How Los Pumas’ players performed in this morning’s 41-24 loss against the All Blacks.
15. Juan Cruz Mallia (vc) – 5
Toulouse man was one of four Europe-based players returning to strengthen Los Pumas for these matches. Few opportunities in space and couldn’t make a decisive impact on defence.
14. Rodrigo Isgro – 6
Argentina’s opening try was well taken. Departed with a niggle in 50th minute just as things were getting juicy.
13. Lucio Cinti – 6
Found the space on the outside beautifully to put Isgro over the line in 16th minute. Couldn’t get a hand on Will Jordan in 23rd minute as Cortez Ratima was put through to score.
In the second-half surges that gave the hosts a sniff of a chance, Cinti was heavily involved; always tough and always accurate.
12. Santiago Chocobares – 6
Another jetting in from Toulouse, Chocobares did well in the lead up to Los Pumas’ opening try. He was busy – and highly physical – in the third-quarter revival that almost got the hosts within striking range.
11. Bautista Delguy – 5
Did good work handling the ball in the air without bringing real menace on the ground.
10. Tomas Albornoz – 9
Terrific performance showcasing the guile and game management of a world-class No 10. Guided Los Pumas to victory against the Lions in June, and with a better lineout in front of him might have managed the same in Cordoba.
The hosts looked most dangerous when Albornoz had ball in hand. A beautifully weighted chip kick started the dash for their first try and his speed, strength and smarts saw him through for a cracker of his own from a scrum (leaving some very good All Blacks with some explaining to do in their next video-analysis session). His wit and pace meant the Pumas still threatened the All Blacks when they were a man down.
9. Gonzalo Garcia – 3
Another who impressed in the Lions match, but looked rattled here when his prime job was sticking the ball into the mitts of the giant back-rowers and crisply feeding Albornoz. Instead, his double-bump and slow delivery gave All Blacks defenders time to get set.
Like his teammates, he seemed sharper after the break, but a fumble in front of the All Blacks’ posts in the 59th minute gave the visitors a get-out-of-jail card. Coaches had seen enough by the 63rd minute.
8. Joaquin Oviedo – 8
The beefy No 8 put in a massive shift with plenty of good carries. As has often been the case in the past half-decade, Los Pumas looked their most dangerous when the big back-rowers were smacking into tacklers and offloading.
His deft hands proved crucial to bagging that 62nd-minute try after a spell of brutal line-bashing.
7. Marcos Kremer – 7
Surely the biggest No 7 in the game – Kremer is half a foot taller and about 35 decent-sized steaks heavier than his All Blacks opposite number. The Pumas don’t really do opensiders, preferring to simply stick another giant ball-runner in the mix.
This guy is hard as nails. After a 32nd-minute collision with Ethan de Groot, Kremer’s ankle seemed to be pointing the wrong way. No worries, the medical staff simply welded on a new part and off he went.
6. Pablo Matera (vc) – 8
The Abdel Benazzi of Patagonia has been a talismanic figure in each of Los Pumas’ famous wins over the All Blacks. In Cordoba, he carried with usual hearty intent and read the play beautifully to fold Rieko Ioane in a crucial turnover hit when they were a man down.
5. Pedro Rubiolo – 5
The Argentinians have big wraps on this 22-year-old thruster and he looked the part in open play in Cordoba. But the repeated attempts to disrupt or steal All Blacks lineout ball came to no avail in an area of the game the visitors dominated.
4. Franco Molina – 5
Another from Los Pumas’ production line of big units, but there were too many lineout mis-hits for the hosts in Cordoba.
3. Pedro Delgado – 4
The hosts didn’t have a massive scrum advantage while he was on the pitch and mobility isn’t really his thing. While Los Pumas loosies are a thing of wonder, it might be time for them to rethink what the props get up to.
2. Julian Montoya (c) – 6
Plenty of head-down work over 63 minutes from the skipper, who also did a nice line in tidying up after stray kicks.
1. Mayco Vivas – 3
Was flatfooted in the lineout-maul defence that lead to the All Blacks’ opening try and beaten in the scrums. Picked up a very dumb yellow card for swiping at Ratima in the 17th minute.
Reserves:
16. Ignacio Ruiz – 5
The hosts’ second-half surge was dimmed when Ruiz rolled on to replace the skipper. The hosts’ lineout went to pieces.
17. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro – 5
Into the fray in the 46th minute and immediately conceded a scrum penalty. Was part of the pack that turned up the heat for third-quarter assault.
18. Joel Sclavi – 6
Got a key scrum penalty in 57th minute that poured heat on the All Blacks, leading to Billy Proctor’s yellow card.
19. Guido Petti – 4
Handy being able to bring on a 86-cap veteran with half an hour to go. Got stuck in immediately with a charge that led to a useful penalty. But the hosts’ lineout woes only intensified when he was on.
20. Juan Martin Gonzalez – 5
Another who contributed heartily in the third-quarter, open-field scrambles. But the forward substitutes needed to quell the All Blacks’ late lineout drives.
21. Simon Benitez Cruz – 4
Got 17 minutes as the game slipped out of reach.
22. Santiago Carreras – 4
First five-eighths bagged 30 minutes running on the wing.
23. Justo Piccardo – 4
Would likely have missed out on a test cap if the coaches had opted for a 6-2 split on the bench. Instead, he got six minutes of standing about waiting for a shower. Maybe pack another lineout forward next week, eh Caballeros?