9 Sep 2017

RECAP: All Blacks vs Pumas

9:47 pm on 9 September 2017

The All Blacks proved too tough for an impressive Pumas side, beating them 39-22. Look back on RNZ's commentary with Jamie Wall.

Final score: All Blacks: 39 - Pumas: 22

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Thanks for joining us tonight for coverage of the Rugby Championship! I'll be back next weekend at QBE Stadium in Albany, where the All Blacks will take on the Spingboks.

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This was a real classic All Black 'kill switch' game, where they played all their rugby in about a 15 minute period that destroyed all the good work the Pumas had done.

Beauden Barrett had a mixed night, spraying his kicks all over the show except between the posts.

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For the All Blacks, Vaea Fifita was the undisputed standout. The blindside flanker lived up to all the hype with a dominant display that included a stunning 40m try.

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Well a bit of a scare there for the All Blacks, who were looking very shaky after 50 mins.

However, they went off the boil discipline-wise and the All Blacks cashed in.

Nicolas Sanchez scored all the points for the visitors, joining an elite club of players who have got a full house against the All Blacks with a a try, conversion, four penalties and a drop goal.

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HOOTER GOES.

Pumas with one last chance, they grubber through and give it back to the All Blacks.

They lose it, and it's a PENALTY PUMAS.

One last lineout 35m out from the All Black line.

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TRY ALL BLACKS!

Beauden Barrett finishes off the game with a try!

Off the scrum Ngani Laumape takes a hit up, then turns provider from the next ruck, putting Barrett in a huge gap to dive over in front of a happy home crowd.

Lima kicks the conversion. 39-22 All Blacks with a minute to play.

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SANCHEZ HAMMERED BEHIND HIS GOAL LINE.

5m scrum All Blacks with 4 mins to go.

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PENALTY ALL BLACKS.

This is the one that'll break the Pumas' backs.

QUICK TAP BY LIMA.

All Blacks rush up to the Pumas 5m line, BUT LOSE IT.

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All Blacks will close this one down from here, the Pumas gave them a scare earlier but this one is in the books now with 10 to go.

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COUNT IT.

Lucky Lima is kicking well tonight. 32-22 All Blacks after 69 mins.

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PENALTY ALL BLACKS.

12 mins to go and the Pumas are coming apart. Lima will line up a shot 30m out on the angle.

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NO TRY.

Forward pass!

Fifita's run was immense, but his option at the end showed how raw he is. Would've been one hell of a try, though.

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TRY ALL BLACKS MAYBE!

Vaea Fifita down the sideline AGAIN. He feeds DMac for another try, but there's a question mark over the pass.

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All Blacks have had all the ball and territory over the last 10 mins, they just need to be smart and make this a two score game.

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TRY ALL BLACKS!

DMac is on the end of concerted raid off a 5m scrum. A series of rucks close to the line drew several penalty advantages, then a good cut out ball by Lima is claimed by DMac, who squeezes over in the corner.

Lima nails the sideline conversion! 29-22 All Blacks after 65 mins.

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PENALTY ALL BLACKS.

Another one and this time Read wants a scrum 5m out.

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PENALTY ALL BLACKS.

Offside again and the Pumas better be careful here, that's a few in a row.

Lima puts the All Blacks 10m out from the Pumas line.

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NO GOOD.

22 restart to the Pumas.

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PENALTY ALL BLACKS.

Offside and you get the feeling that the All Blacks are about to hit the kill switch. Read tells Lima to have a shot first though, it's about 40m on the angle.

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JOE MOODY UP THE MIDDLE!

Huge run by the loosehead prop and the All Blacks are back in business!

He goes 40m upfield off the kickoff!

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TRY ALL BLACKS!

VAEA. FIFITA. YOU. FREAKING. BEAST.

Pumas try and clear the kick off and it gets charged. It falls into the hands of the 119kg flanker, AND HE RUNS 40M DOWNFIELD LIKE AN OLYMPIC SPRINTER!

Scores in the corner.

Lima Sopoaga has been subbed on and HE NAILS THE SIDELINE CONVERSION!

22-all JUST LIKE THAT.

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NO PROBLEM.

22-15 Pumas after 49 mins.

It's all going their way so far in this one!

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PENALTY PUMAS!

Offside, and BEAUDY GETS A YELLOW CARD for repeated team infringements!

Sanchez will line up an easy shot.

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PUMAS HARD ON ATTACK! They run the restart back and they're INTO THE 22.

UP TO THE 5 NOW!

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PENALTY PUMAS!

Again the All Blacks infringe and Sanchez will have another shot from 40m out.

NO GOOD! I must have cursed him. Wide left and it's a 22 drop out.

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OK, so the Pumas really need to maintain their composure if they're to build on this astonishing lead.

