All Blacks survive late scare to escape from Buenos Aires with narrow win
The All Blacks have survived their first Test of the year with a narrow 20-16 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires which could easily have been a defeat and perhaps should have been (writes Patrick McKendry of the New Zealand Herald).
At the end they were clinging on at Estadio Jose Amalfitani and greeted referee Angus Gardner’s final whistle with huge relief after escaping two attacking lineouts in the final seconds. The Pumas will rue their missed opportunity for they have never beaten the All Blacks and won’t get a better chance for a long time.
The All Blacks were missing all of their Crusaders players, apart from debutants Sevu Reece, who started on the right wing, and replacement back Braydon Ennor, and that lack of quality and experience showed in the second half as the visitors were held scoreless.
The Pumas appeared fatigued in the first half and looked out of it at half-time, but a converted try to Emiliano Boffelli after the break changed the dynamic of the match. If first-five Nicolas Sanchez had kicked a relatively easy penalty soon after the All Blacks would have been in even bigger trouble.
“It was the definition of a test match, a real ding dong battle,” skipper Sam Cane said straight afterwards. “They came out firing and I thought our discipline was poor at times. But massive credit to Argentina, they put us under pressure from the first whistle to the end of the game.”
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The All Blacks were loose at times with their handling and concession of silly penalties, and questions may be asked about an overly elaborate attacking move on halfway with three minutes left which handed possession back to the home side.
But their defence was outstanding, with Aaron Smith, Beauden Barrett, Brodie Retallick and Ardie Savea leading the way, and it’s that grit and desperation to hold out a fast-finishing team in a hostile environment which should please coach Steve Hansen the most.
What a contest! ???#ARGvNZL #BackBlack pic.twitter.com/KRWRpslsFs
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) July 20, 2019
“We found out a lot of things and most of them are pretty positive,” Hansen said. “That was pleasing. We knew we’d be rusty and we were… most of them put their hands up.”
The All Blacks were in control at half-time after scoring two converted tries via Ngani Laumape and Brodie Retallick.
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They showed variation on attack and a depth and breadth of game which appeared on a different level to the Jaguares-laden Pumas, who brought line speed and intensity on defence, but not too much in the way of creativity.
ARGENTINA: Emiliano Boffelli; Matías Moroni, Matías Orlando, Jerónimo de la Fuente, Ramiro Moyano; Nicolás Sánchez, Tomás Cubelli; Javier Ortega Desio, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera (capt), Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti, Juan Figallo, Agustín Creevy, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Reps: Julián Montoya, Mayco Vivas, Santiago Medrano, Matías Alemanno, Tomás Lezana, Felipe Ezcurra, Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, Joaquín Tuculet.
Scorers – Try: Boffelli, Pens: Sanchez 2, Boffelli, Con: Sanchez
ALL BLACKS: Ben Smith; Sevu Reece, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape, Jordie Barrett; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (capt), Vaea Fifita, Patrick Tuipulotu, Brodie Retallick, Angus Ta’avao, Dane Coles, Ofa Tuungafasi. Reps: Liam Coltman, Atu Moli, Nepo Laulala, Jackson Hemopo, Luke Jacobson, Brad Weber, Josh Ioane, Braydon Ennor.
Scorers – Laumape, Rettalick, Pens: B Barrett 2, Cons: B Barrett 2.
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia).
– New Zealand Herald
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Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
7 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
7 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
7 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments