Two tries: Julian Savea
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New Zealand clinched the inaugural Rugby Championship title with a round to spare on Saturday with a 54-15 win over Argentina in La Plata.
The All Blacks produced their best performance of the year to demolish los Pumas, scoring seven tries including a hat-trick for Cory Jane and two for his fellow wing Julian Savea.
Centre Ma'a Nonu and scrum-half Aaron Smith also got their names on the scorecard to complete the rout.
The result sees the All Blacks extend their winning streak to 15 games ahead of next weekend's showdown with the Springboks in Johannesburg.
The world champions were given a scare early on as the hosts started in the best possible fashion by taking a 5-0 lead thanks to a wonderful try from scrum-half Martin Landajo.
But it didn't take long for New Zealand to strike back and once the visitors had found their rhythm, it was one-way traffic for the rest of the game and the men in black raced to a 32-8 lead by half-time.
Argentina were not allowed to get away with their customary spoiling tactics at the breakdown by referee Jaco Peyper, and with quick ball at their disposal, the All Black backs were at their devastating best.
The hosts tried to adopt a much more open style than we've seen in the past but while they produced two very good tries, they were unable to match the Kiwis at what they do best - moving the ball into space at pace.
The locals were looking good after Landajo's opening score from a well-worked first-phase backline move that saw full-back Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino burst through on halfway.
But the Argentine defence was nowhere to be seen when Nonu escaped from the fringe of a ruck to put Smith over in the 17th minute.
A few minutes later Read strolled through to set up Jane in the corner, Savea chased down his own chip ahead for his first try and then bagged another on the stroke of half-time.
Although Gonzalo Camacho shrugged off Andrew Hore to score after the interval, the All Blacks killed the game off as Savea manhandled two defenders to set up Jane's second.
Dan Carter kicked five from seven before being taken off along with Richie McCaw on the hour mark. But it didn't stop the points from flowing as replacement Aaron Cruden broke the line with his first touch and set up Nonu for an easy try.
Jane clinched his hat-trick with a 50m intercept with the last play of the game.
Man of the Match It's hard not to give the gong to one of the backs since they scored all the points. Richie McCaw deserves a mention but Kieran Read was phenomenal and had a direct hand in creating at least two of the tries for the flash boys out wide.
Moment of the match: There were a number of excellent tries - with Landajo's score a highlight - but Cory Jane's first try, thanks to a brilliant offload from Read, was out of the top drawer. It put the All Blacks 10 points up and they never looked back.
Villian of the match: No bad guys to be seen.
The scorers:
For Argentina:
Tries: Landajo, Camacho
Con: Hernandez
Pens: Hernandez
For New Zealand:
Tries: A. Smith, Jane 3, Savea 2, Nonu
Cons: Carter 3, Cruden 2
Pens: Carter 2, Cruden
Argentina: 15 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (c), 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero.
Replacements: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Tomas Vallejos, 19 Tomas Leonardi, 20 Nicolas Vergallo, 21 Martin Rodriguez, 22 Juan Imhoff.
New Zealand: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (c), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Brodie Retallick, 19 Sam Cane, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Ben Smith.
Venue: Estadio Único Ciudad de La Plata
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Pascal Gauzere (France)
Television match official: Francisco Pastrana
Comments
APV1 says...
@ Rosbif - not an ex-player here. A current player of immense skill and brilliance. The Fatty Third XV and a chance to run around, fall about a bit and get muddy.
Strapping on the boots tomorrow, in fact. A series of missed tackles, forward passes, dropped catches and offsides will, no doubt, ensue. A good game for me is one that I can walk away from with all bits intact and still attached!
Vive le Rugby!
Posted 10:09 12th October 2012
Rosbif says...
gotta love it when these threads go on forever. usually ends up with 2 blokes just slugging it out with insults. not this time thankfully. instead we have a forum to exchange views on our favourite tipples!!
....could it be that we are all ex-players here perhaps? the playing days may be gone but the boozing days and love of the game go on forever.....
by the way, for any lovers of red, Les Ormes de Pez really is superb (although Carpelone is right - the vines in Bordeaux are actually much younger than in Western Province)
Posted 19:27 11th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ Carpelone - just for novelty value, I had a glass of SA Cider last evening - Savanna, it was called. Not a patch on English, I'm afraid. My tipple of choice for now is a good Herefordshire cider - Henney's dry.
And I've noticed that a certain SA quaffable plonk brand is sponsoring the B&I Lions tour again.
You see, it is about rugby!
Posted 16:46 10th October 2012
Rosbif says...
