All Blacks admit to being outplayed as Argentina claim historic victory

HISTORY: Argentina's Los Pumas players celebrate winning their Rugby Championship clash against New Zealand's All Blacks in Buenos Aires. Pic: Gustavo Garello, AP

New Zealand conceded that Argentina dominated proceedings as the Pumas capitalised on a lack of discipline from the All Blacks to claim a historic victory in the Rugby Championship in Buenos Aires on Saturday night.

Argentina emerged as 29-23 victors at Estadio José Amalfitani to end the Pumas' 40-year wait for their first home win against the All Blacks and avenge the previous week's defeat in their opening fixture of this year’s southern hemisphere championship.

New Zealand led 13-6 with two tries in the first half, but two yellow cards before halftime helped Argentina to draw level before taking advantage of penalties conceded by the visitors at key moments in the second half.

“Test footie is tough when you get three cards and they dominate the aerial game. We just didn’t get a lot of little things to go our way, which is earned off effort. It’s that simple,” New Zealand coach Scott Robertson said.

“We put a lot into this week to make sure that we tidied up areas from last week ... but we just didn't execute well enough when we had those opportunities. They did. They were hungry, won a lot of those scraps and fed off the crowd.” 

In total there were three yellow cards for the All Blacks, but Robertson suggested the decisions were all marginal.

“I have to look at them again, but those are interpretations from referees that they make at the time," he said.

All Blacks captain Scott Barrett also conceded that his side were outperformed by their hosts.

“We were under the pump, I guess,” he said. “We had 40% territory and 40% ball; and with those stats it’s hard to win a test match, when the Pumas get a roll on like that. They were a class act and we didn't quite front up where we needed to.” 

New Zealand will next host world champions South Africa in Rugby Championship games in Auckland and Wellington on September 6 and September 13.

The boot of replacement Santiago Carreras proved the difference as he kicked over three second-half penalties, leaving all four teams in the competition with one win apiece after two rounds of the Southern Hemisphere Championship.

Earlier Saturday, South Africa beat Australia in Cape Town.

Billy Proctor and Fletcher Newell scored first-half tries to see New Zealand go 13-6 ahead but scores from Juan Martin Gonzalez and Gonzalo Garcia saw Argentina fight back to win after losing 41-24 to the All Blacks in Cordoba last week.

Argentina had lost all 15 previous home tests against New Zealand, stretching back 40 years to 1985.

The two sides traded early penalties as Argentina went 6-3 up in the 15th minute, before New Zealand scored two quick tries to go 13-6 ahead.

The All Blacks had a try with their first attacking chance in the 19th minute as Codie Taylor, marking his 100th appearance, went close on the right. Then quick shift to the other side saw Rieko Ioane held up before the line, but the ball came out quickly for Proctor to take a gap in the defence and go over.

Six minutes later, prop forward Newell barged through at pace to crash down in the corner and extend the visitors’ lead.

But after Will Jordan was yellow-carded, Argentina made use of the numerical advantage and scored their first try from Gonzalez, with Carreras adding the conversion to level matters.

New Zealand then had flanker Tupou Vaa'i yellow-carded to be down to 13, and Argentina came close to taking the lead before halftime, but a handling error denied Bautista Delguy a try as he spilled the ball on the line.

The visitors' discipline did not improve after the break, handing penalty opportunities to Argentina, which Carreras kicked over in the 51st minute and again five minutes after that to swing the momentum of the game.

Victory looked in sight when Pablo Matera broke off the back of the scrum in the 59th minute and, while he was held up short of line, scrumhalf Garcia pounced on the ball to dart over for a try that put Argentina 26-13 in front.

New Zealand had shown their strength in the set pieces in the closing stages in Cordoba last week and threatened the same again when replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho scored from a line out maul with 12 minutes remaining. But any hopes of a dramatic comeback ended when Sevu Reece was penalised, and yellow carded, for sticking out his hand to block the ball, allowing Carreras to kick over another penalty that ensured the victory.

Argentina tries: Gonzalez, Garcia Pens: Albornoz, Mallia, Carreras 3 Cons: Carreras 2

New Zealand tries: Proctor, Newell, Taukei'aho Pens: B Barrett, McKenzie Cons: McKenzie.

Reuters