The All Blacks have made light of a lousy night in Auckland and their recent underwhelming form by thrashing Argentina 42-10 in a performance as close to a statement to the rest of the world as they could have hoped for.
After a narrow series win over England, a blowout in a festival-type game against Fiji in San Diego and a poor performance against the Pumas last weekend, the All Blacks combined a ruthless energy with accuracy and a little innovation to hammer the visitors at Eden Park.
The All Blacks generally follow Newton’s third law - for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction - after a Test defeat.
But that didn’t quite apply here because the response was disproportionate to what happened last weekend and in fact their first-half form could easily be described as their most complete effort of the year.
Simply put, the pack delivered the platform that this side have been seeking since July. With captain Ardie Savea back to his best, and Tupou Vaa’i and Sam Darry two heat-seeking missiles in the second row, the Pumas were well and truly subdued.
They did well to dig themselves out of a hole in Wellington for a deserved victory. Here the visitors just couldn’t get up again and – worse – almost looked disinterested at times.
The All Blacks scored six converted tries to one, and claimed five of their six in the first half.
The game was up at that point with just the details to follow, although it should be noted that the second half was far closer, the game losing its shape a little as both sides tired and the rain continued.
The All Blacks celebrate Ardie Savea's first-half try against Argentina at Eden Park. (Source: Photosport)
Jordie Barrett began the demolition by putting Damian McKenzie over with a perfectly-weighted kick. Savea bullied his way over from close to the line before turning provider and putting Caleb Clarke away.
Will Jordan benefited from a sharp dart by TJ Perenara and some awful defending on Argentina’s left touchline to add a fourth and Beauden Barrett scored the fifth when McKenzie put him through a gap from 20m out.
Jordan got another after the break – his 33rd try in 33 Tests – in what was a much closer second half.
Sam Cane, the former skipper, came off the bench along with four of his teammates after 51 minutes and immediately set about tackling himself to a standstill, the All Blacks denying the Pumas through a period of sustained pressure, although the visitors finally crossed the line in the final 10 minutes through fullback Juan Mallia.
Replacement hooker Asafo Aumua was busy and, eventually, destructive, although his yellow card for an impactful tackle on left wing Mateo Carreras was difficult to understand.
Throughout, the All Blacks’ scrum was dominant and their handling and defence far superior. An early dropped ball for the visitors set the tone and Argentina’s kicking and defensive awareness was substandard in the face of unrelenting pressure.
Clearly this team has what it takes to dominate opponents - and good ones at that. All of which makes their previous struggles under the new regime all the more difficult to fathom.
Argentina halfback Gonzalo Bertranou, for one, had a torrid evening, but on the other side, the impish McKenzie showed the occasional sublime touch at first-five, with Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane quickly rediscovering an excellent partnership in the midfield. Beauden Barrett was again tidy at the back.
Credit, too, should be given to referee Andrea Piardi, the first from Italy to take charge of a Rugby Championship. Piardi kept the game flowing – a previous bone of contention this year for All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson.
So, revenge gained, first Rugby Championship points of 2024 earned, and fortress defended. The All Blacks’ undefeated streak since 1994, which now numbers an extraordinary 50 Tests, will continue into next year at least.
All Blacks 42: (Will Jordan 2, Damian McKenzie, Ardie Savea, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett tries; McKenzie 6 cons)
Argentina 10: (Juan Mallia try; Santiago Carreras pen, Tomas Albornoz con)
Halftime: 35-3
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