Clinical New Zealand blank Argentina in Rugby Championship

A clinical first half saw New Zealand winning 39-0 against Argentina this morning. The New Zealanders won the small battles to convert them into a dominant display. The contact area saw New Zealand delivering a near-perfect performance as a back-peddling Argentina tackled for the duration.

New Zealand had a field day; both forwards and backs got over the gainline with regularity. Argentina could do little more than defend. The powerful All Black performance started with a stroke of luck. A loose ball from Beauden Barrett went off a Pumas hand to be touched down in the try zone by Rieko Ioane.

New Zealand followed the try by showing no quarter. Argentina were held inside their own territory for the following twenty minutes. Defense saw Guido Petti winning two lineout steals on the 5 meter line and Julián Montoya held Asafo Aumua up over the try line.

The All Blacks would not give up. Their sustained pressure required Argentina to dig even deeper. A team effort with Montoya, Marcos Kremer and Pablo Matera each putting-in key plays saw Los Pumas winning defensive penalties. In short, the game play suggested that New Zealand ought to have held a far greater lead than 7-0 after 30 minutes. Beauden Barrett made it 10-0 with a regulation penalty.

New Zealand then built on it to take a commanding lead in to halftime. The second kiwi try was the result of wave after wave of possession and territory. Winger Sevu Reece touched down by going low like a forward.

The half-time siren went at which time Argentina looked to play one phase before kicking out. Los Pumas were penalized, enabling Beauden Barrett to kick for the corner. The play continued for five minutes; time that saw Pablo Matera yellow carded for a ruck infringement and Dalton Papali’i scoring from a lineout maul.

The game as a contest was over at half-time. Trailing 22-0 an Argentine comeback was not likely; yet, with two penalties won in the scrum the South Americans started the second half very well. Notwithstanding, a quick-tap penalty saw New Zealand scoring their fourth try. Beauden Barrett delivered a sublime assist try to N8 Luke Jacobson.

Both teams went to their benches early. Debutant Gonzalo García got his hand under Reece’s hand. It was a try-saver. Ten minutes later Santiago Chocobares held up a New Zealand raid over the line. Regardless of the saves, Argentina were on the backfoot throughout. A high penalty count saw Carlos Muzzio yellow carded. The incident was immediately followed by a New Zealand try with Jacobson scoring his second.

New Zealand made further use of the 15 on 14 advantage. Jordie Barrett added thee further points to take New Zealand’s score up to 39 points. In effect, the kick was training ahead of upcoming matches against the world champion Springboks.

There is no time for contemplating what went wrong; Argentina play again on Saturday and do so against New Zealand. Having been well beaten and held scoreless, Mario Ledesma and his coaching team will need to reconfigured their game plan.

 

SCORING

NEW ZEALAND 39
Tries – R. Ioane (10′), S. Reece (37′), D. Papali’i (40′), L. Jacobson 2 (47′, 70′)
Cons – B. Barrett 1/2 (11′), J. Barrett 3/3 (40′, 48′, 70′)
Pens – B. Barrett 1/1 (34′), J. Barrett 1/1 (78′)

ARGENTINA 0
Pens – N. Sánchez 0/1
YC – P. Matera (40′), C. Muzzio (67′)

 

TEAMS

NEW ZEALAND
1 Karl Tu’inukuafe (17 Joe Moody 3′-12′, 50′), 2 Asafo Aumua (16 Samisoni Taukei’aho 44′), 3 Nepo Laulala (18 Tyrel Lomax 50′), 4 Brodie Retallick (capt.), 5 Scott Barrett (19 Tupou Vaa’i 57′), 6 Akira Ioane (20 Ethan Blackadder 65′), 7 Dalton Papali’i, 8 Luke Jacobson, 9 TJ Perenara (21 Brad Weber 61′), 10 Beauden Barrett (22 Damian McKenzie 50′), 11 George Bridge, 12 David Havili (23 Quinn Tupaea 50′), 13 Rieko Ioane, 14 Sevu Reece, 15 Jordie Barrett

ARGENTINA
1 Facundo Gigena (17 Carlos Muzzio 58′), 2 Julián Montoya (capt.) (16 Facundo Bosch 61′), 3 Santiago Medrano (18 Enrique Pieretto 58′), 4 Guido Petti (19 Tomás Lavanini 50′), 5 Matías Alemanno, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Rodrigo Bruni (20 Juan Martín González 53′ {1 Facundo Gigena 67′-77′}), 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Nicolás Sánchez (23 Emiliano Boffelli 36′-39′, 53′), 11 Santiago Cordero, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (21 Gonzalo García 62′), 13 Matías Moroni (22 Santiago Chocobares 51′), 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Juan Cruz Mallía

 

MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa) & Graham Cooper (Australia)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)