All Blacks v Argentina: A sprinkling of Los Pumas in a combined XV for Rugby Championship clash
All Blacks back-row Ardie Savea and Argentina counterpart Marcos Kremer.
The Rugby Championship has finally arrived and one of the blockbuster encounters sees New Zealand going head-to-head against Argentina at SKY Stadium in Wellington on Saturday.
Ahead of the action, we selected a combined XV from the two matchday squads and unsurprisingly there are plenty of All Blacks in this team with a sprinkling of Los Pumas.
All Blacks and Los Pumas combined XV
15 Beauden Barrett (New Zealand): The veteran utility back showed in the recent series against England and the one-off Test with Fiji that he still has plenty to offer to the All Blacks as he came to the fore with some outstanding attacking performances. Meanwhile, Argentina’s Juan Cruz Mallia is also exciting at full-back but he is still some way off reaching his more experienced counterpart’s standards.
14 Sevu Reece (New Zealand): Another easy selection as the All Blacks flyer showed during the recent Super Rugby Pacific campaign that he is one of the best finishers in the game as he finished as that competition’s joint highest try-scorer despite a woeful season for the Crusaders. Apart from his prolific try-scoring ability, Reece is also solid in other areas with his cover defence particularly impressive.
13 Anton Lienert-Brown (New Zealand): The experienced midfielder’s call-up to the All Blacks side for this encounter was somewhat surprising but he seldom plays poorly for his country and he comes in ahead of Lucio Cinti. Equally at home at inside centre, Lienert-Brown shone in the All Blacks’ win over Fiji in San Diego recently with his excellent decision making and defence standout features of his game.
12 Jordie Barrett (New Zealand): The second of the famous Barrett brothers in our team, the Leinster-bound inside centre’s selection is a deserved one as he is one of the world’s best players in his position blessed with an outstanding skill-set. Although capable of playing at full-back or on the wing, the 27-year-old has shone at inside centre in recent seasons with his brilliance on attack and fine goal-kicking always contributing to the All Blacks cause.
11 Mark Tele’a (New Zealand): The Blues speedster has taken like a duck to water at international level since making his All Blacks debut on their 2022 end-of-year tour against Scotland at Murrayfield. An elusive runner, who has already scored eight tries in 11 Test appearances, Tele’a is a real attacking threat and it was not surprising when he was crowned as World Rugby’s Breakthrough Player of the Year after last year’s Rugby World Cup.
10 Damian McKenzie (New Zealand): Santiago Carreras‘ game has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years but it’s not enough to beat out McKenzie in our selection. The diminutive playmaker has been in the shadow of Richie Mo’unga for several years with most of his Test appearances coming at full-back. However, he has done well at fly-half in all of New Zealand’s previous Tests in 2024 and gets another chance to impress this weekend.
🎨 Damian McKenzie with a work of rugby art. #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/QHIcBA2Xsu
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) December 7, 2023
9 TJ Perenara (New Zealand): Another one of the most experienced All Blacks in our team, Perenara has been a great servant of New Zealand rugby who is set to leave his homeland to further his career in Japan at the end of this year. The 32-year-old is renowned for his crisp service to his outside backs and for his try-scoring ability which makes him a real threat on attack. Back from a knee injury, he will be keen to go out on a high in his last Rugby Championship.
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Solid-looking pack
8 Ardie Savea (New Zealand): Although Juan Martin Gonzalez has great potential, Savea’s selection was an easy one as he has shown over the years that the All Blacks generally play better when he is in the side. Capable of playing in all three back-row positions, he has made the number eight position his own with several barnstorming performances and it’s not surprising that he is the current World Rugby Player of the Year.
7 Marcos Kremer (Argentina): The Clermont-Auvergne tearaway is one of the hardest men in the game, blessed with an outstanding work ethic and despite only being 27 years old, is already regarded as a Los Pumas great. A brilliant defender who usually empties the tank in that department, Kremer is also handy on attack and a valuable source of possession at the back of the set-piece.
6 Pablo Matera (Argentina): Speaking of Los Pumas greats, Matera certainly falls in that category as he has been at the forefront of Argentina’s onslaught for more than a decade now and one of only three players to make 100 Test appearances for the South American nation. A brilliant ball carrier and equally adept on defence, the 31-year-old will also captain his side this weekend and expect him to lead by example.
5 Sam Darry (New Zealand): The Blues second-row is just 24 years of age and playing in only his second Test but deserves his spot in our team as he has performed brilliantly at club level. An excellent lineout exponent who also shines in the execution of his defensive duties and a willing ball carrier. Darry has a bright future in the international arena and is preferred to young Pumas lock Pedro Rubiolo.
4 Tupou Vaa’i (New Zealand): Another up-and-coming second-row, Vaa’i has been a regular for the Chiefs for four years now and caught the eye with some fine performances at Super Rugby level. An athletic lock, who is also capable of playing on the blindside flank, the 24-year-old is solid in the lineouts but also puts his body on the line on defence and is solid with ball in hand.
3 Tyrel Lomax (New Zealand): The Hurricanes stalwart has cemented himself in the All Blacks starting line-up with several outstanding efforts at the coalface of their forward effort since making his Test debut in 2018. An outstanding scrummager, Lomax is seldom dominated at the set-piece, but also does well on defence especially at close quarters. He beats out Pumas counterpart Eduardo Bello.
2 Ignacio Ruiz (Argentina): This might come as a shock selection as we’ve opted to leave out the experienced All Black Codie Taylor but, if truth be told, the experienced hooker has been pretty average for the Crusaders in Super Rugby Pacific and during the recent Test series with England. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s career is taking off as he has shone at club level for Perpignan. Strong in the execution of his core duties, he starred in recent Tests against France and Uruguay.
1 Ethan De Groot (New Zealand): The 26-year-old has caught the eye with several outstanding performances at scrum-time for the All Blacks and combines well at the set-piece with Lomax. The Highlanders stalwart made his international debut in 2021 and is now New Zealand’s first choice loosehead prop who, apart from his impressive scrummaging, also does well on defence and as a ball carrier.