Inspired Argentina earn All Black respectNew Zealand has paid Argentina a huge compliment ahead of their third-round Rugby Championship Test in Hamilton this weekend by sticking with their premier line-up.
Previously the All Blacks have viewed clashes with the Pumas as a chance to experiment and still bank on victory.
But the landscape is changing, and the Pumas’ historic first home win over South Africa 12 days ago after making the World Cup semi-finals and beating the Springboks away last year has put the All Blacks on guard.
Although New Zealand are in a rebuilding phase after losing more than 800 caps worth of experience following their World Cup success 10 months ago, coach Steve Hansen does not see the Pumas encounter as a time for experimentation.
The return of a fit-again Ryan Crotty to the midfield is the only change from the starting side that completed back-to-back hidings of Australia in the second round of the championship.
“We’ve got a young group from an experience point of view, we’ve got a young group from a leadership point of view,” Hansen said.
It was a sign the All Blacks will continue with the helter-skelter approach that saw them run in 10 tries against the Wallabies in two Tests. But Hansen also acknowledged the Pumas have one of the toughest forward packs in world rugby by adding lock Luke Romano to his bench as an insurance policy should the powerful South American pack make life difficult.
All Blacks selector Grant Fox believes it will be “a hell of a test”, describing Argentina as “big strong men, they’re proud, they’re getting better”.
When Argentina entered the Rugby Championship in 2012 they were regarded as the southern hemisphere competition’s easy beats for the first two years.
But following their breakthrough win over Australia in 2014 and victories over South Africa in the past two years their target now is for a maiden victory over the All Blacks.
The nearest they have come is a draw 31 years ago.
NAMPA/AFP