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Argentina are officially the home side against New Zealand on Saturday. The teams meet in the second of two Rugby Championship fixtures this year. The match sees two teams of contrasting fortunes; so much has transpired since Argentina’s historic 25-15 victory ten months ago.
Ian Foster’s All Blacks were sensational last weekend. New Zealand put on a clinical performance to blank Los Pumas 39-0. It was far more than a comprehensive win. New Zealand scored five tries and had over 60% possession. Argentina made some 200 tackles, more than double than of New Zealand. Discipline complicated matters as the team conceeded 18 penalties and two yellow cards.
The All Blacks played a creative brand of rugby. Their centers and back-rowers made plenty of meters with ball in hand; they constantly got well over the advantage line. Moreover, when the South Americans had the ball they were inept. This has been clear post match with Mario Ledesma under fire. There is a chorus of calls for him to step down. His game plan has been the center of attention.
A marker has been laid down: win, lose or draw is secondary for Ledesma and Los Pumas. What has been requested is a vastly improved performance. Will Argentina play differently? The simple answer is, yes; they must play differently. New Zealand had Ledesma’s structure well analyzed and Los Pumas were unable to adjust at all during the full 80 minutes.
Injuries are an additional factor that Argentina must overcome. Four starting players from Sunday’s loss were unable to train normal during this week. Adjustments were inevitable; though, the head coach has made opted for substantial chances.
Mario Ledesma’s team announcement dropped like a bombshell. There is anarchy in the starting XV but regularity on the bench. The injured Nicolás Sánchez has not been replaced by Domingo Miotti; rather, by Santiago Carreras. This sees a wing / fullback starting at fly half.
Similarly, Pablo Matera moves positions to replace Rodrigo Bruni. It is uncharted territory for Matera who has played all of his career at flanker. The decision sees Juan Martín González awarded with his first test start.
Ledesma’s regular inside center, Jerónimo de la Fuente is out of the Rugby Championship. This combined with Matías Moroni’s fragile defensive match last Sunday combine to produce new centers. They are new in more ways than one. Santiago Chocobares and Lucio Cinti are both very young and will run out together for the first time.
New Zealand also go in to the game with an altered line-up. In all, there are eleven different players named to start this week. It represents high confidence, and rotation ahead of the two matches against South Africa. Be that as it may there is still a wealth of experience with Joe Moody and TJ Perenara and Ardie Savea all starting.
Saturday’s match will be the 33rd test match between Argentina and New Zealand. The pressure on Ledesma and the line-up that he has named make the match highly different that recent matches or even tests from years gone by. The back line is a gamble; yet, unpredictability may be what is needed to restore confidence. The silence of Los Pumas may be transformed into a growl again.
ARGENTINA
1 Facundo Gigena, 2 Julián Montoya, 3 Santiago Medrano, 4 Matías Alemanno, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Juan Martín Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Pablo Matera, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Santiago Carreras, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Santiago Cordero, 15 Juan Cruz Mallia
Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Carlos Muzzio, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Garcia, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Matías Moroni
NEW ZEALAND
1 Joe Moody, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 7 Ardie Savea (capt.), 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 9 TJ Perenara, 10 Damian McKenzie, 11 George Bridge, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 14 Will Jordan, 15 Jordie Barrett
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 George Bower, 18 Ofa Tuungafasi, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Braydon Ennor
Date: Saturday, September 18
Kick-Off: 7:00am (Argentina)
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (Australia); Jordan Way (Australia)
TMO: Damon Murphy (Australia)
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2021/09/12 New Zealand 39, Argentina 0 (Gold Coast)
2020/11/28 New Zealand 38, Argentina 0 (Newcastle)
2020/11/14 New Zealand 15, Argentina 25 (Sydney)
2019/07/20 Argentina 16, New Zealand 20 (Buenos Aires)
2018/09/29 Argentina 17, New Zealand 35 (Buenos Aires)
2018/09/08 New Zealand 46, New Zealand 24 (Nelson)
2017/09/30 Argentina 10, New Zealand 36 (Buenos Aires)
2017/09/09 New Zealand 39, Argentina 22 (New Plymouth)
2016/10/01 Argentina 17, New Zealand 36 (Buenos Aires)
2016/09/10 New Zealand 57, Argentina 22 (Hamilton)
2015/09/20 New Zealand 26, Argentina 16 (London)
2015/07/17 New Zealand 18, Argentina 39 (Christchurch)
2014/09/27 Argentina 13, New Zealand 34 (La Plata)
2014/09/06 New Zealand 28, Argentina 09 (Napier)
2013/09/28 Argentina 15, New Zealand 33 (La Plata)
2013/09/07 New Zealand 28, Argentina 13 (Hamilton)
2012/09/29 Argentina 15, New Zealand 54 (La Plata)
2012/09/08 New Zealand 21, Argentina 05 (Wellington)
2011/10/09 New Zealand 33, Argentina 10 (Auckland)
2006/06/24 Argentina 19 New Zealand 25 (Buenos Aires)
2004/06/26 New Zealand 41, Argentina 07 (Hamilton)
2001/12/01 Argentina 20, New Zealand 24 (Buenos Aires)
2001/06/22 New Zealand 67, Argentina 19 (Christchurch)
1997/06/28 New Zealand 62, Argentina 10 (Hamilton)
1997/06/21 New Zealand 93, Argentina 08 (Wellington)
1991/07/13 Argentina 06, New Zealand 36 (Buenos Aires)
1991/07/06 Argentina 14, New Zealand 28 (Buenos Aires)
1989/07/29 New Zealand 49, Argentina 12 (Wellington)
1989/07/15 New Zealand 60, Argentina 09 (Dunedin)
1987/06/01 New Zealand 45, Argentina 15 (Wellington)
1985/11//02 Argentina 21, New Zealand 21 (Buenos Aires)
1985/10/26 Argentina 20, New Zealand 23 (Buenos Aires)
OVERALL RESULTS
New Zealand Wins 30
Argentina Wins 1
Draws 1
