New Zealand V Argentina: Winners and Losers from Rugby Championship

New Zealand dispatched Argentina 28-9 in Napier to move to the top of the Rugby Championship.

Four tries, including two more from the prolific Julian Savea, were enough to suppress a gritty but subdued Pumas side, and the result also means the Blacks bagged a bonus point for their win.

Daniel Hourcade’s men remain winless since their arrival in the competition and will need to find an answer to their erratic form if they are to make a mark on this year’s competition.

Both sides made changes for this fixture, but the All Blacks in particular had players with much to gain from turning in a quality performance.

Let’s see how the winners and losers gongs got handed out.

Beauden Barrett’s nose for a chance ensured the All Blacks were able to take a grip of the game just when they needed it, right on the half-time buzzer.

A destructive New Zealand scrum on an Argentine put–in saw the ball pop loose to Aaron Smith who fed Barrett. The fly-half knew something was on in that instant, and was through a gap before the Pumas could react.

His pace took him clear and the instinctive support line ran by Liam Messam presented the flanker with an easy score.

It was a classic, viper-like strike as the clock hit half-time and bore all the hallmarks of this side’s ability to convert turnover ball into maximum points in a heartbeat.

Until then it was tight on the scoreboard and the visitors would have been pleased to have reached the break still in the argument.

But one rapid attack from an unexpected chance handed the all–important momentum to the men in black, and they never looked back.

Argentina put mind, body and soul on the line in Salta in Round Two, and came up just short against South Africa.

This weekend, it appeared as though those three commodities had been seized at customs.

For Barrett’s break, Julian Savea’s second try and Aaron Smith’s walk–in from a set move off a scrum, there was no defence in front of the All Blacks between the forwards and the inside centre position.

There aren’t many international sides who will not accept an invitation like that, but against New Zealand it is practically rugby suicide.

The Pumas need to block up that barn door–sized hole with a more alert back row and a player from the back line willing to throw himself in to the cement mixer.

There will be stiffer examinations of Beauden Barrett’s credentials as New Zealand’s No. 10, but this test was passed with flying colours.

The Wellington man, picked in place of the injured Aaron Cruden, looked assured in his decision–making and showed he can manage a game from the first whistle just as well as he has proved he can play impactful cameo roles from the reserves bench.

When all of Steve Hansen’s options are fully fit, he is probably still third choice behind Dan Carter and Cruden, which shows just how deep the star quality goes in this New Zealand squad.

Ben Smith’s form in the No. 15 jersey seemed to have put paid to Israel Dagg’s chances of wearing the shirt in this tournament, but Steve Hansen gave the Cantabrian a chance in this Test, and he took it.

Dagg illustrated what he can bring to this side in terms of his positional intelligence and surety under the high ball in greasy weather.

And it was also notable that, with Beauden Barrett at No. 10 and no one’s idea of a long-range touch finder, Dagg was the go–to man for lengthy penalty kicks to touch.

That quality is not to be underestimated in South Africa, where the All Blacks still have to go this year.

They may have messed one scrum up to gift New Zealand a soft score, but other than that it was a night of impressive competence in scrum and line-out from Argentina.

For that reason they will always be a devil of a side to dominate. But that is simply not enough at this level.

The statistics amassed by the New Zealand Herald show only one clean break was made by the away side, with just three offloads completed all evening in Napier.

The Pumas have the platform from set piece and ruck to provide their backs with good ball, but they are not using it well.

That remains their coaches’ greatest challenge. Solve it, and the Pumas can elevate themselves to the status of genuine contenders.