Rieko Ioane of New Zealand handles the ball during a Rugby Championship match between Argentina Pumas and New Zealand All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images.
Rieko Ioane of New Zealand handles the ball during a Rugby Championship match between Argentina Pumas and New Zealand All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images.
How the All Blacks rated in their 41-12 win over Argentina in Mendoza.
15. Beauden Barrett - 7
Inserted himself into the attacking line nicely and had plenty of success with ball in hand – highlighted by an empathic fend on the left wing which ultimately saw him assist atry. His exit plays weren’t always the most well-executed and he put the side under early pressure trying to move the ball on his own line, but there was far more good than bad in this performance, justifying his selection.
14. Emoni Narawa - 8
Shook off any debut nerves by finding plenty of work early on and looked like a threat when he found himself in space. He was up to the task defensively, too, finishing the game among the All Blacks’ leading tacklers. It was a confident performance from a player who looked like he belonged at the top level and he capped off an impressive outing with a late try.
Didn’t need long to remind everyone of his ability to break a game open, running a great line to ignite the game’s first try before scoring one of his own later on. Had some issues defensively, but charged hard onto the ball throughout the contest and found plenty of success with ball in hand.
Rieko Ioane made his presence felt on attack. Photo / Photosport
Enjoyed the opportunity to stretch his legs in open pasture after being rewarded for the support lines he was running. He conceded a couple of turnovers and at times might have been guilty of trying to do a little too much to try and put a teammate into space, but he made up for turning the ball over with his strong defence and work at the breakdown.
11. Caleb Clarke - 5
In a game where his teammates in the backline found plenty of room to move, Clarke was kept quiet and unable to find much work on his wing. When he did get his hands on the ball he didn’t make much of an impact, although did have one memorable moment where he bumped off an attempted tackler with emphasis.
10. Damian McKenzie - 7
Had an awfully shaky start to his All Blacks return but brushed that off and settled into his work, though left plenty of points on the kicking tee. He moved the ball along quickly and looked to mix in his explosive running game, making an impact as the game progressed. Worked well in the dual play-making system alongside Beauden Barrett.
9. Aaron Smith - 6
Smith was active, defended well, kept the ball moving nicely and generally made smart decisions from the ruck, highlighted by a little show and go from that position to score a try in the first half. Picked his spots well in a good day out.
In classic fashion, Savea was hungry for work and could not be satisfied. He led the team in carries, charging hard at the line and asking questions of the defence with his strength and offloading ability. He bulldozed over for an early try, made plenty of tackles and impacted the breakdown.
7. Sam Cane - 7
His crunching defensive form from Super Rugby Pacific has carried over into the test arena, flattening the Argentinian attack with some dominant tackles. He missed a few tackles, but the ones he made were definitely felt. He also got stuck and got over the ball at the breakdown, and had a couple of strong carries.
6. Shannon Frizell - 8
He flashed his full toolkit in a terrific performance, from physical defence and carries to providing a dependable option at the lineout. The No6 jersey remains a point of conversation for the All Blacks as they look for someone to make it their own, but more appearances like this could see Frizell do exactly that.
Shannon Frizell provided a solid lineout option. Photo / Photosport
5. Josh Lord - 6
In his first game of professional rugby in about a month, Lord didn’t put a foot wrong. He was very good in the air at the lineout and tried hard in the contact areas when required. He wasn’t the most active player on the pitch, but it was a solid outing for the young lock.
4. Scott Barrett - 7
Had some key involvements early, stealing a lineout and getting a lovely offload away to set up the game’s first try. He remained consistently engaged in the play throughout, looking for carries, making tackles and cleaning out the breakdown. He did give away a couple of penalties trying to defend the rolling maul, which could be an area of his game to keep an eye on as the test season rolls on.
3. Tyrel Lomax – 6
A solid outing across his core responsibilities, Lomax also showcased his defensive work rate with plenty of tackles and activity on that end. He was limited to a single carry but did a good job at the breakdown and in the contact areas in a solid 60-minute stint at elevation.
2. Dane Coles - 6
A player who always turns up when he pulls on the black jersey, while he might have been a surprise starter he made his presence felt. He was good in his core roles at the set piece as well as defensively, and he was in the right place to snag the first try of the day. There was plenty to like in his performance.
Dane Coles scored the game's opening try. Photo / Photosport
1. Ethan de Groot - 7
An important part of a good All Blacks scrummaging performance, de Groot also put his hand up for some strong carries into the teeth of the defence. Even when fatigue began to set in, he never stopped trying to make an impact.
