Ruthless All Blacks back on track after blitzing Argentina at Eden Park

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New Zealand rode a first-half try blitz to a 42-10 victory over Argentina in the Rugby Championship at Auckland’s Eden Park on Saturday to avenge last week’s shock loss to the Pumas in Wellington.
Damian McKenzie, skipper Ardie Savea, Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan and Beauden Barrett all crossed to give the All Blacks a 35-3 lead at halftime despite teeming rain and strong winds at the spiritual home of New Zealand rugby.
Jordan added his second try soon after the break to drive home the advantage but the Pumas managed to stem the flood of tries before scoring one of their own through Juan Cruz Mallia in the 72nd minute.
Flyhalf McKenzie converted all six All Blacks tries with a perfect night from the kicking tee as New Zealand extended their 30-year unbeaten run at Eden Park to 50 tests.
“Very happy to get the win and respond the way we did,” said New Zealand captain Savea.
“We’re the All Blacks, we’ve got to bring that every week and not rely on a loss to get that response from us.”
The All Blacks had clearly learned the lessons of last week’s 38-30 defeat and took a big step up in precision, execution, game management and physicality in difficult conditions.
Argentina’s rush defence was unpicked by a Jordie Barrett chip that sent McKenzie over for the first try in the sixth minute and number eight Savea barged over for the second 11 minutes later.
A smart interception by lock Tupou Vaa’i laid the groundwork for winger Clarke’s score in the 24th minute and a brilliant offload from scrumhalf TJ Perenara sent Jordan in for his first try on the half-hour mark.
There was still time for Barrett to run a superb line and cut through the defence on a McKenzie pass for the fifth try which sent the Pumas into the break 32 points down with only a Santiago Carreras penalty on the board.
The electric Jordan, making his first start of the season after coming back from injury, forced his way over the line for his 33rd try in 33 internationals shortly after the resumption.
Argentina then tested the New Zealand tryline defence through several phases but replacement prop Joel Sclavi knocked on in the process of touching down for what would have their opening try.
Fullback Mallia finally got the Pumas over the line under the posts eight minutes from time and replacement New Zealand hooker Asafo Aumua was shown a yellow card to leave the home side short-handed for the last four minutes.
“We weren’t good enough this week, we need to be more consistent, week in, week out,” Argentina captain Julian Montoya said.
“I’m proud of team that we went to look for the game until the last minute. But against this team, you can’t give them one half.”
The All Blacks next head over to South Africa for two tests against the world champion Springboks, while Argentina host Australia in La Plata and Santa Fe in their next two matches in the southern hemisphere championship. Reuters
A reminder that Australia v South Africa in Perth kicks off in half an hour and you can follow all the action live with Telegraph Sport.
Until then, goodbye!
That bonus-point victory sees New Zealand leap-frog Argentina into second, tied on points with leaders South Africa.
That was not the end of today’s Rugby Championship action. Next up, we have a much-changed South Africa taking on a wounded Wallabies in Perth.
You can follow it all with us by clicking here.
81 per cent tackle completion and 21 (!) turnovers conceded in Auckland.
Scrum success 75 per cent, too.
The review will be a dispiriting watch.
Thoughts? It is certainly at least a yellow but I’m also not convinced it’s a red. The head contact is minimal and M Carreras does suddenly change direction.
Asafo Aumua’s tackle.#NZLvARG pic.twitter.com/0x74aZIew1
 
50 Tests unbeaten at Eden Park 🔥What a turnaround for the All Blacks after last weekend 💪 pic.twitter.com/KMeCVuclbY
And that is that. New Zealand excellent, Argentina awful. If anything, the scoreline actually flatters the Pumas.
For the All Blacks, last week’s demon has been well and truly exorcised.
A late penalty to Argentina – with Tele’a booting the ball into the crowd – causes some confusion, but we play on. The pitch invaders have to wait.
Argentina go hunting for a second try but Los Pumas throw an interception. New Zealand flirt with the idea of a counter but by the time they reach halfway, they decide against it.
Yep, New Zealand penalty. If this game had been closer, Argentina might have had one or two props in the bin by now.
