All Blacks Deliver Dominant Performance to Overcome Argentina

In a commanding display of rugby, New Zealand defeated Argentina 42-10 to make amends for their earlier loss in the 2024 Rugby Championship. The All Blacks avenged their 38-30 defeat from the opening match with a ruthless performance at Auckland’s Eden Park.

New Zealand’s dominance was evident from the start. They scored five tries in the first half to establish a commanding 35-3 lead. Damian McKenzie opened the scoring with a try after a deft chip from Jordie Barrett. The tries kept coming as All Blacks captain Ardie Savea, Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, and Beauden Barrett each crossed the line before the break.

The All Blacks continued their onslaught early in the second half, with Jordan adding his second try of the match, bringing his tally to 33 tries in 33 internationals. McKenzie converted all of New Zealand’s tries, showcasing his impeccable kicking skills.

“Very happy to get the win and respond the way we did,” said Savea, reflecting on the team’s performance. He emphasized the need for consistency, saying, “We’re the All Blacks; we’ve got to bring that every week and not rely on a loss to get that response from us.”

Argentina managed to score a late consolation try through Juan Cruz Mallia, but it was not enough to change the outcome. Despite this, New Zealand extended their remarkable unbeaten streak at Eden Park to 50 Tests.

Argentina’s captain, Julian Montoya, acknowledged the challenge of facing such a formidable team. “We weren’t good enough this week, we need to be more consistent, week in, week out,” he stated. Montoya expressed pride in his team’s effort, noting their persistence until the final whistle, but recognized that lapses in performance against top teams like New Zealand are costly.

In other Rugby Championship action, South Africa continued their strong form with a 30-12 victory over Australia in Perth. The Springboks, who had won their opening match of the championship against the Wallabies, demonstrated their prowess with tries from Aphelele Fassi, Marco van Staden, and Malcolm Marx, who scored twice.

Australia initially took the lead with a penalty from Noah Lolesio in challenging weather conditions. However, South Africa responded with Fassi’s try and took a narrow 11-9 lead into halftime. The Springboks extended their advantage early in the second half with Van Staden’s try. Although Lolesio added a fourth penalty for Australia, the Springboks sealed their win with two late tries from Marx.

Looking ahead, the Rugby Championship will feature a series of crucial matches. South Africa will host New Zealand for back-to-back fixtures, which will be key in determining the championship standings. Meanwhile, Australia will travel to Argentina, where both teams will be looking to make their mark in the tournament.

Overall, the weekend’s matches highlighted the intense competition and high skill level in the 2024 Rugby Championship, setting the stage for more thrilling encounters in the coming weeks.