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New Zealand hosts Argentina in a third round Rugby Championship match on Saturday. The fixture is to be the sixth annual game between the countries in New Zealand.
This year’s edition see the city of New Plymouth hosting a Rugby Championship match for the first time in history.
The All Blacks’ prior matches against Argentina have been in Wellington (2012), Hamilton (2013, 2016), Napier (2014) and Christchurch (2015). Home matches against Australia and South Africa have been focused in Auckland, Dunedin and Wellington.
New Zealand has a perfect record in the tournament against Argentina. The 5-0 history in the competition will require a tremendous improvement from the South Americans on Saturday. They enter having been outplayed twice by South Africa. Prior to that they defeated Georgia in June but did so following a series loss against England.
New Zealand’s mid-year home series was also not successful. The All Blacks completed a 1-1-1 series against the British & Irish Lions. It was followed up by two wins over Australia to open the Rugby Championship. This makes South Africa their toughest rival.
Head Coach Steve Hansen has gone for changes. Alterations to the New Zealand side include Vaea Fifita earning his first test match start. He will play flanker, partnering Ardie Savea who replaces regular Sam Cane.
In the second-row Luke Romano will start for the first time in 2017. The remaining change to the pack sees veteran prop Wyatt Crockett recalled to the bench.
In the backline Aaron Smith makes way for TJ Perenara at scrum-half. Smith misses out altogether as Tawera Kerr-Barlow will cover Perenara from the bench.
Also returning to the side is Anton Lienert-Brown. He will join Sonny Bill Williams in the mid-field, starting at outside center. Outwide Nehe Milner-Skudder completes his long recovery from injury to start on the left wing. He joins Israel Dagg and Damian McKenzie in the back-three.
Argentine Head Coach Daniel Hourcade has made seven changes. Two of them are injury enforced. Veterans Juan Martín Hernández and Ramiro Herrera will miss the match.
The loss of Herrera means a third player will start at Tight Head prop in as many matches. Wearing the No 3 shirt will be Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. He started at Loose Head in round one in Port Elizabeth. Joining him up front will be Lucas Noguera Paz and captain Agustín Creevy.
Returning to the starting lineup in the second-row is Guido Petti. He takes over from Tomás Lavanini who was left in Argentina based on his red card in round two. Petti is to partner Matías Alemanno.
In the back-row there are two further changes. Javier Ortega Desio returns to the side, replacing Tomás Lezana while Benjamín Macome replaces Juan Manuel Leguizamón. Macome is the third player to be named at No 8 in as many matches.
With Hernández out, Nicolás Sánchez returns at fly half. He is to partner Tomás Cubelli in the halves. Jerónimo de la Fuente retains the inside center spot but will be partnered in the mid-field by Matías Moroni. He replaces Matías Orlando.
Outwide the remaining change sees Santiago Cordero back in the team. His non-selection against South Africa raised eye-brows. Cordero replaces Ramiro Moyano who drops out of the match-day 23.
New Zealand’s undefeated run against Argentina in the Rugby Championship is not under serious threat this year. The South Americans have stumbled through matches since Rugby World Cup 2015 and the roster has been exposed. The decision to block European-based players has further complicated matters.
The All Blacks are expected to win by a comfortable scoreline and secure the Rugby Championship bonus point.
NEW ZEALAND
15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Kieran Read (Capt.), 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Ngani Laumape
ARGENTINA
15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Benjamín Macome, 7 Javier Ortega Desio, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy (Capt.), 1 Lucas Noguera Paz
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Matías Orlando
Date: Saturday September 09
Venue: Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth
Kick-off: 7:35pm local (4:35am Argentina)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistants: Nigel Owens (Wales), Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
