The closest Los Pumas have got to beating the All Blacks
So close, yet so far.
While Saturday’s test match in Buenos Aires should be a foregone conclusion, there have been a couple of times when the Pumas almost knocked off the mighty All Blacks. Right now the all-time record between the two sides is 24 wins to the All Blacks and one draw, with the Pumas yet to register a maiden victory.
That one draw in 1985, which ended 21-all, remains a high point Argentinan rugby – but if the All Blacks had their way they wouldn’t haven’t even been there at all. The tour was a hastily arranged makeup for the cancelled tour to South Africa that year, which had been blocked by a High Court injunction brought about by two Auckland club rugby playing lawyers. Instead of the high veldt the All Blacks found themselves in South America for the second time after first visiting in 1976.
While the All Blacks comfortably won the first test, the second was a different story. In fact, they came within a couple of inches of suffering an historic loss.
In front of a passionate crowd in Ferro Carril Oeste Stadium, Los Pumas put on an inspired performance against a strong All Black side that included the likes of Murray Mexted, Andy Haden and Dave Loveridge. It’s not like the visitors weren’t trying, either – Mexted scored a try, as did wingers Craig Green and Sir John Kirwan with two.
Legendary first five Hugo Porta scored all of Los Pumas’ 21 points via four penalties and three drop goals, and the final stages of the game was a goal line showdown. Back in those days, lineouts and scrums could be set as close to the try line as possible and the Argentines got one of each.
The scores were locked up going into referee’s time, and it all came down to this thrilling last couple of plays:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zfoc2KfJvFY&feature=youtu.be&t=4977
CREDIT: 99Waylon
That’s one rough call off the lineout. Not only does Pumas blindside Gustavo Milano take it clean and charge forward, he looks to have set up a ruck. However, Australian ref Kerry Fitzgerald says he’s held up over the line for some reason.
The powerful Pumas scrum, of which their entire national gameplan will be based around for the next 15 or so years, shoves the All Blacks back over their own goal line. All that Ernesto Ure needs to do is flop on the pill, but he somehow knocks it on. Then that’s it, game over.
The crowd flooding the field after the final whistle probably thought it’d be just a matter of time before their proud, young test nation would go one better and knock off the All Blacks. But that result 32 years ago is as close as they’ve come.
For All Black legends Mexted, Haden and Loveridge, it’d be their last ever official international match. All three went on the infamous rebel Cavaliers tour to South Africa the following season, and weren’t picked after the ban they received.
Meanwhile, Hugo Porta’s legacy has been cemented as one of the greatest ever to play the game. His 21 points stood as the record for an individual against the All Blacks until 1998, when it was broken by Wallaby Matt Burke.
The two teams meet again in Buenos Aires this Saturday night, this time across town at Estadio Jose Amalfitani. The chances of it being as close as the 1985 fixture are pretty slim, but you never know what might happen if the All Blacks have an off day.
Comments on RugbyPass
Dickson now considered the top ref in England it appears. Good that these series are getting one NH and one SH ref.
1 Go to commentsI don’t think any coach or selector would ever rely on Blackadder being available for selection. I didn’t think it would be possible but he has easily eclipsed Ennor as they most injured player of all time. IMO a symptom of today’s game where players are required to carry at least 10kg of extra mass from when they first hit the scene in their early 20s. Some players respond well to this, maybe due to genetics allowing them to recover faster, or not having reached their peak natural weight yet, but for others the constant training to maintain their weight eats away at recovery time and they spend most of their careers injured.
4 Go to commentsThanks for the lesson Nick! I presume that targeting gaps is situational because if a ball carrier straightens the line they can't be allowed a gap to run into? It feels like you need depth if you're going to pass it wide and plenty of variety - straight running, kicks just in behind, cross kicks etc. BTW what an incredible bench Toulouse had this week. People complain about Leinster being stacked but they need to be at the very highest level.
14 Go to comments2015 was by far the best team. They have had many good backlines over the years but the 2015 team was one of the few to have an absolute world class forward pack - all of them international quality. 6 ABs, 1 future English player, and one that would have gone on to ABs had he not been forced to retire due to concussion. This current team doesn’t have the same size and experience at lock, but providing they can keep this many talented young players (who have all significantly increased their profile this year) together for another 2 years they could eclipse the 2015 team.
