks lost in Christchurch, Argentina had 50 points put on them.
There are, then, a special couple of days ahead in a city and on a ground Argentina rarely sees.
Against a team that, for them, no longer presents a barrier.
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