How Los Pumas’ players performed in this morning’s 29-23 victory over the All Blacks.
15. Juan Cruz Mallia – 7
Nice little offload in the 15th minute sent replacement first five-eighth Santiago Carreras away. Got bounced by Fletcher Newell on tryline charge and was a little loose in some kicking. But Mallia was busy in the fast dashes that left the tourists scrambling.
14. Bautista Delguy – 5
Lovely work in the air and was handling, off-loading and darting in the moments when Argentina poured the heat on the All Blacks. A little inaccurate at times, such as when he spilled the ball in a Beauden Barrett tackle as the tryline loomed. Missed as many tackles as he made.
13. Lucio Cinti – 7
Hit the line hard and found space for teammates in and around the off-balance All Blacks midfield. Was accurate and tough, with knack for getting his side on the right side of the gainline.
12. Santiago Chocobares – 8
Best midfielder on show. Chocobares set a great tone when, from the All Blacks’ first restart, he charged up the guts, leaving a couple of tacklers grasping at thin air.
Was in the thick of everything, particularly when the 13-man All Blacks lost their mojo. Got a first-half breather with an HIA check.
11. Mateo Carreras – 9
Gamely squared up to Ethan de Groot in early handbags scenario – full-blown fisticuffs there would have been the only chance for All Blacks to stop the wee fella. Carreras was a constant threat, finding and exploiting space with gas. His chip-and-chase dash led to Will Jordan’s momentum-sapping yellow card.
Ran for 80m with the ball in hand on a day when the entire All Blacks backline (including reserves) could manage just 73m.
10. Tomas Albornoz – 5
The standout stand-off from the first test looked good for six minutes until a teammate stood on his hand. Left the match in the 12th minute looking for an ice bucket for the busted mitt.
9. Gonzalo Garcia – 8
Seemed crisper and more urgent this week than he did in the opening test. Darted beautifully himself and linked accurately when needed. Directed the hosts well to make the most of the two-man advantage, his try courtesy of Pablo Matera was a well-deserved reward for a great performance.
8. Joaquin Oviedo – 5
Less prominent this week but was bruising in all he did, though a little inaccurate, notably when he spilled the ball with his team hot on attack. Made way for the Bomb Squad.
7. Juan Martin Gonzalez – 7
In for the always impressive Marcos Kremer and brought the requisite brutality to the close-quarter clashes. Well-taken try came from dominance in the scraps that ultimately added up to victory. Almost bagged a second.
6. Pablo Matera – 10
Beast mode throughout. One typical charge left would-be tackler Fletcher Newell flat on his back, another from the back of a scrum set up Gonzalo Garcia’s try. His shattering physicality – he carried the ball 18 times, made some monster hits and grabbed two turnovers – made it tough for the All Blacks to get into any rhythm.
Matera is a bullish freak and the black jersey is his red rag. All Blacks No 8 debutant Simon Parker had a fine teacher in Buenos Aires.
5. Pedro Rubiolo – 7
Top work around the park in an 80-minute stint of grunty short bursts, heavy tackling and moving big bodies.
4. Franco Molina – 6
Still no cut-through attacking – or at least muting – of the All Blacks lineout. But this was a game won much closer to the ground, where Molina was belting into black-jerseyed ball carriers to grand effect.
3. Pedro Delgado – 5
Had a good cry during the anthem. Didn’t seem to trouble de Groot in the scrums, an area of the game that was once a point of Puma pride. When he got the ball on the charge he was head-down direct. Had the ball jackalled by Finlay Christie for what would have been a key penalty if Beauden Barrett had packed his boots.
2. Julian Montoya (c) – 8
Another excellent shift from the hard-working skipper, who has the nous to know where he needs to be tidying up or stealing another yard. Did a great job of Fitzpatricking into the referee’s ear, and although there was a fluffed late lineout within scoring range, he deserved to enjoy a post-match malbec or two.
1. Mayco Vivas – 6
More effective at getting his body in the way of opposition runners than he had been in week one. Carried effectively and was part of the pack that capitalised when All Blacks stumbled into a brace of yellow cards.
Reserves:
16. Ignacio Ruiz – 5
Spent his five minutes on the field throwing his body into black jerseys.
17. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro – 7
A 34-minute stint with the Bomb Squad that kept the foot on the throat of the All Blacks.
18. Joel Sclavi – 7
Good shift from a front-rower able to keep the tempo up and the All Blacks annoyed in closing stages.
19. Guido Petti – 7
A classic Bomb Squad shift with six useful ball-carrying charges and plenty of torso-slamming in 34 minutes.
20. Marcos Kremer – 7
On in the 46th minute with the Argentinian Bomb Squad, Kremer ensured Los Pumas kept their muscle edge in the final stages.
21. Simon Benitez Cruz – 7
Replacement halfback kept the pack focused in final-quarter raids for short yards, and linked well with the fizzing backline outside him.
22. Santiago Carreras – 8
Tough mission in coming on so early for Albornoz, who had been the standout in the opening test. Carreras ran the cutter well and was able to create and exploit space for attack. Crucially, he pinged over two conversions and three penalties (missing none) on a night where the All Blacks left seven points on the kicking tee.
23. Justo Piccardo – 5
Short blood-bin stint in first half and got one minute at the end to join in the high fives. They all count, mate.