Argentina Make History With First Home Win Against New Zealand In Rugby Championship

An inspired Argentina played pinch greater subject to upset New Zealand 29-23 successful a bruising Rugby Championship Test connected Saturday to grounds their first ever location triumph complete nan All Blacks.

The Pumas were out-scored 3 tries to 2 successful Buenos Aires but replacement fly-half Santiago Carreras landed 3 second-half penalties to push them clear and respond successful style to last week’s 41-24 conclusion successful Córdoba.

Captain Julián Montoya said his squad was lifted to a higher level successful beforehand of passionate supporters astatine Estadio Velez Sarsfield.

“The stadium was rocking, honestly it was amazing. I’m really proud of nan squad and nan full squad,” Montoya said aft his broadside toppled nan only tier 1 federation they’d ne'er beaten astatine home.

“It’s a squad effort and a squad sport. I’m really proud. We believed that we could triumph – we’ve believed for a fewer years now.

“We came backmost from a reliable nonaccomplishment successful nan past crippled and we stayed successful nan fight.”

Argentina had mislaid each 15 erstwhile location Tests against New Zealand, stretching backmost 40 years to 1985.

Damian McKenzie landed a precocious punishment extremity to gain New Zealand a prize point, meaning they apical nan Rugby Championship standings aft 2 rounds.

All 4 teams person recorded a triumph and a nonaccomplishment aft nan Springboks earlier hit nan Wallabies 30-22 successful Cape Town.

The seventh-ranked Pumas afloat deserved victory, dominating each facets against a New Zealand broadside who will cling to their No 1 world ranking.

The visitors’ origin wasn’t helped by conceding 3 yellowish cards, including 2 precocious successful nan first half that near them defending pinch 13 men.

Argentina celebrates aft nan historical triumph astatine José Amalfitani Stadium. Photograph: Rodrigo Valle/Getty Images

New Zealand skipper Scott Barrett admitted his squad were outplayed.

“I deliberation they showed much passion and intensity,” Barrett said.

“They sewage complete nan summation statement and they held nan ball, while we gave distant penalties which conscionable fed their game. They’re a value squad and we were outclassed.”

Barrett said location will beryllium soul-searching wrong nan All Blacks up of their adjacent match, erstwhile they put a 34-year unbeaten tally astatine Auckland’s Eden Park connected nan statement against nan Springboks connected 6 September.

“We’ve sewage a week backmost astatine location and I’m judge location will beryllium a spot of symptom wrong this group because we’ve sewage a large situation nan pursuing week,” Barrett said.

“We surely request a bounce.”

Argentina suffered a rustle erstwhile influential fly-half Tomás Albornoz was forced retired of nan game, soon aft scoring nan opening points done a punishment goal.

Trailing 6-3, nan All Blacks enjoyed a play of power midway done nan first half, pinch centre Billy Proctor and prop Fletcher Newell scoring tries from slick squad moves.

However, a yellowish paper to New Zealand fullback Will Jordan for deliberate obstruction swung momentum.

The Pumas drew level done flanker Juan Martín González’s effort and All Blacks guardant Tupou Vaa’i was sent to nan misdeed bin for a deliberate knockdown during nan aforesaid transition of play.

Playing pinch a two-man advantage, nan location broadside were foiled successful their attempts to return a lead into nan interval, pinch nan scores alternatively locked astatine 13-all.

Carreras landed 2 penalties earlier Argentina pulled 13 points clear midway done nan 2nd stanza erstwhile scrum-half Gonzalo García scored, popping nan shot complete nan tryline aft a rampaging complaint from awesome back-rower Pablo Matera.

New Zealand threatened a comeback aft a driving maul effort to Samisoni Taukei’aho but their hopes buckled erstwhile helping Sevu Reece was shown a yellowish paper for a deliberate foul.

With Reuters