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Auckland’s Eden Park will be the setting for the second round match of Rugby Championship 2024 between New Zealand and Argentina. It is one team hurting against one on a high; however, the teams have flipped in traditional terms.
Argentina were 38-30 winners in Wellington in round one. It was the highest ever points total scored by Los Pumas against the All Blacks and also the most ever conceded by the All Blacks in New Zealand.
The venue for the rematch is none other than Eden Park, New Zealand’s unofficial national rugby stadium. New Zealand have not lost at the venue for 30 years. The All Blacks and Los Pumas previously locked horns at the venue at Rugby World Cup 2011.
Los Pumas are now in the position of targeting a series win over the All Blacks in New Zealand. Mateo Carreras said “we came to win twice” while lineout Coach Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe said that Argentina are seeking to remove the word “historic.” Fernández Lobbe was also on the coaching staff for the 2020 and 2022 wins over New Zealand. On both occasions, the All Blacks rebound with brutally comprehensive wins.
Adjustments from coaches Scott Robertson and Felipe Contepomi are different. On the one hand, Robertson has opted for four alterations with one coming in the forwards and three in the backs. He has notably repined to Argentina’s kick-off tactics. On the other hand, Contepomi has an unchanged backline. He ha liv changes in the forwards with two moving positions.
| FORM GUIDE |
2024: 3-1. Won 2 vs England (home); Won vs Fiji (neutral). Lost vs Argentina (home).
2024: 3-1. Lost vs France + Won vs France (home); Won vs Uruguay (away) + Won vs New Zealand (away).
| LINEUP CHANGES (from New Zealand vs Argentina in Wellington) |
1 Tamaiti Williams replaces Ethan de Groot
11 Caleb Clarke replaces Mark Tele’a
13 Rieko Ioane replaces Anton Lienert-Brown
14 Will Jordan replaces Sevu Reece
2 Julián Montoya replaces Ignacio Ruiz
3 Lucio Sordoni replaces Eduardo Bello
4 Marcos Kremer moves from 7; replaces Franco Molina
7 Juan Martín González moves from 8; replaces Marcos Kremer
8 Joaquín Oviedo replaces Juan Martín González
| MOST CAPS |
– B Barrett (127); S Cane (95); C Taylor (88); A Savea (85); TJ Perenara (83); A Lienert-Brown (74)
– P Matera (102); J Montoya (97); T Lavanini (87); M Moroni (83); M Kremer (68)
| LEAST CAPS |
– S Darry (2); C Ratima (3); J Lord (5); T Williams (8); A Aumua (10)
– F Molina (4); J Oviedo (6); L Sordoni (7); T Albornoz (9); I Ruiz (11)
| NOTABLE ABSENTEES |
– Ethan de Groot (PR); Scott Barrett (LO); Patrick Tuipulotu (LO); Luke Jacobson (FL); Stephen Perofeta (FB)
– Santiago Grondona (FL); Facundo Isa (N8); Emiliano Boffelli (WI)
| NOTES |
- Argentina’s 38 points in Wellington broke the record of points conceded by the All Blacks in a rugby test match in New Zealand.
- All Blacks captain Scott Barrett is injured while Julián Montoya returns to lead Los Pumas.
- Ethan de Groot started in Wellington but misses the Eden Park match with a neck injury.
- Starting props Tamaiti Williams, and Tyrel Lomax were both schooled in Australia.
- Will Jordan starts for the All Blacks for the first time in 2024.
- Former captain Sam Cane will earn his 96th cap when he comes off the bench.
- Julián Montoya will lead Argentina for the 35th time and win his 98th cap.
- Marcos Kremer will start at lock for the 8th time for Argentina. His last did so in 2021.
- Joaquín Oviedo earns his first Rugby Championship start.
- Los Pumas’ 38-30 win saw Argentina rise to 6th in World Rankings. New Zealand remain 3rd.
- A Pumas will hand the All Blacks their first loss at Eden Park since 1994.
- An All Blacks win will extend the unbeaten streak at Eden Park to 50 test matches.
- Felipe Contepomi played in the RWC 2011 Quarter Final against New Zealand at Eden Park.
- New Zealand’s two most recent home losses were both against Argentina.
