Argentina picked up their first ever win on home soil against the All Blacks on Saturday, after having beaten them three previous times away from home.
The Rugby Championship was blown wide open on Saturday night when Argentina stunned the All Blacks by picking up their first even win against them on home soil, to turn the competition into a four horse race.
After the Wallabies stunned the Springboks 38-22 at Ellis Park in the first round, the Boks bounced back with a 30-22 win in the second Test in Cape Town on Saturday to get themselves on the board.
Not to be outdone, Argentina pulled off their own bounce back win, having lost their opening match 41-24 in Cordoba. They responded with an impressive 29-23 win in Buenos Aires late Saturday.
It was a second half show from the hosts, after the two sides were locked level at 13-all at halftime, with Argentina then cruising into a 26-13 lead. The All Blacks then needed a late penalty on the fulltime hooter to bring them within six points to secure a losing bonus point.
It was just Argentina’s fourth ever win over New Zealand, and first in front of their home fans, with their record now reading 36 losses, one draw and four wins against the All Blacks.
It however wasn’t a massively surprising result, as all of Argentina’s wins have come in the last five years, since they finally broke their duck, after losing 29 of their first 30 games, while drawing once.
That win came during the Tri Nations series (the Boks sat out due to Covid) in 2020, when they clinched a 25-15 win in Sydney.
Win in New Zealand
Their second triumph, and first in New Zealand, came in 2022 when they shocked the All Blacks 25-18 in Christchurch, for a truly momentous victory.
Last year they picked up their second win there, a 38-30 result in Wellington, and followed that up by making history at home this year.
Thanks to that result, the Rugby Championship log is now very congested, with the All Blacks top on six points, Wallabies second on five, and Boks and Los Pumas third and fourth respectively on four points, only separated by points difference.
It is thus now anyone’s game, although tough tours Down Under for the Boks and Argentina could play a big part in seeing how things will finish.
The Boks face the All Blacks in two blockbuster games at Eden Park in Auckland and in Wellington, while the Wallabies host Los Pumas in Queensland and Sydney.
The Aussies will be particularly confident, as they have beaten the British and Irish Lions and Boks, while pushing both teams in defeats as well, in their last four games, and they will want to back that up against Argentina.
For the Boks and All Blacks it will be an incredibly interesting two games.
Next round fixtures
Saturday 6 September
Wallabies v Los Pumas in Queensland – Kick-off 6:30am (SA time)
All Blacks v Springboks in Auckland – Kick-off 9:05am (SA time)
