Pumas v All Blacks player ratings: Who shone and who flopped in tight New Zealand win?
Argentina have come within four points of securing a famous maiden win over New Zealand in their opening Rugby Championship clash of the year in Buenos Aires.
It was the first match of the year for both sides as their World Cup preparations kick into gear, so we see how each player faired in this tightly-contested affair.
Pumas
1. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro – 5
Got slightly more involved in the second stanza after a quiet first half, but a handling error inside the 55th minute cost the Pumas a good try-scoring chance. Missed the most tackles of any player in the match.
2. Augustin Creevy – 7
Veteran showed plenty of passion, intent and leadership, as we’ve come to expect from him in recent years. Accurate at the lineout more often than not.
3. Juan Figallo – 6.5
Powerful scrummaging had Tu’ungafasi back-peddling at scrum time. Wasn’t as effective in most other facets of the game.
4. Guido Petti – 8.5
Always a safe option at the lineout, looked to make a menace of himself in the tight stuff. Didn’t miss a tackle, claimed two turnovers, won eight lineouts, and stole another two. One of the key cogs that often goes unheralded for both the Jaguares and Pumas.
5. Tomas Lavanini – 6
Not as effective as his locking partner, but continually shifted his big frame around the park with the sort of aggression we’ve become accustomed to from him nonetheless. Perhaps a bit too one-dimensional on attack.
6. Pablo Matera – 7
Ran hard and tackled solidly. Big work rate, and was one of the brightest sparks in a tough Pumas forward pack. Lucky to escape a yellow card for a deliberate knock down late in the piece.
7. Marcos Kremer – 5
Missed a great chance to open the try-scoring from close range, and next notable actions were to concede two penalties inside his own half, both of which were punished by Beauden Barrett’s boot.
8. Javier Ortega Desio – 6
Was severely outplayed by his opposite Savea, although three turnovers won is a good return in a quiet display from the No 8.
9. Tomas Cubelli – 8
Didn’t get the sort of service he would have liked from his forward pack in the first quarter of the match, but that and his box kicking improved as the game grew older. Good, flat passing put teammates through some defensive holes on occasion. Great intensity throughout the contest, and finished the match as one of Argentina’s best.
10. Nicolas Sanchez – 7
Accurate boot from the kicking tee. Kicking game was just as lethal in-game, forcing the likes of Ben Smith to produce uncharacteristic errors under the high ball. Assisted Brodie Retallick’s try by throwing the intercept, but rebounded strongly with some quick thinking to assist Boffelli’s try.
11. Ramiro Moyano – 6
Was relatively quiet until he was forced to make an unlikely try-saving on Ben Smith after being beaten by the pass of Beauden Barrett. Clinical on defence.
12. Jeronimo de la Fuente – 7.5
Super dependable on defence. Finished second in the tackle count after registering 16 tackles, which is a truckload of work for a back. Was unlucky not to have scored in the 68th minute after doing plenty of hard work to set Moyano away for a disallowed try.
13. Matias Orlando – 7
Not quite as good as de la Fuente, but still did his best to keep the All Blacks at bay. Completed all of his tackles, but a couple of handling errors at key times cost his team.
14. Matias Moroni – 6.5
Was regularly put under pressure by the All Blacks’ kicking game and dealt with the threat well. Would have liked to get his hands on the ball more in better attacking positions.
15. Emiliano Boffelli – 7
Thunderous boot from the tee helped Argentina’s cause early on. Continued to hack away at the All Blacks’ defence when given the chance, and used his height and aerial ability to full advantage to score Argentina’ only try.
Reserves:
16. Julian Montoya – 6.5
Had big boots to fill after coming on in place of Creevy, but did so adequately enough without causing too much of a threat to the All Blacks.
17. Mayco Vivas – 6
Was in the thick of the action on attack after being thrusted into the contest with nine minutes remaining.
18. Santiago Medrano – 5
Lost the ball in contact with first touch. Was barely seen beyond that point.
19. Matias Alemanno – 6.5
Saved a potential try with a clutch tackle on Ennor in the closing stages of the contest to keep his side in with a shout.
20. Tomas Lezana – 6
Nothing to rave about after coming on in place of Kremer, although he caused a stir on the All Blacks bench when he was Argentina’s 16th man on the field while Lavanini was having an injury niggle taken care of.
21. Felipe Ezcurra – N/A
Had a big task on his hands to emulate the performance of Cubelli from the bench, but didn’t have enough time to do so.
22. Joaquin Diaz Bonilla – N/A
Didn’t get much of an opportunity to make much of a difference after subbing in late in the clash.
