The Stats Don't Lie: High error rate in ABs' win

Liam Messam made an impressive 10 ball carries for 65 metres gained in his 37 minutes off the bench. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The All Blacks made 17 handling errors leading to turnover of possession in this match. The errors were made up of 10 knock-ons, three spilled balls, two passes into touch, one pass to the opposition and one forward pass.

The main culprits for handling errors were Aaron Cruden (three knock-ons), Luke Romano (pass into touch and pass to opposition), Israel Dagg (two knock-ons), Kieran Read (knock-on and pass into touch), Conrad Smith (spilled ball and knock-on), and Ma'a Nonu (spilled ball and the knock-on that led to Argentina's try).

Richie McCaw was the All Black the highest work rate yet again, being in the first three to the breakdown on 36 occasions, highest tackler with 10 tackles and just one miss, and 15 ball carries for a gain of 70 metres. He also won two breakdown turnovers.

Kieran Read was second after McCaw for ball carries making 12 for a gain of 50 metres, while Luke Romano made 10 for a gain of 73 metres. Liam Messam made an impressive 10 ball carries for 65 metres gained in his 37 minutes off the bench.

Brodie Retallick put his hand up for another start, being in the first three to the breakdown on 32 occasions and the second highest tackler for the All Blacks with six tackles and no misses.

The All Blacks only used two lineout jumpers this week, with Luke Romano taking all nine of his throws while Read took seven. There was just one lost lineout, with Keven Mealamu's throw falling short of Read and intercepted by the Pumas in the All Blacks' fourth lineout of the game.

The Pumas had a few problems with their lineout, losing five of their 19 throws. Luke Romano and Read stole two on the jump, while Read and Charlie Faumuina both retrieved overthrows. Top jumpers for Argentina were Patricio Albacete and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe both with five takes.

The All Blacks had some issues with their timing when it came to scrums this week, conceding three free kicks for early engagement, plus penalties against Victor Vito and McCaw for not remaining bound. However, the All Blacks did take the only tighthead of the test on Argentina's third scrum feed in the second half.

The All Blacks only had to make 60 tackles in this test match and made all but five of them for an 91 percent success rate. Vito missed two tackles, while Owen Franks, Retallick and McCaw all missed one each.

The Pumas made 166 tackles and missed 30 of them for an 84 percent success rate. Their top tacklers were Patricio Albacete with 16, and Manuel Carriza, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Huan Martin Hernandez with 15 each.

Romaine Poite handed out 22 penalties in this test match. The All Blacks conceded eight, three coming at the breakdown, two from mauls, two from scrums, and one at the lineout. Argentina conceded fourteen, eleven of which were breakdown penalties. They also conceded a yellow card to blindside flanker Julio Farias for a deliberate knock-down of the ball in his own 22.

Cruden landed his first test match penalty goal with his second attempt of the evening. He missed three of his seven attempts at goal in the windy conditions, although one penalty hit the upright. Martin Rodriguez was unsuccessful with his conversion and penalty attempts at goal.