2 Go to commentsAnd I’ve just seen RA has topped up the offer to Paisami and extended it beyond 3 years and he’s signed. Great news
69 Go to commentsInteresting watching Amaua starting to fire. No idea why he was pulled so early against the Reds.
4 Go to commentsNice to read something positive about Vunivalu; it doesn’t happen often. I despair for rugby in Oz. Unless some form of compensation for the teams producing players is devised, there is no obvious way for us to combat poachers coming to grab players in their prime with bigger pay cheques. A return to the SR crowds we were getting in 2010-2014 and a quadrupling of the TV deal would be a start but I don’t see how those things happen. Perhaps the government could be encouraged to deliver tax breaks like in Ireland?
69 Go to commentsI wasn’t aware that the blitz targeted space so, as usual, something learned from reading one of your articles, Nick. Watching the game live I attributed the Saints’ inaccuracy to their own mistakes and nerves. Perhaps some credit to the Leinster D.
14 Go to commentsGotta give it to you Graham, you support your players and team to the hilt. There may be strains of exaggeration laced throughout but gotta love the passionate parochialism.
2 Go to commentsNice one Nick. No doubt Vunivalu’s involvements and work rate are improving this year in attack, but I still think he is too raw on the defensive and backfield part of his game to be considered as a starter. Wales would just kick and run it to his side all night as the brumbies have done to good effect in the past. But, his size/power will keep him in the convo with Mark N leaving and Petaia’s injury record. Hunter definitely enjoying an injury-free run this season and being given the keys by Kiss - I have always been a fan of his. All I’d say is that his triple threat has been evident since 2020/21. I remember him making a grubber for a petaia try after the siren to beat the Brumbies in Canberra after the 80th minute in 2021. Lastly, Jock Campbell, who I know isn’t at the top of your list, I thought had alot of positive involvements in the saders game including both of Tim ryan’s tries and Mcreights
69 Go to commentsAg please, Pieter Stef Du Toit has played circles around this clown.
1 Go to commentsJust celebrating the Bok’s 1648th consecutive day as RWC champions. They are also the Qatar Airways Cup winners, which I know BennieBoy cares about a lot.
2 Go to commentsGood to here positive stories towards Aus Rugby. Although that might be the case, and highers up are right about Jordie, I wouldn’t stress trying to retain him. What I have seen of him in recent times is that he’s not using that something special. I feel there a better ‘something special’ options coming through that they won’t have to compete with league for, hell even in Kerevi and Paisami (isn’t it great to finally see his ability getting recognized, probably taking this article in isolation too much here).
69 Go to commentsgreat article! I wonder whether we will we see Ireland adopt the Nienaber blitz? All the teams who have tried it so far (SA included) have gone through significant teething problems in the first season; Ireland could possibly be in the unique position of being able to switch to a hard blitz in season 2 of a world cup cycle and already have so many players used to the system that it can be implemented seamlessly.
14 Go to commentsThey probably left another 20 on the field to be fair. Also - the officiating was… ordinary.
1 Go to commentsblackadder isnt a key player at all you cant say hes been the best player or a key all black when hes injured every week
4 Go to commentsThat loss to the Blues still stings! The Reds have fallen short in 4 of the 6 games decided by 7 points or fewer. Are they not fit enough to close out the close games or are there tactical issues when games go down to the wire? The pleasing thing is no Australian side can better the Reds record of 3 wins from 5 against Kiwi sides but the Brumbies can match it. Les Kiss has instilled a belief in the Reds that they can match it with all the New Zealand sides.
69 Go to commentsA potential 5th star for Leinster and redemption adter losing 2 tight finals against La Rochelle against Toulouse and the chance for Jacques Nienaber to have some success without Rassie Erasmus running the show.
14 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and welcome back 😁 Vulavalu does look better this year, and about time. I suspect Schmidt will knock the hubris out of him. That one handed put down was so embarrassing. Mind you, I had thought Kiss would deal with that. Leaving aside the different games and skills, in NRL he had a very good (but no bullshit) type of coach in Bellamy, something he hasn't had in Union until this year. Bellamy would have roasted him unmercifully for an unprofessional put down.
69 Go to commentsYou’d think the first step would be taking responsibility for the stupid sh*t you did and to stop blaming other people. Does he seriously think that people believe him when he says it just magically got into his system without him knowing anything about it? You’re gonna notice if you’re on the juice, bruh.
2 Go to comments