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SANCHEZ DOMINA:
The Pumas took control of the match early and did not give up, achieving their first win in 30 Tests against NZ thanks to their defense.
Argentina yesterday shook off more than 13 months of inactivity to clinch their first win over New Zealand, beating the All Blacks 25-15 in a Three Nations Test on neutral ground in Sydney.
Flyhalf Nicolás Sánchez scored all of Argentina’s points on a first-half try, six penalties and a conversion, taking them to an insurmountable 16-3 lead at halftime.
New Zealand, coming off a loss to Australia last weekend, was hoping for an easier time against a team from Argentina playing their first Test since the World Cup in Japan in October last year.
Photo: AFP
Instead, the Pumas took control of the match early on and refused to give it up, recording their first win in 30 Tests against New Zealand since their first in 1985.
Argentina did not miss an inning in the match, neutralizing their opponent’s attacking play and closing off an attempted resurgence by the All Blacks in the second half.
Captain Sam Cane scored a try for the All Blacks in the 53rd minute, but it was not the start of a winning rally. With unwavering defense and outstanding work on the loose, Argentina maintained control of possession and pace.
Photo: AFP
Their only points after halftime were three penalties from Sánchez, but they were enough to keep New Zealand at bay.
Although Argentina visibly tired in the final 15 minutes, as expected from a team playing for the first time in 13 months and five days, they continued to make the vital entries.
When No. 8 Hoskins Sotutu threw a pass into contact with his winger unmarked and the line open in the 72nd minute, New Zealand’s last hope of saving the match evaporated and a try after the full-time siren to Caleb. Clarke was a bit of comfort.
At the final whistle there was jubilation among the Pumas players, some of whom recovered from COVID-19 during the team’s long absence from the testing arena.
In the coaches box, head coach Mario Ledesma and his advisor, former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, celebrated one of the greatest coaches’ achievements in the history of the Test.
“This is a great day for Argentine rugby,” said Pumas captain Pablo Matera, who had a great influence on his team’s performance. “This is a great day for our country and our people. It was very difficult to come here and prepare for this tournament and we just wanted to show our people that they have been through a lot that with a lot of determination they can do things ”.
Argentina took control of the match in the first half, playing with more determination and precision than New Zealand and setting a slow pace that suited their game.
They could not dominate as expected, asserting their strength in set pieces. More than 30 minutes had elapsed before the first scrum and the ones that followed were often unsightly.
Instead, they took over the loose match where the All Blacks were outmatched again, as they were in last weekend’s 24-22 loss to Australia.
Argentina’s ball carriers hit targets that ensured that forwards were quickly available to clear on misses and maintain possession.
In a physical and contentious match, New Zealand’s discipline was poor and they paid a lot for unnecessarily getting involved in fights off the ball.
Their game was disorganized and there were no targets for lazy forwards to be the first to fall.
Argentina were often able to claim possession by taking advantage of isolated players.
Sánchez’s try came in the 19th minute when he kicked the All Blacks’ backline and the ball landed in space. No. 8 Rodrigo Bruni pushed the ball forward and Sanchez rallied to score under the posts, giving his team an early 10-3 lead.
The All Blacks were nervous and couldn’t pull themselves together, even during the halftime break.
Cane scored from a lineout drive, but there was never any indication of a concerted rally.
“They had a lot more intensity, more speed on the line and their defense was excellent tonight,” Cane said.
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