How the English press reacted to the All Blacks' win

England's leading rugby writers have delivered a mixed verdict on the All Blacks' opening World Cup performance against Argentina.

While some of the host nation's leading media outlets lauded New Zealand's ability to escape an unexpected fate similar to arch rivals South Africa the day before at the hands of Japan in Brighton, they also noted that the Pumas proved the All Blacks are far from invincible in their defence of the Webb Ellis Cup.

Richie McCaw is not a cheat

Writing in the London Daily Telegraph, veteran rugby reporter Mick Cleary followed a familiar trend by informing his readers that there were moments in the match where Argentina hinted of a giant-killing act akin to the day before.

"(But) the world was reluctant to go back on its axis, the seismic events of Saturday in Brighton threatening to continue into Sunday with the All Blacks rattled initially by a stirring Pumas performance and Richie McCaw sent to the sin-bin, as rare an event as the ravens leaving the Tower of London."

Cleary wrote that New Zealand's two second half tries helped salvage Kiwi pride as well as their record as the only country never to have lost a pool match before emphasising the All Black' impressive injection of talent from the substitutes bench.

"There is a depth to All Black rugby that is enduring," he wrote. "They are rarely fazed. And they have a replacements bench the envy of all, the arrival of Sonny Bill Williams as early as the 46th minute galvanising those around him. Suddenly there was guile and deftness, strong, straight running mixed with tricky offloads. Williams added a whole new dimension to the All Blacks game and they looked every bit the champion side that they are."

Robert Kitson in the Guardian also highlighted the impact of Williams.

"For a moment it seemed New Zealand were heading down the same rocky road as South Africa," Kitson told his readers. "Down to 13 men and trailing by four points to a physical Pumas side with their tails up, the situation was as dark as the world champions' new deathly black uniform. A distinct whiff of Brighton hung in the air.

"On this occasion the All Blacks survived but here, once again, was evidence that this World Cup will be relentlessly competitive. New Zealand, who lost their captain, Richie McCaw, and their midfield totem Conrad Smith to the sin-bin in the first-half, did improve latterly as their opponents tired but it took all the brilliance of Aaron Smith and the line-breaking skill of Sonny Bill Williams to restore order. Their rivals will look at their occasional scrum problems, in particular, and wonder what might unfold later in the tournament.

Argentina, for their part, will be kicking themselves. In 21 attempts they had never toppled New Zealand yet, for an hour, it looked perfectly possible. Had they sustained their initial forward impetus, they might even have knocked Japan off the front pages. Instead a 66th-minute try from replacement Sam Cane gave the All Blacks just enough breathing space and Steve Hansen's worst nightmare was averted."

Another Guardian writer, Sean Ingle, noted how the World Cup record crowd of almost 90,000 strongly sided with the Pumas.

"After only three days this World Cup has already rattled our expectations, and here was another surprising moment as Wembley supported Argentina as if they were the home team," wrote Ingle.

"We should have known from the off that a rugby union match at the new Wembley was going to be different. For never has an Argentinian national anthem been more impeccably observed at the home of football. Some sung, others nodded at every jaunty nuance, but no one whistled or heckled. Then, after the final chord, came a loud and punchy cry of "Argentina! Argentina!"

"Those delirious cheers only magnified when Richie McCaw was sent to the sin-bin for a sneaky trip on Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe."

Owen Slot in the Times of London was the most impressed of the English scribes but also noted a hint of vulnerability.

"The All Blacks, being the All Blacks, managed to restore the usual world order and in executing an ice-cool controlled comeback, they spoke volumes of their confidence and temperament and their credentials as favourites to triumph six weeks hence," he told his readers.

"Until just before the hour, the world champions were trailing, Argentina were playing like they felt they could stay ahead and minds turned to Brighton, Japan, great deeds and mystifying upsets. The difference was that the All Blacks had the nerve and the class to go up a gear. They had been rattled, for sure, they had been smashed in the scrum and beaten in the contact area and in a wonderfully atmospheric Wembley, with Richie McCaw sent to the sin-bin, they found themselves cast as the villains of the piece.

"Some early substitutions triggered the change, though, the most significant of those Sonny Bill Williams coming on for Ma'a Nonu after only 50 minutes. It was then that the game started to shift and for pretty much the entire last half hour, they controlled possession, they pinned Argentina into their own half, scored two tries and had enough to spare to mess up a couple more.

By no means were they immaculate. Even when they had started to win the physical contest in the second half, their finishing was poor....yes, they will get better, but they are no means out of reach. For a brilliant hour here, the Pumas had them very much in their grasp."

Writing in the Daily Mail, Martin Samuel was impressed with New Zealand's ability to worm out of a tight encounter but wondered if a weak pool overall will undermine the All Blacks campaign.

"Indeed, that might be the All Blacks greatest obstacle here. Argentina done, a field of rabbits lies ahead: Namibia, Georgia, then Tonga. Might the tournament favourites hit the quarter-finals a tad undercooked? This was, after all, hardly a performance of great conviction given the gulf in class and experience between the sides.

"By the end, the margin of victory was comfortable, although the All Blacks had to wait until close to the hour for their first try, and did not earn a bonus point - not that it is going to be needed. It is Namibia up next. The anthems could last longer than New Zealand will take to rack up a bonus in that match."