Argentina has played New Zealand 28 times since 1985. Los Pumas has lost all but one match which ended in a 21-all draw.
This poor record gives Argentina a 96% losing rate of their matches against New Zealand regardless of venue.
- The Test match will be the 33rd meeting between the teams, with Argentina still on the hunt for their maiden victory against the All Blacks (D1, L31).
- Argentina’s only result against New Zealand came in a 21-all draw in November 1985 at Buenos Aires; since then, they’ve lost 10 games on the bounce against the All Blacks at home.
- Argentina has lost their last four games played at Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires, including defeats to New Zealand in their previous two games at the venue.
- The last time the Pumas won at Velez Sarsfield was in June 2010 (41-13 v France).
- Argentina has lost 10 of their last 12 games, including their last five in succession.
- The last time Los Pumas lost more games in a row was a seven-game stretch from August to November in 2017.
- New Zealand is on the cusp of their 450th win in international rugby – 43 more than any other team – and require a tally of just 26 points to become the first nation to score 16,000 international points.
- The three-time World Champions have won 15 of their last 17 Tests, including a 66-3 defeat of Italy in Rome in their most recent fixture.
- Emiliano Boffelli made the most carries (71) of any player in The Rugby Championship 2018, six more than New Zealand’s best, Beauden Barrett (65).
- Ben Smith made 15 clean breaks in The Rugby Championship 2018, three more than any other player in the competition.
- Nicolas Sanchez scored the most points (67) of any player in The Rugby Championship 2018, those points coming from four tries, 16/17 conversions, 4/7 penalty goals, and a drop goal.
- Jordie Barrett averaged 114 metres per-game in The Rugby Championship 2018, 40 more than the next best player and his teammate Rieko Ioane (74 metres per-game).
Match detail
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In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway for the second Test of the 2019 Rugby Championship at Estadio Jose Amalfitani in Buenos Aires.
2.00: Jordie Barrett is penalised for a late tackle. Nicolás Sánchez, back in Argentina, will take a shot.
2.00: PENALTY! Nicolás Sánchez opens the scoring. 3-0
4.00: Jordie Barrett is involved in everything. He’s taken the ball twice at first receiver, been pinged for a late tackle, and bounced a defender with his first run.
5.00: Vaea Fifita is the next Kiwi to give away a penalty, this one was for a ruck infringement on halfway. Emiliano Boffelli will take the long-range attempt, which is in front of the posts.
6.00: PENALTY! WOW! Emiliano Boffelli makes the distance with ease. 6-0
9.00: There are some problems with the early scrums, they keep going down.
10.00: Jordie Barrett stops a wide attack from the scrum, knocking down a Pumas’ pass. Scrum to the hosts on the Kiwi’s 10m.
12.00: Jerónimo de la Fuente carries, but loses possession in contact. Beauden Barrett immediately goes to the boot, but he kicks the ball down Matías Moroni’s throat. The Pumas win the penalty and kick to the corner.
13.00: Sevu Reece keeps out Marcos Kremer. The ball is recycled, but Agustín Creevy loses the ball forward. The All Blacks dodged a bullet. Poor from Argentina.
15.00: Some more reset scrums.
17.00: New Zealand has an attacking lineout on the home side’s 22. They go to the back of the short lineout, but Sam Cane loses the ball. somehow, they win back possession and are near the try-line.
18.00: TRY! Dane Coles made a beeline for the chalk, he’s stopped short and the All Blacks win a penalty. The Kiwis take the quick-tap and Ngani Laumape crashes over for his seventh Test try. 6-5
19.00: CONVERSION! Beauden Barrett puts his team ahead from in front. 6-7
20.00: Argentina wins a penalty, Sánchez calls for the tee.
21.00: PENALTY! Sánchez makes no mistake. 9-7
23.00: Another penalty, this time for the visitors, and it is inside the Argentina 22.
24.00: PENALTY! Barrett slots the kick. 9-10
25.00: A powerful driving maul by Argentina wins the South Americans a penalty.
26.00: New Zealand’s fifth handling error gives the hosts a central scrum inside their half.