23. Joaquin Tuculet – 6
Had limited chances to try and spark something on attack in the dying stages, and tried his best to do exactly that, but he just couldn’t get things going.
Continue reading below…
All Blacks
1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi – 5
Struggled to deal with the experience of Figallo at the scrum. Not overly effective with ball in hand and penalised for collapsing a scrum midway through the first half. Signs of frustration began to show shortly before being taken off.
2. Dane Coles – 6.5
Plenty of grit as he tried to make a claim to retain the No 2 jersey over Codie Taylor. Gave away a silly penalty for a shoulder charge which handed Argentina good field position, but showed a ton of energy before being subbed.
3. Angus Ta’avao – 6
Got into his work and blended into the match without making much of a statement before being replaced by Laulala.
4. Brodie Retallick – 7
Industrious as ever. Difficult to pick out any faults in his game, and his 50 metre intercept try was a joy to watch. Still the world’s best lock, even if he was outshone in this match by Petti.
5. Patrick Tuipulotu – 6
Like Ta’avao, Tuipulotu toiled away all game but didn’t bring an awful lot to the table. Might be a missed opportunity to impress as World Cup spots look tight in the locking department.
6. Vaea Fifita – 5
Breakdown penalty inside the first 10 minutes allowed Boffelli to unleash his booming boot from the tee. A high tackle on Cubelli shortly afterwards showed a lack of discipline. Was handy at the lineout.
7. Sam Cane – 6
An error-laden outing on both sides of the ball in just his second-ever test as All Blacks captain. Far too many spillages for his liking. However, 17 tackles was a match-high and integral to his side’s victory.
8. Ardie Savea – 7.5
A typically energetic and robust performance. Bounced out of tackles at will and caused plenty a headache for the opposition defence.
9. Aaron Smith – 7
Nippy as always. Decision to tap and go in the 18th minute from 5 metres out paid dividends as Laumape crashed over for a try.
10. Beauden Barrett – 8
Mixed things up as the game wore on. Started the contest with a number of attacking kicks in behind the Argentines, but began to open things up with his strong running game, which splintered the opposition defence. Trustworthy from the tee.
11. Jordie Barrett – 5.5
Unspectacular. Way too many errors and not enough of a spark on attack to accompany his defence and massive punt, which could be a valuable asset later this year.
12. Ngani Laumape – 7.5
Sloppy hands early on. Redeemed himself with a line break and some good kick chase game, and was rewarded with a try through his strong running. Remained a constant threat with ball in hand, and staked a big claim in the midfield battle for World Cup spots.
13. Anton Lienert-Brown – 6.5
Fantastic defensive work. Worked well in tandem with Laumape, both making 13 tackles. Showed glimpses of some neat footwork.
14. Sevu Reece – 7
Lively and looked to get involved from the get-go, but faded in the second half. Saved a try on his own tryline in the first quarter of an hour with a vital tackle on Kremer. Great line break in the 29th minute to split the Argentine defence. Very solid test debut.
15. Ben Smith – 6.5
Got more involved as the game wore on. Was evasive with ball in hand, despite not causing a huge amount of problems defensively for the Pumas. Always committed to the cause.
Reserves:
16. Liam Coltman – 6
A misthrow at the lineout late in the game had the potential to be costly for the All Blacks as they defended deep inside their own 22, but they emerged unscathed after he won the ball back at the breakdown. Needs to show more in next match to solidify his spot in Japan.
17. Atu Moli – 6
Anchored the scrum well on test debut, but didn’t see much action elsewhere despite being on the park for about a quarter of the match.
18. Nepo Laulala – 6
Made all six of his tackles and helped Moli out at scrum time, but not much else to add to that.
19. Jackson Hemopo – 6.5
Was impactful after coming on for Tuipulotu, which should propel him up the national pecking order. Efficient on defence.
20. Luke Jacobson – 6.5
Did what he does best for the Chiefs in Super Rugby, and that was smashing opponents with some thumping tackles. Coped well on test debut.
21. Brad Weber – N/A
First match for the All Blacks in four years, but wasn’t given much of a chance to stand out with less than 10 minutes to play. Did well given the circumstances.
22. Josh Ioane – N/A
Didn’t make it onto the park, which is disappointing for the uncapped 23-year-old, but understandable given the tightness of this clash.
23. Braydon Ennor – 6.5
Proved to be threatening in his first touch of the ball in test rugby as he swung out and took advantage of a defensive mismatch on the left-hand edge. A sign of things to come.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
excellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 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
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to comments