Player ratings: All Blacks v Argentina

All Blacks

Israel Dagg: 7
Started with a nice break and got a bit of his mojo back, although nothing overly spectacular.

Waisake Naholo: 6
Bombed a try but one great run, nice catches, offloads, and looked to get involved. Hinted at fine potential.

Ma'a Nonu: 7
Bulldozed over for a try - caused a few problems but will look forward to a chance at No12 again.

Sonny Bill Williams: 8
Dug into his magic box at times - nothing better to watch than when he does that. Some big tackles. Lacked chemistry with Nonu.

Charles Piutau: 6
Battling sort of test, one odd cross-field kick, top shuffle for try.

Dan Carter: 7
Gorgeous restarts, the odd short run - slick at times but faded a bit in second half.

TJ Perenara: 7
Good early bombs. Tore ball off Cubelli. Busy. Left with big cut over the eye.

Kieran Read: 8
Rugged test, and started marauding out wide - his calling card. Good signs after Apia letdown.

Richie McCaw (c): 8
Tore into everything but gave up some penalties and captaincy couldn't stem the Pumas' lineout drive tries.

Jerome Kaino: 7
Physical presence very important early on.

Brodie Retallick: 7
The work horse is working back towards best form.

Luke Romano: 8
Very prominent, a few strong runs, and can probably pack the World Cup bags on this showing.

Owen Franks: 8
Won the scrum battle against noted scrummagers and showed up elsewhere.

Keven Mealamu: 7
Will be pleased about the set pieces.

Tony Woodcock: 7
Ditto above. Even the early scrum stalemates were actually All Black wins.

Reserves

Codie Taylor (Mealamu, 59m): 5
Bowled over in Pumas try, but returned the compliment.

Wyatt Crockett (Woodcock, 59m): 6

Nepo Laulala (Franks, 54m): 7
More evidence of his scrum ability.

Jeremy Thrush (Romano, 59m): 5
Didn't halt the feeling that he is slipping out of World Cup reckoning.

Liam Messam (Kaino, 70m): -

Andy Ellis (Perenara, 70m): -

Colin Slade (Naholo, 51m): 4
Isn't a test wing and didn't look like one.

Ryan Crotty (Nonu, 73m): -

All Black second five-eighths Sonny Bill Williams looks to pass. Photo / Getty Images

Argentina

Joaquin Tuculet: 5
Not a night for an Argentine fullback - bumped off in Nonu try.

Horacio Agulla: 3
Stocky wing clung on, almost.

Marcelo Bosch: 5
Very up and down defensive moments. Missed Dagg. Not built to face SBW and Nonu.

Jeronimo De La Fuente: 4
One nice kick and not much else to remember.

Santiago Cordero: 4
Well trapped but beat both All Black props on one run.

Nicolas Sanchez: 3
Tried hard and some better second half moments but far too many errors including botched restarts and lightweight defence.

Tomas Cubelli: 5
Very difficult night for the halfback and couldn't rise above the problems.

Facundo Isa: 7
Really busy game but lacked physical impact.

Jan Martin Fernandez Lobbe: 6
Tried to get into the game but made little impression.

Juan Manuel Leguizamon: 6
As with Lobbe.

Manuel Carizza: 6
Lineout strong and at the centre of the little try burst.

Guido Petti: 4
Hard to spot, and all of the tight five will feel the scrums were disappointing by Argentine standards.

Ramiro Herrera: 5
Shaded in a close scrum battle, not something Argentina enjoy.

Agustin Creevy (c): 8
Sensational around the field all night and drove for lineout tries. Great captain's knock in beaten team.

Marcos Ayerza: 5
Much the same as Herrera.

Reserves

Julian Montoya (Creevy,62m): 4
Hard to work out why Creevy was replaced.

Lucas Noguera Paz (Ayerza, 62m): 5
Part of untidy scrum work.

Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Herrera, 54m): 6
Tried to make a difference around the field.

Benjamin Macome (Petti, 62m): 4

Javier Ortega Desio (Leguizamon, 50): 5
There during some of the better moments.

Martin Landajo (Cubelli, 55m): 5
One excellent break which should have produced more.

Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias (De La Fuente, 68m): 4

Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino (Tuculet, 55m): 4