Three predictions: All Blacks v Argentina

The All Blacks know that Argentina will pose a genuine threat at scrum time tonight. / Photo Getty Images

Three predictions ahead of tonight's Rugby Championship match between the All Blacks and Argentina at McLean Park.

The All Blacks will win

The All Blacks have never lost to Argentina, and they are not likely to start now.

Since Argentina joined the Rugby Championship in 2012 the sides have met on four occasions, with the All Blacks prevailing in each of them relatively comfortably.

The largest winning margin over Los Pumas in the Rugby Championship era was in the 2012 away game at the Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, where the All Blacks notched up seven tries in a 54-15 victory.

A similar scoreline is unlikley tonight given the wet weather forecast in Napier, but if the clinic the All Blacks put on against the Wallabies a couple of weeks ago is anything to go by, it's hard to see anything other than an All Black win.

Scrums will dominate

Argentina know how to scrum. They love the physical contest, and the conditions forecast for tonight mean they are likely to be playing to their strength fairly regularly.

The way the Pumas' pack pushed around the Springboks in Salta a fortnight ago was something to behold. New Zealand's front row of Wyatt Crockett, Dane Coles and Owen Franks will know they are in for a huge contest.

Argentina will score the first try

While tries may be at a premium tonight, the Pumas have shown they know how to come out of the gate early against the All Blacks. Argentina have managed to dot down first in three out of the last four games.

While the Pumas' scrum was impressive in that Salta match against the Srpingboks, it's worth bearing in mind that their backs showed genuine threat as well.

Argentina will be ecnouraged by that recent performance, so expect them to be fizzing come kick-off.

Join the nzherald.co.nz live blog of tonight's game from 6.45pm