All Blacks head to the corner but B Barrett kicks dead! So, the final play of the game will be an Argentinian scrum from the same spot.
Aumua’s yellow will remain a yellow, incidentally.
Argentina give it one last roll of the dice from halfway but Chocobares’ pass is almost comically poor, flying forward straight onto the floor.
A New Zealand scrum now – and we all know which way this is going…
The attack comes to nothing as Ruiz knocks on while attempting to pick and drive. 
And in the ensuing scrum, you guessed it, Argentina infringe. 
New Zealand clear as M Carreras departs for an HIA.
That’s Aumua’s afternoon finished. It’s a yellow card but it will be reviewed.
The initial contact was definitely the chest and shoulder but there was some head contact – albeit not heavy.
Argentina go to the corner.
With Argentina looking for a second try, Aumua has absolutely crunched M Carreras.
But was it legal? We’re going upstairs. It looked as if there was some head-on-head contact…
An easy shot from in front of the posts for Albornoz.
A consolation for the Pumas – and it was end-to-end stuff!
New Zealand’s attack ends with a Ioane knock-on inside the Argentina 22 but Matera does not want the scrum – he kicks downfield!
The chase is good and Cinti comes up with it, aided by Kremer, as the Pumas launch an attack in the New Zealand 22. Almost everyone has a go – Chocobares with a good burst before Sclavi rumbles. Eventually, Mallia finds a gap close to the ruck and wriggles his way over.
There’s a cry of anguish from Savea as he carries like a truck into M Carreras and Albornoz. Los Pumas are offside in the midfield and New Zealand kick to the corner…
Jordan gets isolated on the counter. Cinti and Albornoz in tandem win the holding-on penalty and Argentina don’t hang around before putting it in the corner.
But it comes to nothing as Blackadder gets up to disrupt the line-out and cause a Pumas knock-on.
Argentina empty the bench but the immediate impact of that is a shambolic line-out, with the Pumas not actually lifting anyone on their own ball.
J Barrett breaks, feeds Lienert-Brown, and only a grubber which trickles over the goal-line saves more danger for Argentina, who clear with a drop-out.
An awful exit from Argentina, as Albornoz opts to run and gets high in the contact and held up.
New Zealand put in on the Pumas’ 22.
Argentina infringe once again and B Barrett gives the All Blacks a line-out inside the Pumas’ 22. New Zealand send Ioane up the middle but there’s a knock-on on the floor so the visitors survive with a scrum. Just what they want!
It’s more than a suspicion – there’s a massive knock-on, unfortunately for Argentina.
The game restarts with a New Zealand five-metre scrum and, unsurprisingly, it ends with an All Blacks penalty.
Sclavi is over the line here – from the closest of range – and Piardi thinks he’s scored.
There’s a “suspicion” of a knock-on, though, so we’re going up to the TMO…
Argentina with their best attack of the half. Kremer has a surge, Gallo too, before Albornoz tries to step his way through.
Some of the defensive shots from the All Blacks have been frightening but there are some penalties leaked, too.
It’s a warning for the All Blacks and Argentina opt to tap and go… 
Better from Argentina – but that’s not hard, in truth.
Oviedo gets Los Pumas up and running after a scrum free-kick. Argentina settle into some phases – Cinti with the leg drive, Gonzalez with some quick feet – before Darry piles over the top.
Penalty to the visitors, who go to the corner as New Zealand ring the changes.
Argentina change their half-backs – surely out of desperation – but it’s all still a little ragged. Matera wins a holding-on penalty which is about one of the only positives of the opening 47 minutes so far.
McKenzie is on fire off the tee tonight.
This is a demolition.
Savea breaks blind off the scrum before feeding Jordan, as New Zealand enter the 22. The forwards pummel before J Barrett puts a deft pass in to Jordan, arching in midfield. It required some finishing – it looked as though he might be held up – but the wing finished well for his second.
The second 40 could not have started worse.
Gonzalez rises for the restart but the flanker is held up by Taylor and Blackadder.
Scrum New Zealand with the half barely a minute old.
Nine turnovers in that first half from Argentina. Concerning. That needs tidying up.
