In Sir Graham Henry's third ever test in charge of the All Blacks in 2004, the All Blacks produced a dominant display in a 41-7 win over the Argentinians, while nine years later in 2013, the gap in the scoreline diminished even further, as the All Blacks pulled through with a 28-13 victory.
In total, New Zealand have won all 12 test matches between the two in New Zealand, with an average scoreline of 47-11.
Tonight's test is expected to be closer than the average scoreline suggests, however, with Argentina's victory over South Africa two weeks ago highlighting their competitiveness and ability to attack with the ball, a different type of game to the forward-orientated way in which Argentina traditionally play.
The most recent match between the two took place at the Rugby World Cup last year at London's Wembley Stadium, with the All Blacks grinding out a 26-16 win in front of a crowd of 89,019.
The most recent Rugby Championship match played between the two was in Christchurch last year in a 39-18 win for home side. Hooker Codie Taylor and wing Waisake Naholo made their international debuts, with Taylor scoring 12 minutes after coming off the bench.
The closest Argentina have ever come to defeating the three-time world champions was in a 21-all draw in Buenos Aires 31 years ago, the only time in their history they have not lost to the All Blacks.
Despite being hopeful of coming away with a historic first ever win over the All Blacks off the back of a first-ever win on home soil against the Springboks, the statistics are all heavily out of Argentina's favour.
Since that 21-all draw over three decades ago, the Pumas have only ever scored 20 points against the All Blacks once in their following 20 matches. That was in a 24-20 loss at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires.
The most points they have ever scored against New Zealand in New Zealand is 19, a feat achieved 15 years ago at Jade Stadium in Christchurch in a 67-19 loss.
The All Blacks will also be looking to maintain their highly-talked about current winning streaks.
In addition to a 22-match unbeaten run against Argentina, the All Blacks will hope to add to their 42-match unbeaten streak in New Zealand, stretching back to their 2009 loss to South Africa at tonight's venue.
The Kiwis are also on track to break the current world record for longest winning run by a tier one nation in the professional era.
They are currently sitting on 13 consecutive wins, four off of the current world record held by the 1997/98 sides of South Africa.
The overall world record held by a non-tier one nation is 24 consecutive wins, a six-year record-in-the-making held by Cyprus.
Line ups:
The All Blacks have made minimal changes to the side that defeated the Wallabies in Wellington a fortnight ago, with the only change to the starting team coming in the midfield, as Ryan Crotty returns from injury to win his 20th cap.
Crotty and centre Malakai Fekitoa will be looking to add onto their admirable performance against Australia in Sydney three weeks ago, where their midfield partnership blossomed in the 42-8 win.
The man who Crotty is replacing in the starting team, Anton Lienert-Brown, who made a solid international debut in the 29-9 win at Westpac Stadium two weeks ago, has been saved a seat on the bench, forcing fellow Chiefs midfielder Seta Tamanivalu out of the matchday 23 altogether.
In the reserves, specialist lock Luke Romano replaces loose forward Liam Squire in an attempt to counter the scrum threat the Argentine forward pack poses, and Codie Taylor returns from injury to replace North Harbour rake James Parsons.
The match will be captain Kieran Read's 90th test.
For Argentina, an injury to Juan Manuel Leguizamon is a crucial blow to the Pumas' plans, such is the importance of the 70-test Jaguares flanker to his homeland.
He has been replaced by Javier Ortego Desio in one of three changes to the starting side that defeated the Springboks 26-24 in Salta.
Other changes include the addition of Matías Moroni on the right wing in place of Santiago Cordero, who shifts to the left wing for Manuel Montero. Cordero in particular will be a key figure in Argentina's attacking gameplan.
Lock Guido Petti Pagadizábal is promoted from the reserves into the starting second row for Tomas Lavanini.
On the bench, 23-test prop Lucas Noguera Paz takes the place of Felipe Arregui, as Marcos Kremer - who is in line for a test debut - and Leonardo Senatore vacate the lock and loose forward bench positions left vacant by Pagadizábal and Desio.