....Ooops, just realised the lexical ambiguity of our posts. My reference to the west country was because JK Rowling's book is set there, in a fictional village. Whereas I guess you thought I might have been referring to your well-known love for Bath. No harm no foul. One is, after all, allowed to support one's team of choice. Or is that soon to be banned from these pages too? Ooooh, heavens above, next we'll find out half the Leinster and Munster fans are actually from Slough..... :-)
Posted 20:27 08th October 2012
Rosbif says...
I've not read it, but it's certainly causing a stir with the critics!
I am a fellow Surrey man. Although born of French parents in the US, I went to school at Whitgift. And now share my time between London, Haslemere at weekends (and Rondebosch in Dec/Jan with the in-laws)..... so never venture too far oooop north hehehe......
I hesitate to say I used to support Wasps, because so many of my school chums played there. But my heart has always been with my parents and cousins in Toulouse :-)
Posted 12:38 08th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ Rosbif - I was born and raised in Surrey, support Bath by a fluke of pure luck and now live far too far oop North.
Haven't read JK's most recent offering - worth steering clear of, is it?
Posted 10:41 08th October 2012
Rosbif says...
Hehehe yes, Gin O'Clock is another of those guilty pleasures! Seem to be quite a few of those types here in leafy Haslemere, especially on the school run.... (Mind you, maybe the vision of genteel "middle England" has been over-egged, judging by JK Rowling's latest offering. After years of being nice and PG-rated, even she has succumbed to her own troll dark-side!!).
Then again, the West Country never quite was Surrey :-)
Posted 08:31 06th October 2012
new_j4a says...
@Toulousain, The SA Referees web site agrees with you on the DC ankle tap sequence. Here's what they say:
"Genuflection penalised.Dan Carter runs with the ball and just when he seems to be getting away Mart�n Landajo ankletaps him. Carter falls to the ground. First there and trying to get the ball is Horacio Agulla. Liam Messam makes contact with Agulla who gets the ball back to his side.The referee penalises Agulla, showing that he went down on one knee. His right knee did in fact touch the ground momentarily.Carter was not tackled. He was brought to ground but he was not held.Agulla was entitled to go for the ball. That his knee touched the ground was not relevant if there was no tackle.What about the ruck?Despite what the commentator said, two people are enough to form a ruck.It is not clear or obvious that the ball was still in this little ruck when Agulla played it.Three points for this seems excessive!"
@Rosbif, you are absolutely right about the flame and this old moth...she is wasted on this site. She should be resolving the world's significant conflicts! But I am glad that she has time to deflate the bluster and wrap me (us?) around her little finger...a unique experience.
Posted 08:25 06th October 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Oh, I thought it was only Carpelone who wasn't allowed near kids.
And it depends which wines you're into Carpelone but NZ is widely known to produce the best sauvignon blanc and pinot noirs, while also producing some of the top syrah and merlots and I believe we're the current Tri-nations wine challenge champions. You could probably look that one up yourself, I have got to go :)
Posted 08:20 06th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ Carpelone - don't get me started on mediocre. Especially with the final weekend of 4N matches about to start..!
With regards to wine (as opposed to whine), each produces it's own unique "best". I'm certainly no expert and will often sit quietly on a bench, nursing a bottle of cheap sherry in a brown paper bag in the rain. But a wise man once said, the best way to know if a wine is good is to open a bottle and share it with some chums.
@ Rosbif - I think you'd enjoy the faux twitter feed of HM The Queen, aka Gin O'Clock...
Santé!
Proost!
Cin cin!
lloniannau!
and, of course,
CHEERS!
Posted 17:23 05th October 2012
Rosbif says...
oooops, missed you out ruckingkiwi..... if it's not massively inappropriate, I would say "come and have a hug too". But maybe I'll manfully offer you a handshake instead....
Peace mon ami
Posted 15:59 05th October 2012
Rosbif says...
...I must confess, this page has been a secret/guilty pleasure of mine these past few days...not really for the rugby, but for the de-constructive philosophical aspect of internet conflict resolution. Truly amazing....
@carpelone. The pig wrestling was comedy gold.
@Toulousain. I have not been sure whether you are my hero, my conscience, my dark side, or all of these at once. A kind of kryptonite for trolls, with a strange gravitational pull, like a flame for moths.
@APV1. Never knowingly under-charming!
@new_j4a. Sound analysis as ever, although I see you are shopping around for wine recommendations - are you two-timing me??
@sandal. You are a braver man than me. As a fellow long-time exile living in London, one can't help feeling that this great city does indeed attract/produce tolerance, and the courage it takes. (Just don't let APV bang on about the Olympics again....)
