Ill-disciplined All Blacks suffer first-ever loss to Pumas in Argentina
Sunday, 24 August 2025
At Estadio Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires: Argentina 29 (Juan Martin Gonzalez 33min, Gonzalo Garcia 59min tries; Santiago Carreras 2 con & 3 pen, Juan Cruz Mallia pen, Tomas Albornoz pen) All Blacks 23 (Billy Proctor 20min, Fletcher Newell 25min, Samisnoi Taukei'aho 68min tries; Damian McKenzie con & pen, Beauden Barrett pen) HT: 13-13
Yellow cards: Will Jordan (All Blacks), Tupou Vaa'i (All Blacks), Sevu Reece (All Blacks).
The sight of a mushroom cloud rising to the rugby heavens in Buenos Aires on Sunday morning (NZT) was of Argentina stunning the All Blacks 29-23 and, in doing so, creating history.
This was the Pumas detonating their A-game for their first win over the All Blacks in Argentina - and they thoroughly deserved their success in this Rugby Championship match.
The All Blacks? Well, they have a mountain of work to do before they meet the Springboks in their two tests in Auckland and Wellington next month.
A late try to replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho with 12 minutes remaining on the clock raised hopes that the All Blacks wouldn't crash to a shock loss, but when Santiago Carreras kicked a late penalty there was no coming back.
Expectations the All Blacks would build on their performance in Cordoba a week earlier, where they beat the Pumas 41-24, faded as their discipline, inability to gain superiority in the air and being forced to burn precious fuel because they had to tackle for long periods, took its toll.
No 10 Beauden Barrett was also inaccurate off the kicking tee, missing two conversions and a penalty attempt, although a couple were near the sideline.
The Pumas were up for this battle at Estadio Velez Sarsfield and punished the All Blacks' inability to get their attack anywhere near their true potential was a concern.
Yellow cards to fullback Will Jordan and blindside flanker Tupou Vaa'i in the second quarter, and right wing Sevu Reece late in the game was proof that the All Blacks are proving to be slow learners in 2025.
What a horrible way for All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor to mark his 100th test.
He deserved better, but then again, he would be the first to say that if you are to win a match at this level you have to do more than make your own luck; the All Blacks simply were not good enough.
Losing halfback Cortez Ratima in the first half with a chest injury has compounded the All Blacks’ woes. Finlay Christie, who wasn't in the squad at the start of the championship, operated well and if Cam Roigard is still injured - he didn't travel to Argentina because of an ankle injury - he will likely start at Eden Park against the Springboks on August 6.
Argentina also had injury woes, losing playmaker Tomas Albonoz after a team-mate stood on his hand.
Tries to centre Billy Proctor and tighthead prop Fletcher Newell in the 20th and 25th minutes provided positive signs for the All Blacks, who, having spent much of the first quarter trying to prevent the Pumas feasting on errors and penalties, appeared to have added spice to their attack.
Proctor crossed over near the left-corner pocket, accepting a pass from replacement halfback Christie from a ruck after the All Blacks knitted together phases from a lineout.
It's a rare sight to see a big man with No 3 on his back to score a five-pointer in an outside lane; usually props have become accustomed to getting opportunities closer to the posts, but Newell was clinical and, as the All Blacks jogged back to halfway they must have been relieved to finally get scoreboard dominance.
Ahead 13-6, the visitors discovered it was their turn to lean back on the ropes as the Puma landed multiple shots.
The yellow card to Jordan, he made a subtle change of his running lane in an attempt to block Pumas left wing Mateo Carreras, the latter having latched on to a superb cross-kick, was fair.
Jordan was soon joined by Vaa'i, the No 6 punished for a professional foul because he was deemed guilty of attempting to knock down a pass during the movement that led to the try to Pumas flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez.
With the All Blacks' defensive line reduced to 13 men, the instructions from the Pumas coaching box to the players on the paddock were loud and clear: Keep the ball in hand and run into the extra space on offer.
Pumas failed with their objective to punish the visitors for their ill-discipline prior to the halftime break.
Despite several attacks that should have led to at least one try, the Pumas were thwarted by a combination of desperate tackling and their own errors.
Beauden Barrett produced a pinch of magic when he tackled right wing Bautista Delguy, who appeared certain to score, from behind and forced the ball from his grasp.
But, then, the home team came roaring out of the gates for the second half.
This was a magnificent win for the Pumas.
The All Blacks have so much work to do. The Springboks are steaming over the horizon and are amped to snap the All Blacks’ unbeaten record at Eden Park, which stretches back 1994.