- Andrea Piardi will become the first Italian to referee a Rugby Championship match.
| PREDICTION |
Wet weather awaits the All Blacks and Argentina in Auckland. Rain and wind are projected which may result in a different style of match than that in Wellington. It took 61 minute before the first scrum was formed in Wellington. The hurting All Blacks will look to win the battle upfront. The same happened in rebounding from losses in 2020 and 2022. The time a war of attrition could well be on the cards. Player will need to go the extra mile to gain more meters and win collisions. ARN projects a New Zealand win by 6 points.
| LINEUPS |
NEW ZEALAND
1 Tamaiti Williams, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Tupou Vaa’i ,5 Sam Darry, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 8 Ardie Savea (capt.), 9 TJ Perenara, 10 Damian McKenzie, 11 Caleb Clarke, 12, Jordie Barrett, 13 Rieko Ioane, 14 Will Jordan, 15 Beauden Barrett
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Cortez Ratima, Anton Lienert-Brown, Mark Tele’a
ARGENTINA
1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Julián Montoya (capt.), 3 Lucio Sordoni, 4 Marcos Kremer, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Juan Martín González, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Santiago Carreras, 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Matías Moroni, 15 Juan Cruz Mallía
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Tomás Lavanini, 21 Lautaro Bazán Vélez, 22 Tomás Albornoz, 23 Bautista Delguy
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, August 17
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland (NZ)
Kickoff: 7:05pm local (4:05am AR)
Weather Forecast: Rain, 15°C, wind N (32 km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN; Disney +
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Angus Gardner (Australia); Nic Berry (Australia)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
| vs HISTORY |
Aug 10, 2024 – New Zealand 30-38 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
Oct 20, 2023 – New Zealand 44-06 Argentina (Paris, FR)*
Jul 08, 2023 – Argentina 12-41 New Zealand (Mendoza, AR)
Sep 03, 2022 – New Zealand 53-3 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Aug 08, 2022 – New Zealand 18-25 Argentina (Christchurch, NZ)
Sep 18, 2021 – New Zealand 36-13 Argentina (Brisbane, AU)
Sep 12, 2021 – New Zealand 39-0 Argentina (Gold Coast, AU)
Nov 28, 2020 – New Zealand 38-0 Argentina (Newcastle, AU)
Nov 14, 2020 – New Zealand 15-25 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
Jul 20, 2019 – Argentina 16-20 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Sep 29, 2018 – Argentina 17-35 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Sep 08, 2018 – New Zealand 46-24 New Zealand (Nelson, NZ)
Sep 30, 2017 – Argentina 10-36 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Sep 09, 2017 – New Zealand 39-22 Argentina (New Plymouth, NZ)
Oct 01, 2016 – Argentina 17-36 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Sep 10, 2016 – New Zealand 57-22 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Sep 20, 2015 – New Zealand 26-16 Argentina (London, UK) *
Jul 17, 2015 – New Zealand 39-18 Argentina (Christchurch, NZ)
Sep 27, 2014 – Argentina 13-34 New Zealand (La Plata, AR)
Sep 06, 2014 – New Zealand 28-09 Argentina (Napier, NZ)
Sep 28, 2013 – Argentina 15-33 New Zealand (La Plata, AR)
Sep 07, 2013 – New Zealand 28-13 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Sep 29, 2012 – Argentina 15-54 New Zealand (La Plata, AR)
Sep 08, 2012 – New Zealand 21-05 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
Oct 09, 2011 – New Zealand 33-10 Argentina (Auckland, NZ) *
Jun 24, 2006 – Argentina 19-25 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, NZ)
Jun 26, 2004 – New Zealand 41-07 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Dec 01, 2001 – Argentina 20-24 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Jun 22, 2001 – New Zealand 67-19 Argentina (Christchurch, NZ)
Jun 28, 1997 – New Zealand 62-10 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Jun 21, 1997 – New Zealand 93-08 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
Jul 13, 1991 – Argentina 06-36 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Jul 06, 1991 – Argentina 14-28 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Jul 29, 1989 – New Zealand 49-12 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
Jul 15, 1989 – New Zealand 60-09 Argentina (Dunedin, NZ)
Jun 01, 1987 – New Zealand 45-15 Argentina (Wellington, NZ) *
Nov 02, 1985 – Argentina 21-21 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Oct 26, 1985 – Argentina 20-23 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
* Rugby World Cup Match
| vs OVERALL RESULTS |
New Zealand Wins 34
Argentina Wins 3
Draws 1