Sanchez is kicking like a dream, so they just need to get the ball in the All Blacks half and they'll keep accumulating points.

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NAILS IT. Another fantastic kick from Sanchez!

This one is suddenly VERY INTERESTING.

19-15 Pumas after 42 mins.

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RAIN COMING DOWN HARD AS WE START THE SECOND HALF.

PENALTY PUMAS.

Bad start for the All Blacks off the kickoff and Sanchez will have a shot 48m out.

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Well who saw that coming?

The All Blacks, unbackable favourites at the start of this game, find themselves trailing by a point at halftime.

If Beauden Barrett hadn't left his kicking boots down the road at his mum and dad's, the All Blacks would be in the lead, however they've created a bunch of chances.

The Pumas have only really had one, and taken it.

Nicolas Sanchez has got a first half full house, with two penalties, a drop goal, trty and conversion!

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All Blacks wing Nehe Milner-Skudder scores a try.

All Blacks wing Nehe Milner-Skudder scores a try. Photo: photosport

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ALL BLACKS BOTCH THEIR LINEOUT!

Pumas with a GREAT CHANCE.

TRY PUMAS! TRY PUMAS!

Nicolas Sanchez WITH THE SCORE.

Well the All Blacks only have themselves to blame there! Cubelli put in a beautiful touchfinder to make sure the All Blacks had to win their lineout to close out the half. It goes over the top and claimed the ball, then Sanchez dove over a couple of rucks later.

He converts his own try. 16-15 Pumas AND THAT'S HALFTIME.

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TRY ALL BLACKS!

Israel Dagg dives over in the corner! All Blacks made hard work of that, to be fair, the last pass out to Dagg was very dusty and left him with a bit of work to do. He steps inside Tuculet and scores in the far corner.

Beaudy can't hit the side of a barn tonight, it seems, as the conversion goes wide. 15-9 All Blacks after 38 mins.

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PENALTY ALL BLACKS.

Pumas offside after a series of forward runners.

Read calls a scrum, 5m out with 5 mins to go in the half.

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PENALTY ALL BLACKS and the front row goes up like Ric Flair!

WOOOOOOOO!!!

They really shoved the Argies back on that one.

BEAUDY KICKS FOR THE CORNER.

Quick ball for the All Black forwards, they're 5m out!

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Pumas do well to diffuse and force the ball back for a lineout.

ALL BLACKS COUNTER STRAIGHT AWAY.

They move straight into the 22 with a series of rucks.

DROPPED. Scrum Pumas hard on their own line with 8 mins to play in the half.

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SCRUM ALL BLACKS off the kickoff.

Argentines behind the posts bouncing up and down like it's a Boca Juniors match.

Good chance here for the All Blacks just outside the 22.

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DROP GOAL!

Sanchez bangs over a great kick from about 40m out!

Came off the back of some great play by the Pumas, retaining ball well.

10-9 All Blacks after 28 mins.

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BEAUDY BOTCHES THE KICKOFF.

Out on the full and the Pumas have a scrum on halfway.

BIG RUN BY MACOME AGAIN!

Pumas making a good fist of this first half!

Kicked up in the air, but Dmac takes a comfortable mark.

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Another good attacking stint by the All Blacks.

PENALTY PUMAS. They really needed that, because they All Blacks looked hungry again through runs from Retallick and DMac.

Sanchez lines up a shot 51m out in front.

WHAT A KICK. Sails through and over the dead ball line! 10-6 All Blacks after 24 mins.

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VAEA FIFITA UP THE MIDDLE OFF THE KICK OFF!

VIOLENCE by the new starter! He bashes his way over several defenders on a punishing run.

TURNOVER. Pumas kick it back down to the All Black 22 for a lineout.

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Apologies, that was actually a scrum to the All Blacks. They spin it to midfield and one of the Pumas gets a hand on it and the ball spills forward. Scrum under the posts now.

TRY ALL BLACKS!

ALB latches onto a perfect Beaudy grubber kick!

That really was made to look easy by the All Black backs, beautiful try in the same corner as the one by NMS.

Beaudy shanks the conversion again. 10-3 All Blacks after 19 mins.

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ALL BLACKS STRAIGHT BACK ON THE ATTACK!

Big raid off the back of a great run by ALB! Ardie takes it on and they're up over the 22.

DROPPED. Just lost as they try and swing it the other way.

Scrum Pumas 10m out from their own line.

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PENALTY PUMAS.

First one of the game it's within range.

Sanchez steps up for the attempt about 30m out on the angle.

NAILS IT. 5-3 All Blacks after 14 mins.

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TURNOVER OFF THE KICKOFF.

Great work by the Pumas sees the ball get stripped in the All Blacks 22, but they can't cash in. More aggressive D sees them get pushed back to 30m out, but they win a scrum.