 
Damian McKenzie fait du Damian McKenzie pic.twitter.com/CAnCng61U6
So damn good from TJ. 🤤 #NZLvARG pic.twitter.com/6GaF2xPlt2
Argentina’s line-out is sloppy as Matera fires it to the ground. There’s a New Zealand knock-on but there’s no advantage and no time for the scrum.
Piardi blows for half-time and Los Pumas have some thinking to do.
Five New Zealand tries in a much improved performance, but as good as the All Blacks have been, Argentina have been as bad.
Oh, Damian, that’s magical. The fly-half does brilliantly to stop a 50:22 and then as casually as you like picks the ball up one-handed to feed J Barrett to clear.
But it ends with a scrum and… an Argentinian penalty! They go to the corner…
Five from five. Impressive in these conditions.
Yep, Argentina would have been happy to just head into half-time without conceding.
It’s another stylish score, but Argentina are dropping off tackles and physicality-wise, are about 1,000 miles off the pace.
After some precise New Zealand phase play, B Barrett cuts a stunning line off McKenzie and the fly-half picks the perfect pass. The full-back streaks home untouched.
Los Pumas look desperate for half-time here – and might even be happy to just not concede again.
Their attack barely gets beyond two phases before S Carreras knocks on; then, after New Zealand clear, Oviedo’s offload is misplaced.
The All Blacks clear after Gonzalez is penalised for not rolling away and they will have another attack.
Touchline left and right, McKenzie can’t miss tonight!
That’s a little beauty from New Zealand and you have to say that’s probably the ball game – on 30 minutes.
Perenara breaks blind from a scrum and his ability to draw both Bertranou and S Carreras is class – but, admittedly, shoddy defence from that duo.
The scrum-half then feeds Jordan and no one is stopping him with a clear run to the line from 20 metres out.
It says a lot about Argentina’s opening 30 minutes to that they have just failed to get a jumper in the air for a four-man New Zealand line-out.
The throw was not straight so under the new laws it is ‘play on’; had Argentina jumped, however, they would have had the scrum.
Three from three from McKenzie and that was tough, especially in these conditions.
Is this game… already over? It’s not far.
Oh… it’s well finished by the All Blacks but it’s a howler from Argentina.
After a couple of charge-downs, M Carreras does well to get back and secure possession. Argentina, from their own line, spot space out wide for Gonzalez and off he goes up to the 22.
But his support ruck over the ball and allow it to be declared out. Bertranou goes to play it but passes the ball straight to Darry, who has spotted the ball as out.
Two or three passes later and Clarke is strolling over untouched in the corner. Simple.
Goodness, another monster New Zealand scrum ends in a penalty.
This is unsustainable for Argentina.
Williams is offside chasing the New Zealand clearance so Argentina have a penalty which they kick to the corner.
Los Pumas maul but in transferring the ball back there is a knock-on, with Williams proving himself to be a bit of a nuisance.
Two from two so far for the All Blacks’ fly-half.
New Zealand keep it tight after a decent line-out maul. Williams has a surge before Savea drives over.
What an opening 17 minutes he’s had.
A bad couple of minutes for Argentina.
Bertranou runs out of time for his clearing box-kick before the scrum disintegrates and New Zealand win a penalty.
To the corner, the All Blacks go…
The fly-half cuts the deficit to four.
Lomax is guilty of a no-arms tackle and Montoya points to the sticks. S Carreras will have a relatively routine attempt at goal.
Momentary panic for the All Blacks there as S Carreras’s chip is semi-charged-down and squirts into no man’s land. Perenara gets back to dive onto the loose ball but Gallo is over eager and concedes and offside penalty.
But McKenzie is too greedy with the 50:22 attempt a few phases later and the ball sails out on the full.
Argentina will throw in near the New Zealand 22.
An easy sighter for the fly-half.
A sumptuous chip-and-chase from the fly-half gives New Zealand an early lead.
The build-up was accurate and aggressive, with Perenara getting onto the end of Taylor’s nifty line-out move, but did the scrum-half illegally jump into a tackle? It certainly looked like it.
