All Blacks overcome sloppy second half to defeat Pumas
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ActionPress
A strong finish to both halves has helped the All Blacks to a 41-24 win over Argentina in their opening Rugby Championship game in Cordoba.
New Zealand scored four first half tries to grab a 31-10 lead at the break but then had to defend stoutly during the second 40 minutes.
Sevu Reece scored the All Blacks first try after just eight minutes when an overlap was created for him to cross the line untouched.
Argentina responded on the 15 minute mark when an overlap of their own allowed Rodrigo Isgro to score.
The home side then went under pressure when Mayco Vivas was yellow carded for an illegal clean out at a ruck.
Halfback Cortez Ratima scored the All Blacks second try after a break from Will Jordan.
The All Blacks closed out the first half strongly with two tries in the last five minutes.
Ardie Savea scored from a lineout maul, while Reece got his second out wide after the tourists decided to keep the ball in hand after a series of penalties.
Jordie Barrett competes for the ball.
Photo:
Hernan Cortéz / Photosport
Argentina got back into the game early in the second half with first five Tomas Albornoz cruising through some poor defence to touch down under the post.
They then dominated territory and possession which resulted in Billy Proctor being sin-binned.
Number eight Joaquin Oviedo scored their third try to close the gap to seven points with 18 minutes to play.
However the All Blacks eventually got their hands on the ball and again from a lineout were able to score their fifth try through Samisoni Taukei'aho.
Just minutes later the same lineout set-up added a sixth with Taukei'aho again getting the rewards.
The All Blacks were able to run out the game and score a comfortable win.
The two sides meet again in Buenos Aires next weekend.
Pumas:
1. Mayco Vivas, 2. Julian Montoya, 3. Pedro Delgado, 4. Franco Molina, 5. Pedro Rubiolo, 6. Pablo Matera, 7. Marcos Kremer, 8. Joaquin Oviedo, 9. Gonzalo Garcia, 10. Tomas Albornoz, 11. Bautista Delguy, 12. Santiago Chocobares, 13. Lucio Cinti, 14. Rodrigo Isgro, 15. Juan Cruz Mallia
Bench: 16. Ignacio Ruiz, 17. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18. Joel Sclavi, 19. Guido Petti, 20. Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21. Simon Benítez Cruz, 22. Santiago Carreras, 23. Justo Piccardo
All Blacks:
1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Tupou Vaa'i, 7. Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8. Ardie Savea, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Rieko Ioane, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Billy Proctor, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Will Jordan
Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Ollie Norris, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Patrick Tuipulotu, 20. Samipeni Finau, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Damian McKenzie
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