Scott Barrett returns to lead All Blacks against Argentina
New Zealand will be favoured to beat Argentina, but the days when an All Blacks victory over the Pumas was taken for granted are over.
Coach Scott Robertson has gone with experience, with Barrett starting alongside Netherlands-born Fabian Holland in the second row.
Ardie Savea was picked at No.8 for what will be his 98th Test for the All Blacks and 100th match.
Tupou Vaa'i returns after missing the Hamilton win through injury to slot in at blindside flanker and Du'Plessis Kirifi was selected at openside.
Cortez Ratima starts at scrumhalf with the returning Beauden Barrett at flyhalf.
The bench is also packed with experience, with backs Finlay Christie, Anton Lienert-Brown and Damian McKenzie boasting 172 Test caps between them.
"We've had a great week of training in Buenos Aires and the group is ready to go out and perform," Robertson said.
"We know the Pumas identity is a fast and physical game and we've selected a team that will embrace the occasion.
"It's been 30 years since the All Blacks played in Cordoba and we are looking forward to the passion and energy of the home crowd."
Three-time World Cup winners New Zealand won 28 of the first 29 Tests against the South Americans, with the other drawn.
But the unpredictable Pumas have won three of 10 internationals between the countries since, two of which came in Christchurch and Wellington.
New Zealand warmed up for the Rugby Championship with a hat-trick of home victories over a France side lacking many resting stars, including scrum-half Antoine Dupont.
Team v Argentina: Will Jordan; Sevu Reece, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane; Beauden Barrett, Cortez Ratima; Ardie Savea, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Tupou Vaa'i; Fabian Holland, Scott Barrett (capt); Fletcher Newell, Codie Taylor, Ethan de Groot
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
15 hours ago
- France 24
All Blacks beat Argentina 41-24 to reclaim top world rank
Ahead 31-10 at the interval, New Zealand held off a second-half fightback from the Pumas in Cordoba and ultimately emerged victors by scoring six tries to three. The All Blacks clinched the world number one ranking for the first time since 2021, leapfrogging world champions South Africa, who were stunned 38-22 by Australia in Johannesburg in the tournament opener. Winger Sevu Reece also scored a double for the visitors while fly-half Beauden Barrett kicked 11 points and was a controlling figure with his tactical kicking. Barrett's opposite Tomas Albornoz scored 14 points, including a try, but the Pumas were unable to end their winless record on home soil against New Zealand, which stretches to 15 matches. The result continues an unbeaten start to the year for the All Blacks, who swept France 3-0 in their June home series. All Blacks captain Scott Barrett said he was pleased with the result but conceded his team had only played well in patches. "We talked about starting well and I think we did that. We finished the second half quite strong - it was a bit of a statement there," said Barrett, whose team fell away badly in the closing stages of several Rugby Championship matches last year. "In the second half we were a little bit slow and probably a little bit of indiscipline fed their game, which was disappointing and allowed the crowd to get in behind them. "They threw a lot of punches at us and I'm pleased the guys who finished the game were able to win some arm wrestles, get some territory and most importantly come away with a good win." Reece scored the opening try after an early Beauden Barrett penalty before Argentina responded, when pressure created an overlap for winger Rodrigo Isgro. Pumas prop Mayco Vivas was shown a yellow card for a professional foul and New Zealand capitalised on their one-man advantage. Fullback Will Jordan sliced through on the halfway line and sent scrum-half Cortez Ratima clear for the best try of the match and a 17-7 lead. The visitors took control late in the first half through a try to back-rower Ardie Savea - arguably the game's best player - followed by Reece's second score. Albornoz kick-started Argentina's second-half rearguard with a tackle-busting try. New Zealand lost centre Billy Proctor to a yellow card and the home side closed to within seven points through a try to back-rower Joaquin Oviedo. However, All Blacks replacement hooker Taukei'aho sucked the energy out of the crowd by barging across to score twice in the last 12 minutes. The teams meet again in Buenos Aires next week.