New Zealand’s Achilles Heel, the line-out, strikes again.
After winning a penalty the All Blacks kick to the corner and throw long, but Argentina disrupt and clear.
New Zealand are coming back, though – Taylor is off down the touchline after a nifty line-out move.
Savea’s had his breakfast!
He collects a McKenzie chip – after earlier hammering Matera in the tackle – and sits down M Carreras emphatically.
Unfortunately, however, with the greasy surface, Savea slides into touch, but he head the wherewithal to slip the ball inside to ricochet off a Pumas player. 
The All Blacks will throw in.
It was almost 60 seconds!
After S Carreras knocks on, B Barrett kicks away the scrum advantage. It’s a shrewd nudge and Gonzalez is forced to track back, harried by the New Zealand back row and Jordan.
Eventually, Los Pumas clear but only to just outside their own 22. New Zealand will throw in.
It took 60 minutes last week for the first scrum – with this weather, it could take just 60 seconds today.
S Carreras gets us under way!
…and the camera pans to Kremer. He looks up for it. Petrifying.
Time for the anthems and the haka… and kick-off is next!
Looks a bit drizzly in Auckland.
New Zealand have not lost at Auckland’s Eden Park since 1994; the closest they have come is a draw with the Lions in 2017.
Do you think Argentina can replicate last week’s result and pull off Mission Impossible?
Let us know in the comments.
It is Andrea Piardi, who makes is Rugby Championship debut at Eden Park.
What a day for the Italian.
Want to relive Argentina’s stunning victory in Wellington last week?
The back row were superb in a victory built on smart tactics and opportunism.
Below, my colleague, Charlie Morgan, walks you through it.
How Argentina derailed the All Blacks in their own backyard – again
Those reactions from Argentina! 🙌Both sides giving absolutely everything! 💥 pic.twitter.com/MW8XELJla8
New Zealand starting XV: B Barrett; W Jordan, R Ioane, J Barrett, C Clarke; D McKenzie, TJ Perenara; T Williams, C Taylor, T Lomex, T Vaa’i, S Darry, E Blackadder, D Papali’i, A Savea (c).Replacements: A Aumua, O Tu’ungafasi, F Newell, J Lord, S Cane, C Ratima, A Lienert-Brown, M Tele’a.
Argentina starting XV: JC Mallia; M Moroni, L Cinti, S Chocobares, M Carreras; S Carreras, G Bertranou; T Gallo, J Montoya (c), L Sordoni, M Kremer, P Rubiolo, P Matera, JM Gonzalez, J Oviedo.Replacements: I Ruiz, M Vivas, J Sclavi, F Molina, T Lavanini, LB Velez, T Albornoz, B Delguy.
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of the second round of the Rugby Championship, with New Zealand once again hosting Argentina.
After last weekend’s mammoth upset, if Los Pumas were to repeat the same feat today, at the usually impenetrable Eden Park, then it would come as the greatest victory in their history – no question. And, one of the greatest victories in the history of the sport.
The last time the All Blacks lost at Eden Park, rugby union was still an amateur game. It was in 1994, against a France side playing in their archetypally audacious style, and no one has conquered the Auckland fortress since. The Lions came close in 2017, securing a draw which earnt a tied series in New Zealand but Eden Park has remained impregnable since.
For today, there have been changes to both sides. New Zealand have clearly identified areas which struggled – the line-out, as against England, was quite disastrous last weekend – while Argentina, in Felipe Contepomi’s first championship as head coach, have refused to rest on their laurels. Last weekend, Argentina scored 38 points in the 38-30 victory, their most against New Zealand and the most that the All Blacks had ever conceded at home.
“We’ve reflected deeply on our performance and our preparation individually and collectively is something we have all owned,” said New Zealand head coach, Scott Robertson, who is also leading his side in the Rugby Championship for the first time. “Our intent and focus has shifted solely to Eden Park.”
That focus will be vital for today’s seismic contest. A New Zealand victory and their dreams of Rugby Championship victory will be reality once again; but should Argentina pull off the unthinkable then it will be Los Pumas who will be spoken about as potential champions.
The confirmed line-ups and team news are next!