The All Blacks sit atop the Rugby Championship standings after a 28-9 bonus point win against the Pumas in Napier. In wet conditions, New Zealand had a little too much class and precision to set themselves up nicely for the Boks next week.
The match was engrossing throughout. After trading penalties, a beautiful Conrad Smith grubber set Julian Savea up for the first of his two tries in the 26th minute. This followed up a grubber earlier in the same movement, brilliantly regathered by Brodie Retallick.
At the other end, the Argentinians followed a pretty familiar pattern for those who stayed up to watch their games against South Africa: set piece excellence interspersed with some great offloading play through the forwards. There is serious quality in this team and they look to use the ball much more than previous Puma vintages, even in the conditions. A dry track on the Gold Coast next week would suit them.
The turning point came right on half-time. With the score at 8-6 to the All Blacks, the Pumas took a lineout, mauled well, and set up a drop goal, which missed to the left. The play then went up the other end and everyone was thinking about Oranges. But the Pumas somehow lost a scrum ball on their own feed, Beauden Barrett stepped straight inside his opposite number, and then found Liam Messam backing up on the inside for a great try, a real heartbreaker for the Argentines.
Straight after the break, the ABs scored from a scrum set move. Barrett popped a no look ball off his outside shoulder straight onto Savea’s chest. The big fella cruised into the gap and, though 20 metres out, was never going to be stopped. There was something very Cooper-Ioane 2011 about it. When is Henry Speight eligible again?
Remarkably, for all his excellent general play, Barrett’s goal kicking was leaving a lot to be desired and the score was only 18-6 at this point. Argentina were then handed their chance as Ma’a Nonu underhit a chip deep in his own half. Puma 8 Leonardo Senatore charged the ball down, regathered, and galloped away to score. The ref – for reasons best known to him – called it back as a knock on. Argentina’s heads went down and they never recovered.
A late try off a big scrum saw Aaron Smith ease in between the posts. 28-9 the final score and five Rugby Championship points to boot.
For the ABs, Retallick was again massive: holding up ball runners at will and putting in a huge shift around the park. He even managed to get a full blooded kick in the face, studs and all, when trying to charge down a box kick. He manned up and stayed out there. Very impressive. Savea caused problems whenever he got the ball and Read was his usual quality self.
For the Pumas, the pack looks outstanding and the scrum is, at times, full of bosh. Less recognised is their lineout, which was just as effective tonight as in their matches against the Boks, aided by a very effective and well-organised maul. Frankly, the Wallabies should study the tapes hard, not just to counter the Argies on the Gold Coast next week, but to copy whatever it is that they’re doing. It’s obvious those plate size steaks and sturdy Merlots are doing the job. The Argie forwards play hard and play for each other, and it shows.
I couldn’t avoid mentioning the reffing from Pascal Gauzere (and his helpers). The Argentinians weren’t quite good enough for the win, but a string of refereeing decisions killed their chances. The 50-50s went relentlessly to New Zealand. A big no arms hit without the ball from Julian Savea earned only a penalty. A player clean tackled while chasing down a grubber in behind the All Blacks’ line, just 5 metres out, went unpunished. And, to top it off, Senatore’s try ruled out as a knock-on. Somehow.
By full time, the Argentine veterans were exhausted at telling the ref to check the TMO. That’s what it’s there for. At times, the Argies must have felt like a cricket team in Islamabad circa 1984, with the ump sticking the finger up before the ball had even hit the pad.
The reffing at scrum time also left a lot to be desired: the Pumas just weren’t getting full value for their dominance (save the tight head), which I guess is the highest compliment to the All Black front row.
And it wasn’t just the Argies who had cause to complain. In the first minute Savea was taken out chasing a chip deep in Puma territory. And in the second half, there was a classic Bakkies Botha headbut on Richie McCaw in the ruck. Both had yellow card written all over them. A dead set, local park standard, shocker from the officials.
The bottom line is that it the whole tournament is on a knife edge heading into next week’s games. The Wallabies will be hoping that three tough games will have broken the Puma spirit and that they can get a good win up in Queensland. The All Blacks host the Boks in the other game. On the form shown in Perth, the Boks just can’t win unless they acknowledge the importance of actually using the ball. The All Blacks just have too many ways to score: relentless up and unders won’t be enough.
That being said, a Bok win (coupled with a home Wallaby win) would bring the ABs back to the pack and set up a great final stretch for the tournament, with all three teams a chance to take home the big one.
