An inspired Argentina has beaten the All Blacks for the first time on home soil, the visitors’ ill discipline, which led to three yellow cards, costing them dearly in Buenos Aires.
The Pumas fully deserved their 29-23 victory, which blows the Rugby Championship wide open after the Springboks beat the Wallabies this morning in Cape Town, due to their greater urgency and accuracy.
Their better discipline was rewarded, too, the All Blacks losing fullback Will Jordan (obstruction) and flanker Tupou Vaa’i (intentionally knocking down ball) within minutes at the end of the first half, with wing Sevu Reece sinbinned for knocking the ball down as Argentina attacked with eight minutes remaining.
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The All Blacks outscored Argentina three tries to two but failed to win enough ball to consistently test their opponents and there were shades of Wellington last year, Argentina’s last win over Scott Robertson’s men, as there were few scrums in the match for the All Blacks to build momentum.
The visitors’ lineout and driving maul got them home in Cordoba last weekend but this morning their set piece fell apart under pressure.
Replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho crossed the line from a lineout drive for a try well converted by Damian McKenzie, but otherwise the lineout was a liability in the final quarter.
The All Blacks lost halfback Cortez Ratima due to injury near the end of the first quarter but his replacement Finlay Christie was probably one of the team’s better defenders.
Too often Robertson’s men fell off tackles or made unforced errors and they were well beaten in the aerial battle – a big concern ahead of the Springboks’ visit next month.
In the end the All Blacks, forced to concede defeat, settled for a long-range penalty for McKenzie to secure a losing bonus point.
It was a miserable way for veteran hooker Codie Taylor to mark his 100-Test milestone and there should be scrutiny on some of Robertson’s selections.
No.8 Simon Parker had a solid debut but replacement Wallace Sititi was a far greater threat with the ball and why Sititi, back from an ankle injury, did not start the Test is a question that bears asking in the aftermath.
Centre Billy Proctor, who scored the All Blacks’ first try, put in an improved performance but wings Rieko Ioane and Reece were way off their best and were the most culpable for the All Blacks’ inability to secure high kicks.
A try for prop Fletcher Newell, who showed a surprising turn of pace to get to the line, put the All Blacks up 13-6 after an early Beauden Barrett penalty but Jordan’s yellow card, for a relatively innocuous obstruction on a chasing Argentine player, preceded a try for Juan Martin Gonzalez, with Vaa’i following him to the sideline a minute later.
Argentina owned the third quarter, with two penalties for Santiago Carreras, on early for injured first-five Tomas Albornoz, putting the Pumas ahead, with Gonzalo Garcia’s converted try pushing them out to a 26-13 advantage.
Taukei’aho’s try narrowed the gap to 26-20 with 12 minutes to play, but Carrera’s penalty with six minutes remaining all but secured the famous victory for the home side.
It was a strangely flat performance from Robertson’s men, who were poor defensively and failed to win enough ball or secure possession once they did.
Christie was one of the few who enhanced his reputation, although Beauden Barrett, replaced by McKenzie, impressed with his scrambling defence.
Flanker Ardie Savea had a good first half but overall the All Blacks were second best and the backline, guilty of failing to find much cohesion last weekend, probably regressed this morning.
Argentina 29 (Juan Martin Gonzalez, Gonzalo Garcia tries; Tomas Albornoz pen, Juan Cruz Mallia pen, Santiago Carreras 2 cons, three pens)
All Blacks 23 (Billy Proctor, Fletcher Newell, Samisoni Taukei’aho tries; Beauden Barrett pen, Damian McKenzie con, pen)
Halftime: 13-13
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