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All Blacks vs Argentina takes: McKenzie's value, call time on Ioane
By Ben Smith
The All Blacks headed to Buenos Aires looking to complete a rare double of Los Pumas in the Rugby Championship, having last won both fixtures in 2021.
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A resistant Pumas side played exceptional in the trenches and threw the kitchen sink at the All Blacks, who were plagued by discipline issues as they conceded three yellow cards.
The victory adds intrigue to the Rugby Championship title race as the competition looks even after two rounds.
Here are quick takes following the All Blacks loss to the Pumas in round two.
Will Jordan’s aerial nightmare shows the difference
All Blacks fullback Will Jordan struggled under the high ball in Buenos Aires as Argentina successfully pressured the catch zone looking for bat backs. It was Jordan’s worst showing at the back since becoming the first choice No.15.
His best night, in Dublin last year against then-number one Ireland showed what he can do when on form. That night he diffused most sent his way as the All Blacks had their best win under Scott Robertson. The Buenos Aires Test showed there is a lot to work on as Jordan’s floor needs to be higher than that. His bad day can’t spill everything sent his way. The yellow card was rough but uncontrollable on Jordan’s part. The aerial battles just simply have to be more successful.
That is where Beauden Barrett excels. The difference between his floor and his ceiling is minimal. Again in Bueno Aires, his backfield defence saved the All Blacks multiple times. The All Blacks know that Barrett will control the backfield well if he is at No.15.
Jordan is a world class No.14 and not yet a complete Test fullback.
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Time for an end to Vaa’i at No.6
Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i has been a makeshift solution for the All Blacks in the back row this season. He’s been serviceable without being exceptional, which is what he was last year in the second row. The All Blacks have moved possibly the world’s best lock into the back row. This has detracted a bit from Vaa’i’s impact.
With Wallace Sititi returning back from injury, the door is open for Vaa’i to return back to the second row to partner Scott Barrett. Last year Sititi was used exclusively a No.6 and he was a game-breaking force for the All Blacks, winning Breakthrough Player of the Year. They’ve missed Sititi’s ball carrying impact in his absence.
The All Blacks pack will be more dynamic once Vaa’i returns to the second row. With the Springboks turning up next month, now is the time to make the switch.
Call time on Ioane
Forcing a 28-year-old midfielder onto the wing has been a dumb decision by the All Blacks coaching staff. It’s time for Robertson and the coaches to recognise this and call time on this Ioane experiment. He has no form to speak of and hasn’t played wing in over five years. After five Tests this is pretty indicative of what you are going to continue to get.
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How about picking players who play wing on the wing? Sometimes it really is that simple. Ioane is a capable midfielder and his remaining future with the All Blacks is at 13.
If you want to see a better version of Ioane in the midfield, call some of the exit plays from 2022 that had him getting early ball coming out of danger with the opposition wingers dropped back.
McKenzie’s unappreciated value
Damian McKenzie copped a lot of criticism in 2024 for purely cosmetic reasons. The Sydney Test against the Wallabies was the prime example.
McKenzie missed three or so opportunities to finish line breaks with tries, that he had a large part in creating himself. So the knives came out. Forget the fact that he was perfect off the tee that day and his goal kicking saved the All Blacks. They won the game by only three points after a furious Wallabies comeback and he went five from five.
Off the bench against England at Twickenham his clutch sideline conversion gave the All Blacks a late lead for a 24-22 victory. In Dublin, he produced a man-of-the-match showing to defeat Ireland, again kicking well off the tee.
Beauden Barrett left seven points out there in Buenos Aires in a game they lost by six. Maybe McKenzie misses one, maybe he doesn’t. But McKenzie is the best goal kicker in New Zealand with the highest success rate in Super Rugby Pacific of any Kiwi this year.
He’s the guy you want taking all of them. He came on and kicked 100 per cent with two late game goals in Buenos Aires that saved the All Blacks a bonus point.
Hate on the game management or audacious passes all you want to, but the facts are that McKenzie has a game-winning boot at Test level. Test rugby has those days where you just need to get points. Buenos Aires was one of those days.
Both the Springboks and Pumas won their games with superior goal kicking, and that was really the only difference.
Northern hemisphere strikes back
It was a great weekend for European rugby as the URC-laden Springboks and Premiership-heavy Pumas responded after opening round defeats in the Rugby Championship. Two teams shaped and defined by northern hemisphere rugby.
Facing a do-or-die situation, both teams needed to respond to keep their title hopes alive and they both got the win, albeit without bonus points, leaving them in third and fourth place on the table.
The Springboks went back to an aerial game and goal kicking, and although they were let off the hook by James O’Connor’s late game kicking, managed to squeeze a 30-22 win in Cape Town. Argentina’s model was similar, after firing shots in the first half that didn’t come off, the Pumas went to the air in the second to grind down the All Blacks.
The northern hemisphere struck back in the Rugby Championship.
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