In Wellington, Los Pumas made history again, just like in Parramatta and Christchurch: this time, with Felipe Contepomi at the helm, they won 38-30, adding their third victory in history against the All Blacks, with a record number of points in their favour and a brilliant second half. Now the rematch will come at the legendary Eden Park in Auckland next Saturday, and the team will seek to continue on this path. The Rugby Championship has just started, but this result means that it will be in the best way: with a smile from ear to ear and the hope of the Pumas who dream big. Today they beat none other than New Zealand at home and they are going for more…
Both teams arrived with positive signs from the July window. Los Pumas with a 2-1 lead, the result of a defeat and a victory that left the series tied with France and then a thrashing of Uruguay in Maldonado. Meanwhile, New Zealand did so with three wins, two against England and the other with a thrashing of Fiji.
Too many Argentine violations
The start was good for Los Pumas, first Mateo Carreras came close and then Matías Moroni. In five minutes Felipe Contepomi’s team showed that they had come out determined and surprised New Zealand, who responded well with their defence, but took a while to escape the siege and go play in Argentina’s half. But when they recovered and managed to do so, Los Pumas began to fail, committing one penalty after another to stop the locals’ attacks, and so the first points for the All Blacks appeared. First with a penalty from Mc Kenzie and then with a beautiful play to reach the try of the debutant Darry converted by Mc Kenzie himself to put the score at 10-0 in the first quarter of an hour.
Felipe Contepomi’s team was alive and responded with a great try by Lucio Cinti after a ball recovered by Molina. Chocobares appeared with space, who gave the ball to the Platense centre to reduce the margin in the result by scoring the first Argentine try. Mc Kenzie added with a penalty to make it 13-5. The Pumas felt they were in the game, they stopped the All Blacks, they fought for territory and possession, but they committed infractions that the rivals took advantage of to get away on the score. Around the half hour mark, the Pumas went all out, with the line and the pick and goal they tried to face the strong local defence that stopped them with penalties. Now yes, from closer and in front of the posts Santiago Carreras added and reduced the difference (13-8).
Argentina was doing well on the first line of tackles and attentive to the game with their hands, but the defence “sinned” again and Lienert-Brown did not forgive them, with Mc Kenzie’s conversion to increase the score and put the score at 20-8 five minutes from the end of the first half. But Los Pumas knew they had to score to stay in the game and went for it. Mateo Carreras immediately returned the blow with a try, which he left standing with a great break and feint by Mc Kenzie to support Los Pumas’ second conquest. Santiago Carreras’ conversion closed the quarter down, but only five points away (15-20).
They went into the break showing good intentions in the game, with firm tackles in defence and when they could, making good finishes. What was missing then to win it? Not committing so many indisciplines, since it was known that the home team did not forgive them. They had to adjust those details at half-time to believe in victory in the second half.
A second half crowned with a historic victory
The start of the second half could not have been better, as “el Lungo” Molina, after a great play, scored Argentina’s third try and, with the conversion by Santiago Carreras, Los Pumas took the lead for the first time (22-20). New Zealand was shocked, the match became very close and even. Both teams realized they could win. A penalty by Mc Kenzie put the home team back in front and then a try by Telea put the All Blacks back in the lead.
But Los Pumas did not give up. A penalty by Santiago Carerras put Contepomi’s team back in the game (30-28) and the first scrum only came at 20 minutes of the second half. In addition, the changes came to play that final stretch in a match in which the Argentines realized that they could beat the world runners-up with their own weapons.
And so they went back to play in the New Zealand field, with Mallía, Chocobares, the two Carreras, González, Matera, Kremer, and Creevy himself, who were the high points of a team that was balanced and never gave up. Thus, the try of the centenarian Creevy came, who at 39 years old and with intact experience once again showed the way for the younger players. Santiago Carreras’ conversion put the Pumas ahead by 35 to 30, and they had to play those last ten minutes with a cool head and the script planned to seek that dream victory.
From then on, the team grew, followed the plan laid out and did not commit any more fouls. Focused and focused on what they could do, they played the last few minutes stopping the All Blacks’ attacks that bounced off the Argentine defence. Santiago Carreras’ penalty two minutes from the end put the finishing touch to a dream debut, sealing the 38-30, which will go down in the history of Argentine rugby.
