Ardie Savea, Beauden Barrett and Caleb Clarke all scored tries in the All Blacks' win over Argentina. Photo / Photosport
All Blacks 42
Argentina 10
Order restored, for now at least.
Rebounding in ruthless fashion from the first shock loss of Scott Robertson’s tenure, the All Blacks delivered a clinical, backs-to-the-wall response at Eden Park to square this year’s ledger with the Pumas.
With the 30-year, now 50-match unbeaten, Auckland fortress record preserved for another year, Robertson can exhale for a week before the world champions await.
Credit to the under-fire All Blacks coaching team for remaining calm amid the storm of their first major setback. If there was any sense of panic in the ranks from the top, it would have flowed through to the performance. This was, instead, a mostly emphatic statement that Robertson’s new coaching crew can fix flaws on the hop, against the backdrop of the intense spotlight.
The bear shouldn’t need to be poked to evoke such a reaction. The All Blacks shouldn’t need to lose to learn but, on this occasion, they did exactly that.
In challenging conditions, after heavy rain throughout the day, the All Blacks scored five first-half tries to put the result to bed by halftime. In those opening exchanges, their handling was nearly exemplary; the intent and forward platform vastly improved.
While the odd clunky moment remained, innovation was evident from the All Blacks. Twice in the first half midfield chip kicks in behind Argentina’s defence brought rewards with two chasers pushing through the line.
Damian McKenzie claimed the opening try from the second instance after a Jordie Barrett chip. The All Blacks clearly identified space could be exploited through the short kick – and it was then executed with precision.
Elsewhere the All Blacks targeted the front of the lineout and the blindside, where TJ Perenara’s snipe and offload set up Will Jordan for the first of his brace. Off the back of the scrum, Ardie Savea also made several darts down the short side.
Subtle shifts helped the All Blacks flip the script. Last week they suffered with no scrums until the 60-minute mark – and only four in the match. In the rematch, with the Pumas coughing up multiple handling errors, the All Blacks vaunted weapon returned with vengeance to destroy the Pumas scrum.
Taking the direct route through pick and drives and forward runners one off ruck ate up metres and sucked in the Pumas defence. Where last week they repeatedly forced the issue, this time the All Blacks displayed patience on attack, with Caleb Clarke and Beauden Barrett profiting from sustained pressure.
On the receiving end in Wellington last week, the All Blacks turned the screws defensively, too, by charging down two attempted Pumas clearance kicks; quelling their maul and getting off the line with much more physical dominant intent to consistently rattle the visitors.
Holding the Pumas to one try – after they scored four to register their highest total against the All Blacks last week – is testament to the complete role reversal.
The big takeaway – while not revolutionary – is how much easier life is with a dominant platform from the pack.
While the efforts to grasp swift solutions in seven days are commendable, no one will be leaping to anoint this All Blacks team as the real deal.
The Pumas, as was the case following their last two victories against the All Blacks in 2020 and 2022, were never at the races. Compared to their superb smothering tactics in Wellington, this was an inept performance that only came to life in the closing stages when the contest was dead and buried.
With two tests against the world champion Springboks in South Africa starting in two weeks, vastly tougher tests await Robertson’s men.
That tour promises to provide a true gauge of where this team sits in the pecking order.
With the result long secured the All Blacks lost cohesion when they emptied the bench midway through the second half – a not uncommon notion with the opposition ground down.
After leading 35-3 at the break, the All Blacks lacked the same accuracy and fluency to tie the second half one try each.
From an individual standpoint Jordan, in his first test start since shoulder surgery, delivered an immediate reminder of his class by proving a constant threat. Savea with his carrying, Tupou Vaa’i, in Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu’s absence, impressed and Tamaiti Williams, other than one scrum penalty, nailed his starting elevation.
Beauden Barrett slotted into first five-eighths for the final half-an-hour to reignite the debate about whether he or McKenzie should start there. Inside him, Cortez Ratima once again injected speed from the base.
For now, it’s a case of job done for the All Blacks but there’s plenty to prove yet.
All Blacks 42 (Will Jordan 2, Damian McKenzie, Ardie Savea, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett tries; McKenzie 6 cons)
Argentina 10 (Juan Cruz Mallía try; Tomas Albornoz con, Santiago Carreras pen)
HT: 35-3
Veteran Sam Cane is given his farewell test appearance.