The final change for the Pumas comes in the form of relatively inexperienced outside back Ramiro Moyano, who takes the place of veteran Lucas González Amorosino in the number 23 jersey.
All Blacks: Ben Smith, Israel Dagg, Malakai Fekitoa, Ryan Crotty, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (captain), Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Joe Moody.
Reserves: Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Luke Romano, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden, Anton Lienert-Brown.
Argentina: Joaquin Tuculet, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Juan Martin Hernandez, Santiago Cordero, Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo, Facundo Isa, Javier Ortego Desio, Pablo Matera, Matias Alemanno, Guido Petti, Ramiro Herrera, Agustin Creevy (captain), Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Reserves: Julian Montoya, Lucas Noguera, Enrique Pieretto, Marcos Kremer, Leonardo Senatore, Tomas Cubelli, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Ramiro Moyano.
Odds:
The TAB has the All Blacks as overwhelming favourites to take out the test, paying out at $1.04 for a New Zealand win, while an upset in favour of the Pumas is paying out at $9.00.
Julian Savea is favourite to score first try of the match, paying out at $6.00, while the favourite to score a try in the whole match is Beauden Barrett, paying $1.82.
The joint favourites to score a try for Argentina is Joaquin Tuculet, Matias Moroni and Santiago Cordero, all paying $5.00, while no Argentina try scorer is paying at $2.25.
How to watch:
Sky TV will be showing the match live on Sky Sport 1 at 7:30pm, with pre-match coverage beginning at 6:30pm. RadioSport will have live commentary led by Nigel Yalden.
Australia vs South Africa
Following on from the All Blacks vs Argentina match, the winless Wallabies take on the Springboks at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium at 10:05pm, with both sides looking to make amends following losses in New Zealand and Argentina two weeks ago.
Key facts:
- South Africa have won four of their last six games against Australia, though the Wallabies will be aiming for back-to-back wins against the Springboks for the first time since 2012 after a 24-20 win in their last encounter.
- Australia have won six of their last seven games against South Africa when playing on home soil, including each of the last two such iterations of this fixture.
- The Wallabies have won only two of their last seven games at Suncorp Stadium (D1,L4), though their most recent victory there was a 24-20 triumph over South Africa.
- Overall, the Wallabies have won eight of their nine games against South Africa at Suncorp Stadium, including their biggest ever victory over the Springboks in July 2006 (49-0).
- Australia need only two more for 100 tries at Suncorp Stadium, only at two other venues (Ballymore Stadium & Sydney Cricket Ground) have they managed to crack triple digits.
- South Africa will be looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since losing four on the bounce between November 2014 to August 2015, which included a defeat to Australia at Suncorp Stadium.
- The Springboks have won just three times away to Australia since the turn of the century, those victories coming four years apart in August 2005, August 2009 and September 2013.
- Bryan Habana has scored 65 tries in a 119 Test career; his next try against Australia would see the Wallabies become the first opposition against whom he has scored 10+ tries.
- Habana's try against Argentina meant he overtook David Campese (64) as the top try scorer for any Tier One nation and he sits just four tries behind Daisuke Ohata (69) as the top international try scorer ever.
- David Pocock has won five turnovers in the competition so far, two more than any other player.
Line ups:
Wallabies: Israel Folau, Dane Haylett-Petty, Samu Kerevi, Bernard Foley, Reece Hodge, Quade Cooper, Will Genia, David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Dean Mumm, Adam Coleman, Kane Douglas, Sekope Kepu, Stephen Moore (captain), Scott Sio.
Reserves: Tatafu Polota-Nau, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Lopeti Timani, Sean McMahon, Nick Phipps, Tevita Kuridrani, Drew Mitchell (one to be omitted).
Springboks: Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana, Jesse Kriel, Juan de Jongh, Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Warren Whiteley, Oupa Mohoje, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Lourens Adriaanse, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Tendai Mtawarira.
Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Franco Mostert, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jaco Kriel, Morne Steyn, Lionel Mapoe.