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TRY ALL BLACKS!

Nehe Milner-Skudder scores in the corner!

After some solid work by the All Black forwards, DMac gets a clean break straight through midfield. He simply draws the fullback and passes to his left winger, who has an easy jog in.

Beaudy hooks the conversion wide. 5-0 All Blacks after 9 mins.

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FIFITA STAMPS HIS MARK ON THE GAME!

Big run from the flanker gets the All Blacks up over halfway!

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CUBELLI DESTROYED!

Great raid by the Pumas thwarted by a big tackle on the halfback. He loses the ball forward.

COUNTER BY THE ALL BLACKS!

Cross kick goes in for Dagg, but just goes too far and into touch.

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Ball goes long, then given back to the All Blacks.

Beaudy tries a cute little kick, but ends up being a scrum to the Pumas.

MACOME WITH A GOOD RUN OFF THE BACK!

They're into the 22 and looking dangerous!

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GOOD BREAK BY MORONI.

He goes down the wing and gets into the All Black 22.

DROP GOAL ATTEMPT IN MIDFIELD...it's horrible. 22 restart to the All Blacks.

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Pumas kick deep to SBW. He takes it into contact on the 22 and TJ clears up to the All Blacks 40.

Pumas win their own lineout and hit midfield.

Good D from the All Blacks pushes them back!

Kicked through for Beaudy and he launches it high.

LONG OPENING PASSAGE.

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HAKA TIME

TJ leads the All Blacks in Kamate. It's a good one! FLAMES FLY IN THE BACKGROUND.

Cocked, locked and ready to rock here in New Plymouth!

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The Argentine national anthem, if you haven't heard it, is very entertaining. It has about a minute of classical music, which the Pumas fans just sing along to. Then it breaks into actual words.

There is a large, rowdy section of Argentines behind the northern goal posts, who are making a lot of noise.

God Defend NZ booms out, sounding as dreary as ever.

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TEAMS ARE ON THE FIELD

Big highlight of the pregame was the seismic cheer that erupted when Beauden Barrett was introduced. They love him here in Taranaki!

Anthem time coming up.

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Pumas fans waiting for gates to open

And here some optimistic Pumas fans Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin

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The All Blacks have played three times before at Yarrow Stadium, having won all of them. The most recent was against France in 2013, when they won 24-9. Local boy Beauden Barrett came off the bench to score the final try in the match, this time he returns as well and truly the starter at first five.

Meanwhile, Los Pumas have been disappointing this season so far - and not just in the Rugby Championship too, considering basically the entire team plays as the Jaguares in Super Rugby. This should give them a serious leg up over other test sides given that they have so much more time to develop their combinations, but they continue to languish as the 'nearly-men' of world rugby.

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Yarrow Stadium is looking pretty good for the game. It's a very nice little ground with the stands and embankment close to the action. It's one of the few test grounds you'll find in the world that still has a terraced section, that's away to my right. I'm high up in the main stand, which will bear the brunt of any wind and rain, so the locals tell me.

The All Blacks have made a bunch of changes to the team that beat the Aussies a couple of weeks ago. There's been a ton of talk about Hurricane giant Vaea Fifita getting his first start at blindside flanker, which is fair enough given the form he has been in so far this season. Putting aside Jerome Kaino's personal problems at the moment, the veteran flankers form hasn't been exactly red hot lately, so now is the perfect chance for Fifita to prove he can rival Liam Squire for the number 6 jersey long term.

It's a big night on the other side of the scrum for Ardie Savea, who gets a start at openside. Sam Cane has re-established himself as the starting 7 this season after a closely fought battle between the two last year. Both him and Fifita will be doing a lot of running with the ball this evening.

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Both teams come into the test with perfect records in the competition, however for Los Pumas it's perfectly bad with two losses to the Springboks. Meanwhile the All Blacks have had two wins over the Wallabies, with the last one in Dunedin being maybe one of the best ever played. Have a look at the highlights while we count down to kickoff.

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All Blacks  fans wait for Yarrow Stadium to open

All Blacks fans wait for Yarrow Stadium to open Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin

The man in charge tonight is Mr Angus Gardner of Australia. He'll be assisted on the touchlines by Nigel Owens and Matthew Carley, while George Ayoub is upstairs in the TMO box.

Kia ora and welcome in to coverage of the Rugby Championship. Tonight I'm at Yarrow Stadium in New Plymouth, where the All Blacks are taking on Los Pumas of Argentina. Here's a look at the teams for tonight's game:

Pumas: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Benjamin Macome, 7 Javier Ortega Desio, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 1 Lucas Noguera Paz

Bench: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto Heilan, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Matias Orlando

All Blacks: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody

Bench: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ofa Tu'ungafasi, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Ngani Laumape

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