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The Rugby Championship returns to New Zealand for the first time since Rugby World Cup 2019. The underfire All Blacks welcome a Puams side that is in fine form. The match-up will be the first of two between the countries in New Zealand as part of the 2022 Rugby Championship.
New Zealand not only has home advantage, the All Blacks also have a vastly impressive win-loss record against Los Pumas. New Zealand has 31 wins compared to one Argentine win and one draw. The loss remains on the minds of many; Argentina won 25-15 in 2020 in Sydney.
Argentina’s win was not followed by narrow defeats; instead, New Zealand recovered to win the next two matches by margins of 38 and 39 points. The most recent match was a 36-13 New Zealand victory. Put together it suggests that New Zealand has a lot in their favor ahead of the Christhurch test match.
It may not be so clear-cut, though. Argentina’s record win over Australia in San Juan and New Zealand’s performances in November 2021 and in 2022 thus far point towards a closer contest than the previous three. Thus far under Michael Cheika, Argentina has scored more points and conceeded fewer than under Mario Ledesma.
New Zealand enter the match with one change to the 23 from the side that defeated South Africa in Johannesburg. It sees the uncapped Stephen Perofeta named as a replacement with Beauden Barrett out of the test match. The All Blacks will celebrate the career of Aaron Smith. The RWC 2015 champion will earn his 107th test cap, thereby becoming the country’s most capped scrum-half.
Michael Cheika has opted for three changes to Los Pumas. The one change in the forwards sees Joel Sclavi replacing Francisco Gómez Kodela at tight head prop. Gómez Kodela was injured last weekend playing in a Top 14 warm-up for Lyon. Sclavi will be making his first test start. Marcos Kremer will lead the team out as he reaches the milestone of 50 test caps at the age of 25.
In the backs there are two changes. Jerónimo de la Fuente is out thorguh injury while Juan Imhoff is back with Racing 92 in France. Matías Orlando replaces de la Fuente at inside center while Lucio Cinti will have his first start for Los Pumas under Cheika.
The replacements see opportunities for Bello in addition to Guido Petti and Santiago Socino. The trio were all added to the roster for the New Zealand tour. They were not involved in the home matches against Australia.
The two match series will be Argentina’s first tour of New Zealand in a very long time. Not since 1997 have Los Pumas played consecutive matches as a tour in New Zealand. A lot has changed since then.
TEAMS
NEW ZEALAND
1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 4 Sam Whitelock, 5 Scott Barrett, 6 Shannon Frizell, 7 Sam Cane (capt.), 8 Ardie Savea, 9 Aaron Smith, 10 Richie Mo’unga, 11 Caleb Clarke, 12 David Havili, 13 Rieko Ioane, 14 Will Jordan, 15 Jordie Barrett
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Tupou Va’ai, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Stephen Perofeta, 23 Quinn Tupea
ARGENTINA
1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Julián Montoya (capt.), 3 Joel Sclavi, 4 Matías Alemanno, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Juan Martín González, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Pablo Matera, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Santiago Carreras, 11 Lucio Cinti, 12 Matías Orlando, 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Emiliano Boffelli, 15 Juan Cruz Mallía
Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Santiago Grondona, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Tomás Albornoz, 23 Santiago Cordero
Date: Saturday, August 27, 2022
Kick-Off: 4:45am (Argentina)
Venue: Orangetheory Stadium (Christchurch, NZ)
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (Australia); Damon Murphy (Australia)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
Broadcast: ESPN (Latin America); Sky Sports
HISTORICAL RESULTS
2021/09/18 New Zealand 36, Argentina 13 (Brisbane, AU)
2021/09/12 New Zealand 39, Argentina 0 (Gold Coast, AU)
2020/11/28 New Zealand 38, Argentina 0 (Newcastle, AU)
2020/11/14 New Zealand 15, Argentina 25 (Sydney, AU)
2019/07/20 Argentina 16, New Zealand 20 (Buenos Aires, AR)
2018/09/29 Argentina 17, New Zealand 35 (Buenos Aires, AR)
2018/09/08 New Zealand 46, New Zealand 24 (Nelson, NZ)
2017/09/30 Argentina 10, New Zealand 36 (Buenos Aires, AR)
2017/09/09 New Zealand 39, Argentina 22 (New Plymouth, NZ)
2016/10/01 Argentina 17, New Zealand 36 (Buenos Aires, AR)
2016/09/10 New Zealand 57, Argentina 22 (Hamilton, NZ)
2015/09/20 New Zealand 26, Argentina 16 (London, UK)
2015/07/17 New Zealand 18, Argentina 39 (Christchurch, NZ)
2014/09/27 Argentina 13, New Zealand 34 (La Plata, AR)
2014/09/06 New Zealand 28, Argentina 09 (Napier, NZ)
2013/09/28 Argentina 15, New Zealand 33 (La Plata, AR)
2013/09/07 New Zealand 28, Argentina 13 (Hamilton, NZ)
2012/09/29 Argentina 15, New Zealand 54 (La Plata, AR)
2012/09/08 New Zealand 21, Argentina 05 (Wellington, NZ)
2011/10/09 New Zealand 33, Argentina 10 (Auckland, NZ)
2006/06/24 Argentina 19 New Zealand 25 (Buenos Aires, NZ)
2004/06/26 New Zealand 41, Argentina 07 (Hamilton, NZ)
2001/12/01 Argentina 20, New Zealand 24 (Buenos Aires, AR)
2001/06/22 New Zealand 67, Argentina 19 (Christchurch, NZ)
1997/06/28 New Zealand 62, Argentina 10 (Hamilton, NZ)
1997/06/21 New Zealand 93, Argentina 08 (Wellington, NZ)
1991/07/13 Argentina 06, New Zealand 36 (Buenos Aires, AR)
1991/07/06 Argentina 14, New Zealand 28 (Buenos Aires, AR)
1989/07/29 New Zealand 49, Argentina 12 (Wellington, NZ)
1989/07/15 New Zealand 60, Argentina 09 (Dunedin, NZ)
1987/06/01 New Zealand 45, Argentina 15 (Wellington, NZ)
1985/11//02 Argentina 21, New Zealand 21 (Buenos Aires, AR)
1985/10/26 Argentina 20, New Zealand 23 (Buenos Aires, AR)
OVERALL RESULTS
New Zealand Wins 31
Argentina Wins 1
Draws 1