France 24
a day ago
- France 24
Captain Wilson scores twice as Australia stun South Africa
Trailing by 22 points after 19 minutes, the Wallabies scored 38 unanswered points for a first victory over the Springboks in the South African economic capital since 1963. Backs Dylan Pietsch, Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii, Max Jorgensen and Tom Wright were the other Australian try scorers and veteran James O'Connor, recalled after a three-year absence, converted four. Kurt-Lee Arendse, Andre Esterhuizen and captain Siya Kolisi crossed the line for the defending champions. Manie Libbok converted twice and slotted a penalty. "This win is right up there, especially since it has been 60-odd years since we tasted success in Joburg," said veteran Australia prop James Slipper. "We have worked hard and we have got a bit of confidence, but we are still building. Credit to the boys that they stuck in there, and the bench really added value. "We had a bit of a slow start and the Boks started really fast, but we kinda knew that they would come at us hard. "It is such a special moment, it is a tough ask to come here and play the world champions. We will gain a lot of confidence from this result. "It will be another tough game next weekend (in Cape Town) and we will prepare hard. The Springboks are hurting and will want revenge." 'Sorry for the performance' South Africa captain Siya Kolisi, a flanker playing at No 8 for the first time in a 94-Test career, said: "The things we worked on, like discipline and the breakdown, they did not work. "We let ourselves down and it was unacceptable the way we performed, especially after a start like that. "Yes, there were errors, but it was the breakdown -- we would get into their 22 and they would steal the ball. "We took our foot off while they kept on fighting. We are not proud of that performance today. "We will lift ourselves up and fight again next week. Whoever gets the opportunity to play must take it. Thank you to our supporters and sorry for the performance." Record four-time Rugby World Cup winners South Africa were unstoppable in the early stages on a grey evening at Ellis Park with scrum-half Grant Williams playing a key role. His perfectly weighted box kicks allowed the Springboks to establish an aerial advantage and the power of the forwards had the visitors reeling. When Kolisi crossed for the third try it was hard to imagine what was to follow in the first game of the southern hemisphere championship season. The first hint that a stunning revival was imminent came on 29 minutes when Pietsch scored. He was forced to retire injured soon after following a collision with Kolisi. Australia dominated the second half, helped by endless basic errors from South Africa. When Wilson scored his second try on 64 minutes, Australia took a 24-22 lead. The Springboks were let down by a lack of pace and by missed tackles on defence in the closing stages. Jorgensen and Wright took advantage to end a run of seven straight Wallaby losses in Johannesburg. Argentina host New Zealand later on Saturday in Cordoba in the other first round match.
France 24
2 days ago
- France 24
Kildunne confident Women's Rugby World Cup 'heartbreak' can inspire England to glory
Host nation England head into the event as favourites, having lost only once in their past 58 matches - a defeat by New Zealand in the Covid-delayed 2022 World Cup final in which Kildunne played. England, top of the world rankings, have won six successive Six Nations Grand Slams and also defeated New Zealand's Black Ferns in each of the teams' past three meetings. Yet they have lost five of the last six World Cup finals to New Zealand, with 2014 -- when England beat Canada in the showpiece match -- their most recent global 15-a-side title. But for 25-year-old full-back Kildunne, this year's edition is an opportunity to put things right, with England launching the tournament against the United States in Sunderland on Friday, August 22. "We've been building to this moment for the past three years since the last World Cup and we're more than ready," she told AFP in an interview in London. Kildunne, now fully recovered from a leg injury, added: "When the last World Cup happened obviously it was heartbreak, it was heavy and that's only because we wanted it, that's because we cared about it so much. "And when you're out in New Zealand you have no idea what else is going on outside of the world. "I felt a bit of guilt that I thought we were going to change women's sports, women's rugby if we won and it felt heavy when we didn't. "But when we came back to England, I realised it was already changed, we'd already made an impact." 'Obsessed' Professional women's sport is on the rise in England and in June, the Lionesses -- the women's national football team -- retained their European Championship title by beating world champions Spain in a penalty shoot-out in the final in Basel. "We've learned so much from that and how much hard work and how sometimes it doesn't look pretty," said Kildunne, a brand ambassador for leading rugby kit supplier Canterbury. "But if you believe, if you've got that grit about you, if you really want something, you can make anything achievable. And that's something that I definitely learned from (them)." Kildunne, the reigning women's World Rugby player of the year, has scored an exceptional 41 tries in 53 Tests for England and is one of the most high-profile figures in her sport, as reflected by a large following on Instagram. But the charismatic Kildunne was clear on how she maintained a balance between her life on and off the field. "When I'm in rugby mode, I'm in rugby mode," she said. "When I'm away from rugby, I'm away from rugby, and I still have the rugby thoughts are going on in my head. "Sometimes it might be nine o'clock at night and suddenly I think of a new move and I'm like I need to message the coach because I've just thought of this move because I'm obsessed. "Rugby is the priority, always will be the priority and I wouldn't have the social media following that I have got if it wasn't for the rugby." The Red Roses, as the England women's rugby team are known, appointed New Zealand's John Mitchell as their coach in 2023 in a bid to help them take the elusive last step to World Cup glory. Mitchell, a former head coach of the men's All Blacks, has a reputation for being a stern disciplinarian but Kildunne said she had seen another side of the 61-year-old's character. "I love is not afraid to be unapologetically himself and what that does is it creates an environment that's safe to be yourself, authentically yourself," she explained. "He'll tell you straight if you're getting something wrong and he wants the best for you." Kildunne added: "You trust what he's saying, you trust when he's been lighthearted and when he's been serious for a reason. "I love what he's done for the team. Coming in with such an open heart and vulnerability, that he's shown, allows us as players to give that back to him."
