Pumas v All Blacks
Kick-off: 9:10am Sunday 17 August
Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba
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Analysis - Nine changes but not really any surprises. That's the takeaway from the All Black team naming out of Córdoba this morning, but there's a fair chance that we'll be saying the same thing for the rest of the season.
On the surface, a strong All Black team should be expected - but the draw the All Blacks face from here on out shows that there's little room for experimentation. The next two tests are against a Pumas team that beat them last year and then the All Blacks face their biggest challenge of the year against the Springboks. Then there's the Bledisloe Cup and a Grand Slam tour, with the only fixture that would usually stick out as a gimme test being against Scotland.
Except that Scotland ran the All Blacks very close the last time they were in Edinburgh and provided some of the key players for the recent British & Irish Lions side. And that coach Scott Robertson has made it very clear that he doesn't want to take any chances, with last year's arguably overly cautious selection approach against lowly Italy the best example of that.
So the argument is very much there that Robertson will have to pick his best side for every remaining match in 2025. Which is fine in theory, but can his squad absorb the inevitable injury toll?
It's something that will get put to the test this Saturday, as Cortez Ratima finds himself in charge of a very makeshift halfback corps.
"Obviously it's unfortunate that two guys (Cam Roigard and Noah Hotham) can't be here," said Ratima.
"I guess for me trying to help them (Finlay Christie and Kyle Preston) out, with any details. If I don't know the answer, I'll go ask the coaches…as nines we always pick off each other's ideas."
Du'Plessis Kirifi. Photo: ActionPress
Flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi stressed that the team had been impressed at how the new look halfbacks had got into their work.
"Just like any other unit in our group, we're always pushing each other to be better. Only two people can play on the weekend, but during the week, we're right there…it's been pretty awesome to see these guys operate in pretty unique circumstances."
The key now is to almost view this circumstance as not so unique, though. Robertson has been clear that he wants four players deep in every position over the next four years, but the trick now is to actually give his new players enough game time to make that a reality - something that is kind of at odds with the way he's picking the team right now.
Then there's the number of minutes that the key men are playing. Robertson rightfully pointed out that Ardie Savea has just had three weeks off and will be fresh for this weekend, but it will be his 16th game of the year after his mammoth workload with Moana Pasifika.
Ardie Savea. Photo: ActionPress
Savea is a special player so therefore can be treated with special rules, but it's likely he will play every test this season and rack up potentially 25 games. Savea generally doesn't get subbed, so he's looking at a potentially record-breaking amount of work this season.
As per usual, the All Blacks will only publicly focus on one week at a time, however there will some serious work going on behind the scenes to make sure that the likes of Savea are kept as healthy as possible long term.
Team lists
Pumas: 1. Mayco Vivas, 2. Julian Montoya, 3. Pedro Delgado, 4. Franco Molina, 5. Pedro Rubiolo, 6. Pablo Matera, 7. Marcos Kremer, 8. Joaquin Oviedo, 9. Gonzalo Garcia, 10. Tomas Albornoz, 11. Bautista Delguy, 12. Santiago Chocobares, 13. Lucio Cinti, 14. Rodrigo Isgro, 15. Juan Cruz Mallia
Bench: 16. Ignacio Ruiz, 17. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18. Joel Sclavi, 19. Guido Petti, 20. Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21. Simon Benítez Cruz, 22. Santiago Carreras, 23. Justo Piccardo
All Blacks: 1. Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Fletcher Newell, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Tupou Vaa'i, 7. Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8. Ardie Savea, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Rieko Ioane, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Billy Proctor, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Will Jordan
Bench: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. Ollie Norris, 18. Pasilio Tosi, 19. Patrick Tuipulotu, 20. Samipeni Finau, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. Anton Lienert-Brown, 23. Damian McKenzie
