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'You never underestimate the Argentinians': All Blacks versus Argentina preview

By Josh Raisey
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

A win over Australia on Sunday in Perth not only meant the All Blacks secured a clean sweep over their rivals in the 2021 Bledisloe Cup, but they now sit at the top of the Rugby Championship after two rounds, one point ahead of South Africa. Ian Foster will want his side to carry their momentum into their double-header with Argentina now.

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When, where and how to watch the match
The match will kick-off at 19:05 (NZST) on Sunday September 12th at the CBUS Super Stadium, Gold Coast.

It will be broadcast on SKY Sport in New Zealand, Stan Sport in Australia, Supersport in South Africa, ESPN in South America and Sky Sports in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Video Spacer

Former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick talks World Cup 2023 and the opening game – France v New Zealand

Video Spacer

Former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick talks World Cup 2023 and the opening game – France v New Zealand

Head-to-head

Across their 31 encounters, the All Blacks have only lost once to the Pumas and have drawn once. That loss did come last year, however, in the Rugby Championship with a 25-15 victory in Sydney. The All Blacks responded with a 38-0 win two weeks later.

Akira Ioane was a standout performer against Australia (Photo by Daniel Carson / www.photosport.nz)

Match odds from bet365

bet365 have the handicap on the All Blacks at -23, while also having them as 4/11 favourites to win the Rugby Championship entirely.

Use bonus code RUGBYPASS and Get Up to £100 in Bet Credits*

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Prediction

Though the All Blacks are firm favourites this week, Bryn Hall said on RugbyPass’ Aotearoa Rugby Pod this week that he does not think the they will be complacent given the events of last year.

“I don’t think you can ever underestimate an Argentinian team, or any team in the top tier nations,” the Crusaders half-back said.

“We probably asked a similar question last year when we were playing the Argentinians who didn’t have a lot of preparation time and beat the All Blacks.

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“So the All Blacks won’t rest on their laurels or be complacent. They’re on a road to be able to play the Springboks, they’re obviously not going to talk about it because they’re a week-to-week preparation team and seeing what’s in front of them, but they’ll be wanting to improve in their performance in areas like the heart defence, they’ll want to sew that up a little bit better and there will be improvements in their game that they’ll want to continue to get better.

“But I think they will be the favourites moving into this game against the Argentinians, but the Argentinians have enough there, enough prowess and enough passion, especially when they do play the All Blacks, they lift a different level. I’m still backing the All Blacks, they should win comfortably, but you never underestimate the Argentinians at all.”

 

*Odds accurate as of 08/09/21. BeGambleAware.org 18+ Gamble Responsibly

 

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J
Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

36 Go to comments
A
Adrian 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

36 Go to comments
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