28.00: Tomás Lavanini knocks on in contact and New Zealand counter-attack.
30.00: Reece makes a break, the ball is lost by Coles, then Jordie Barrett into touch. That was quality cover defending by the Pumas.
31.00: Argentina wins the turnover at the maul, but are pinged for playing the ball on the ground. Barrett kicks to the corner.
32.00: Another infringement, this time on their try-line by the home team, has them reeling. Sam Cane opts for another lineout.
33.00: Ben Smith almost gets past Ramiro Moyano, but the winger slings the fullback to the ground, and in the process, Smith loses the ball. Sánchez clears the danger.
35.00: Fifita knocks on, the Pumas counter-attack, but also lose the ball forward. Both teams have their hands on their hips and are sucking air.
37.00: PENALTY! Barrett slots another three-pointer to extend the lead to four. 9-13
39.00: TRY! Brodie Retallick intercepts Sánchez and races 40 metres down the touchline to the disgust of the home support. That was a sucker punch, made famous by the All Blacks. 9-18
40.00: CONVERSION! Barrett curls his kick inside from the sideline. 9-20
The halftime score was Argentina 9 New Zealand 20
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in Buenos Aires. Beauden Barrett makes a hash of Tomás Cubelli’s kick, giving the Pumas good field position to mount an attack.
44.00: It’s all Argentina as they start to win a few penalties from their maul.
47.00: TRY! Boffelli beats Ben Smith to Sánchez’s high kick, ripping the ball out of the fullback’s hands to land the first blow of the second stanza. 14-20
48.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good; we have a game, here. 16-20
51.00: MISS! Sánchez misses a chance to make it a one-point ball-game. 16-20
53.00: Argentina is all over the World champions, who cannot stop their driving maul. The crowd is getting up for this. Coles is pinged for changing the lines illegally.
54.00: The Pumas flyhalf boots a perfect touchline kick into the AB’s 22.
56.00: Los Pumas go eight phases of attack inside the New Zealand 22, but the ball is lost. The Kiwis decide to counter from their 22, taking the ball past the 22 before going to the boot.
58.00: It’s end-to-end as both teams decide to run the ball. Great to watch.
61.00: Both teams are taking some water while a player is seen to by the medical staff.
63.00: The Kiwis cannot get out of their half, they are withstanding the blue and white hoops wave.
64.00: Cane loses the ball forward after Beauden Barrett’s line-break; there were acres of space and the all blacks would have scored.
67.00: Scrum to the home team on halfway.
68.00: NO TRY! A sensational break ends with a scrappy try for De la Fuente, who dotted down after Moyano’s break and inside pass. But the TMO review showed the winger was tackled into touch by Barrett. 16-20
71.00: Silly mistakes are costing the Pumas, they need to stay composed. They have the Kiwis on the ropes.
75.00: New Zealand has had the better of the last five minutes and is camped inside the Pumas half.
77.00: Scrum to the Kiwis inside the Pumas’ half.
79.00: Argentina keep coming, they have a penalty advantage and are inside the All Blacks’ 22. They put the ball in the corner.
80.00: Another penalty is kicked to the corner. This is insane!
81.00: OH NO! The ref adjudges that the maul is brought down by the hosts. New Zealand win a classic.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Argentina 16 (9) New Zealand 20 (20)
Scorers
Argentina
Tries – Boffelli
Pen – Sánchez (2), Boffelli
Con – Sánchez
Drop –
Cards –
New Zealand
Tries – Laumape, Retallick
Pen – B. Barrett (2)
Con – B. Barrett (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Angus Gardner (RA)
Assistant Ref 1: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Ref 2: Alex Ruiz (FFR)
TMO: Graham Hughes (RFU)
Teams
Argentina
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Matías Moroni, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera (captain), 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Felipe Ezcurra, 22 Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, 23 Joaquín Tuculet.
New Zealand
15 Ben Smith, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Jordie Barrett, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane (captain), 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Patrick Tuipulotu, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ofa Tuungafasi.
Replacements: 16 Liam Coltman, 17 Atu Moli, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Jackson Hemopo, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Josh Ioane, 23 Braydon Ennor.
