Los Pumas stun All Blacks in Wellington

MATCH REPORT: Stalwart Agustin Creevy scored the decisive try as an inspired Argentina stunned New Zealand 38-30 in their Rugby Championship Test in Wellington on Saturday.

The Pumas scored four tries to three to notch just their third-ever win over New Zealand, with 39-year-old hooker Creevy putting Argentina in front when he crossed late in the game to hand All Black coach Scott Robertson his first defeat.

Robertson’s tenure opened with two tense home wins over England last month but they couldn’t hold out against a committed Pumas side who trailed 15-20 at half-time.

Argentina won the physical exchanges in the second half, their forward pack superbly led by flank and captain Pablo Matera.

Flyhalf Santiago Carreras kept the scoreboard ticking over, landing seven of eight shots at goal for an 18-point haul, including a penalty in the dying minutes to extend Argentina’s lead to eight points and seal a famous victory.

All Black flyhalf Damian McKenzie kicked 15 points and set up two tries but his side were guilty of too many mistakes against opponents who feasted on errors.

It continues a nightmare run of results for the All Blacks in Wellington, where they haven’t won any of their last five Tests, dating back to 2018.

They began well enough, with McKenzie landing an early penalty before he set up a sweeping try to lock Sam Darry through an audacious chip 10 metres from his own tryline.

Lucio Cinti responded with a try for Argentina after midfield partner Santiago Chocobares sliced through the defence on the halfway line.

McKenzie and Carreras traded penalties before McKenzie’s deft pass put Chiefs teammate Anton Lienert-Brown outside a defender to score.

Wing Mateo Carreras lifted the Pumas within five points on the stroke of half-time, pouncing when a high kick was batted back loosely by the All Blacks to dart over.

Argentina snatched the lead two minutes after the interval when lock Franco Molina powered over from a line-out drive for his first Test try.

Winr Mark Tele’a crossed to put the All Blacks 30-25 ahead nearing the final quarter.

But Argentina finished the stronger, with Test centurion Creevy powering over next to the posts in one of the highlights of his 18-year career with the Pumas.

The teams meet again in Auckland next Saturday.

Man of the match: Flyhald Santiago Carreras directed play excellently on attack and he kept the scoreboard ticking over with his accurate boot. However, the award goes to Pablo Matera who was all over the park for Los Pumas and led by example in the game’s final stages.

The scorers:

For New Zealand:
Tries: Darry, Lienert-Brown, Tele’a
Cons: McKenzie 3
Pens: McKenzie 3

For Argentina:
Tries: Cinti, M Carreras, Molina, Creevy
Cons: Carreras 3
Pens: Carreras 4

Teams:

New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Mark Tele’a, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Tupou Vaa’i, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan De Groot.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Wallace Sititi, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Rieko Ioane, 23 Will Jordan.

Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Luio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera (captain), 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Eduardo Bello, 2 Ignacio Ruiz, 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Efrain Elias, 20 Tomas Lavanini, 21 Joaquin Oviedo, 22 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 23 Tomas Albornoz.

Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (Australia) and Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)