Argentina made history on Saturday by defeating New Zealand 29-23 in Buenos Aires, recording their first ever home victory over the All Blacks in a Rugby Championship Test. The Pumas, ranked seventh in the world, outscored their opponents three tries to two in a bruising encounter at Estadio Vélez Sarsfield.
Replacement fly-half Santiago Carreras proved instrumental, landing three second-half penalties to push Argentina clear after they had trailed early on. The win avenged last week's 41-24 defeat in Córdoba and marked the first time Argentina had beaten New Zealand on home soil in 15 attempts, a drought stretching back to 1985.
Argentina captain Julián Montoya praised his team's resilience and the passionate home crowd. 'The stadium was rocking, honestly it was amazing. I'm really proud of the team and the whole squad,' Montoya said. 'We believed that we could win – we've believed for a few years now. We came back from a tough loss in the last game and we stayed in the fight.'
New Zealand's cause was hampered by three yellow cards, including two late in the first half that left them defending with 13 men. All Blacks captain Scott Barrett admitted his side were outplayed. 'I think they showed more passion and intensity. They got over the gain line and they held the ball, while we gave away penalties which just fed their game. They're a quality team and we were outclassed.'
Despite the loss, a late penalty from Damian McKenzie earned New Zealand a bonus point, keeping them top of the Rugby Championship standings after two rounds. All four teams have a win and a loss after South Africa beat Australia 30-22 earlier in Cape Town. The All Blacks now face a stern test when they host the Springboks at Eden Park on 6 September, where they have an unbeaten run spanning 34 years.
