All Black coach: 'We couldn't get off the back fence'
REACTION: All Black head coach Scott Robertson offered no excuses for his team’s mistake-ridden display against Argentina in their Rugby Championship opener 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 Agustin Creevy putting the visitors in front when he crossed late in the game to hand Robertson his first defeat.
“We weren’t good enough,” said Robertson.
“It started from the kick-off, we couldn’t get off the back fence.”
He added: “We would get ahead, but made too many errors.
“What we are training and doing are two different things.
“We couldn’t execute the plan.”
The story continues below…
Argentina flank and captain Pablo Matera said his team never felt out of the contest as they produced a second win over the All Blacks on New Zealand soil – having achieved the feat for the first time two years ago in Christchurch.
“I kept pushing the boys, trying to give them energy, because I knew we had a big chance today [Saturday] and we had to take it,” Matera said.
“We had a great week of preparation, we had a plan and we stuck to it, even when the score wasn’t in our favour and got the win.”
The story continues below…
Creevy believed his team have it within them to repeat the result when the teams meet again at Auckland’s Eden Park next week.
“We talked during the week about hitting first, we did that,” he said.
“It’s personal – I’m 39, to win in New Zealand is so important for me and the whole team.
“Now we need to calm down and win next week, we have never won two games in a row [against New Zealand] so we are going for that.”
Laying down the challenge 😤#AllBlacks #NZLvARG pic.twitter.com/7R4qcnvMWH
— All Blacks (@AllBlacks) August 10, 2024