I shall attack the rest of my day with a renewed sense of hope for rugby people the world over, and mankind in general.....until I need a stiff G&T circa 5pm tonight....
Good luck to all this weekend :-)
Posted 15:52 05th October 2012
Carpelone says...
APV1
I accept your banter (LOL), but French wines are mediocre. Do not get fooled by the French, they are fantastic marketing people.
To be honest, almost all the vineyards in the Cape were imported from France by the Hugonots when they fled over. Curiously, almost all the vineyards in France were destroyed in the 19th century by the phylloxera plague, leaving SA with this huge inheritance.
Have a glass of Chenin Blanc from the Stellenbosch/Paarl areas and you will re-think your map..
Posted 15:49 05th October 2012
new_j4a says...
@Toulousain, Yes the ABs are just so damned good. I hope my Springboks can beat them this weekend. But in any case, it is an honour to play them and a useful measure of how far we have to go before RWC2015. Simply put, they are the Nureyev, the Monet, and the Michelangelo of the rugby world.
Posted 15:18 05th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ Carpelone - I think you managed to mis-spell, "whine" there...
;-)
Posted 14:59 05th October 2012
Toulousain says...
new_j4a. thks for the detailed post. agree with your interpretations. yes, bosch throwing the ball away at 52.30 is def a pen! (hehehe, but a smith does the same at 13.51, the intention is the same, he is just smarter!)
on the three tackle sequence around the 33min mark, check out messam arriving after the mccaw tackle, check jane throwing himself beyond ball after read tackle. the ABs have such a good intelligence for the game, they know pumas are trying to win the contacts in this sequence. when you do this, ie contest the tackle, you leave yourself exposed IF the ball is indeed quick, ie you take a risk. like choosing to compete in the air at lineout, rather than simply wait on the ground for the drive. these are the kind of split second decisions that teams make. ABs just make these decisions better, more of the time.....
anyhow, thks again :-)
Posted 12:37 05th October 2012
Carpelone says...
Bad news.
Ruckingkiwi has reproduced.
Posted 11:33 05th October 2012
Carpelone says...
The best wine in the world is South African
Posted 11:31 05th October 2012
APV1 says...
@ Toulousain - "i sense u r perhaps an english gentleman..." I haven't been accused of being a gentleman for a while..! And my sense of humour is an oft-debated point of discussion.
(And behave - we all know that Tim Berners-Lee invented t'internet, and Robert Cailliau was a lowly dogsbody)
@ sandal - remind me, what did curiosity kill..? And The Entente Cordiale was only signed to stop the buggers trying to invade us again and having their backsides kicked back across the English Channel. Anglo-French rivalry is probably on a par with NZ-Aus. The difference is, one of those three countries produces the best wine in the world... We all love each other, but would never admit it in public.
And that doesn't count, by the way.
@ ruckingkiwi - Would you honestly let me near any kids, let alone your own..?
Posted 10:27 05th October 2012
new_j4a says...
@Toulousain, Yes at 18:25 the call is VERY close. The ruck has formed less than half a second before. But a correct call and if we want to get technical, Carter is not held in a tackle and the Argentinian player prevents him from returning to his feet. So a correct penalty but very, very narrow margin. On 27:00, I cannot comment on the facts. Did it bounce forward off blue into the hands of the offside player. Jaco is better positioned than we are. If it did, then it is not a marginal call, but a correct penalty. However, I would very much like to see the IRB change the law so that this is treated as accidental off sides and a scrum should be given. This instinctive catching the ball while 20 cm off side is not worth 3 points to the opposition....a scrum and possession at most. But we have to wait for sanity from the IRB. In the mean time it is a correct penalty. (BTW, I though that Nonu was half a meter offside at the kickoff and could have been penalized. Did they see it? Materiality?)
On your next sequence, my times are different possibly due to a different TV feed. I have McC tackled at 33:15, Read at 33:22, and Nonu at 33:30. Our viewing angles may also be different. My view is from the ABs RH touchline and quite far out so I can't see how the ball is suddenly made to appear on the Argentinian side. If it is propelled there by an Argentinian hand in the well established ruck, then the penalty is correct. Jaco Peyper is perfectly placed to see this from 2 meters away and on the right side so i have to assume that he is correct but I cannot verify it.
How about 52:30: throwing the ball away to prevent a quick throw? Penalty? Have a look at the lineout that follows: at 53:00 Roncero joins the maul in pretty much the same way that Richie McCaw did in the earlier example you thought should be penalized. I am happy that he is not
Posted 10:16 05th October 2012