ARGENTINA don’t always help themselves and the two impossibly soft tries they conceded either side of half-time put a massive dent in their hopes of a first-ever Test victory over New Zealand, and their first win in the Rugby Championship. Having blown a lead on home soil against South Africa two weeks ago, such self-inflicted pain will be hard to endure.
But it won’t be half as hard to take as the appalling blunder by the match officials in Napier yesterday, when the Pumas were denied seven points at a time when the contest was still very much alive. Referee Pascal Gaüzère must shoulder responsibility, given he had a clear view of Leonardo Senatore’s perfectly legitimate try in the 58th minute, at which stage the Pumas trailed 18-6. Even if he didn’t see it, the giant TV screens could have shown him that the No 8 made an effective block-down on Ma’a Nonu before regathering and then touching down.
But while the Fenchman had been happy earlier in the game to reverse a touchline decision in New Zealand’s favour on the evidence of the replay, Argentina weren’t afforded that right.
If this was a turning point, it didn’t compare in magnitude to the 12 points Argentina had presented to their opponents earlier on. This was a huge concession after a tight first half played in wet conditions.
The Pumas’ aggression and power in the set-piece set up two penalties for Nicolas Sánchez and the pressure they exerted in the loose forced errors from Beauden Barrett, making his first Test start at 10 in 21 Test appearances for the All Blacks.
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When Argentina’s defensive line was breached, it took an athletic swoop by 6ft 8in Brodie Retallick to regather Barrett’s grubber and then a clever stab by Conrad Smith into the left corner for Julian Savea to pounce.
The Pumas should still have gone in ahead had Sánchez been able to convert a straightforward drop-goal — and had they not bungled horribly with the half-time hooter already sounded. How they managed to lose control of a scrum ball in midfield remains a mystery. But Barrett pounced on the turnover and his pace tore the Pumas apart. Liam Messam ran a clever support line to score.
Savea’s second try, three minutes after the restart, came as a result of amateur defending — by Juan Hernández of all people. It’s not as though Savea was invisible as he lurked on Barrett’s shoulder with lineout ball on the way. Yet Hernández left the hole and Savea ran through it to notch his 26th try in 25 Tests.
Replacement fly-half Colin Slade kicked a penalty to give the Blacks some breathing room and Kieran Read sent Aaron Smith in for a try that ensured the bonus point. The right result, but the Pumas should still feel cheated.
Star man: Julian Savea (New Zealand) New Zealand: I Dagg; B Smith, C Smith, M Nonu, J Savea; B Barrett (C Slade, 56min), A Smith (T Perenara, 73min); W Crockett (J Moody, 59min), D Coles (K Mealamu, 65min), O Franks (B Franks, 65min), B Retallick, S Whitelock (J Thrush, 25min), L Messam (S Cane 43min), R McCaw (capt), K Read. Argentina: J Tuculet; H Agulla (J Imhoff, 65min), M Bosch, J Hernández, L González Amorosino, 10 N Sánchez, M Landajo (T Cubellie, 54); M Ayerza (L Noguera Paz, 65), A Creevy (capt) (M Cortese, 74), R Herrera (N Tetaz Chaparro, 66), M Galarza (M Alemanno, 74), T Lavanini, J Leguizamon, J Fernandez Lobbe, L Senatore (R Baez, 65).