New Zealand 36 (Tupou Vaa'i 2, Patrick Tuipulotu, TJ Perenarai, Samisoni Taukei'aho tries; Jordie Barrett 4 con, pen) Argentina 13 (Emiliano Boffelli try, con, 2 pen). HT: 24-3.
FULLTIME
Not the ideal finish, but in the end it was a comprehensive victory for the All Blacks, who now have one hand on the Rugby Championship trophy. Click here for a full wrap and highlights.
81st minute - The fulltime hooster has sounded, one final flurry here for the Pumas. Penalty All Blacks, that will do us.
78 mins - TRY ALL BLACKS to Tupou Vaa'i
Silky skills from Scott Barrett, who frees an arm for an offload between two defenders for Tupou Vaa'i to waltz in under the crossbar for his second try of the night. Easy conversion for Barrett.
76 mins - Jordan finds some space deep and the All Blacks finally have some field position.
73rd min - You wouldn't read about it, J-Barrett pinged for taking his free kick about 3 metres beyond the mark and the Pumas will feed a scrum 5m out from the NZ line.
No biggie, the All Blacks pack continues its dominance to win another defensive scrum penalty.
69th min - More poor All Blacks discipline, as the Pumas again throw the 5m lineout. Accidental offside goes against the Pumas, and NZ survive.
67th min - The NZ defence does well to repell the initial 5m lineout maul. Back for another penalty and lineout, we go.
65th min - The Pumas showing some resiliency here, as they move back on the offensive. High tackle from Christie gives Argentina a chance to launch again.
Beauden Barrett and Luke Jacobson enter the fray for McKenzie and Sotutu, who have both been excellent.
62nd min - Pumas win a defensive penalty near halfway. Lineout at the NZ 22m. Great steal from Vaa'i and NZ are promptly on the counter attack.
60th min - More patient build-up play here from the All Blacks, until Jordan is caught upright and a turnover forced.
Plenty of changes on the park for the All Blacks, among which is the first appearance of Braydon Ennor since 2019.
57th min - The All Blacks work through the phases, Christie half break puts Savea in some space. Movement breaks down with a knock on at the ruck.
54th min - Try goes begging! Finlay Christie puts great pressure on the clearance and charges the clearing kick down, only has to pull in the bobbling ball and fall over the line but he can't reel it in.
52nd min - TRY ARGENTINA to Emiliano Boffelli
A piece of magic from the Pumas, who break their 200 minute try-scoring drought against the All Blacks courtesy of a wipers kick from Carreras for his wing, who does well to finish in the corner under duress. Sideline conversion is over. (NZ 29-13)
49th min - Carreras breaks for the Pumas and they're inside the NZ 22m. Wee knock on at the ruck and the Pumas will feed an attacking scrum, 15m out.
46 mins - TRY ALL BLACKS to Samisoni Taukei'aho
The All Blacks with numbers to the right and Jordan's crafty flick pass opens up a lane for the big hooker to barge his way over in the corner. Barrett's conversion is just wide. (NZ 29-6)
45 mins - Pumas don't find touch from a clearance (again) and the All Blacks are quickly on the attack. Great offload from Blackadder to Sotutu who's taken just short.
41st min - Here we go. The Pumas must score next if they're to have any hope of turning this into anything resembling a contest. They go short from the restart and win the ball back, but the NZ defence holding firm after 10 phases and counting.
The line holds but Sotutu is caught offside. The Pumas now decide to look for the posts. Interesting change in mindset there. Slides it just inside the upright. (NZ 24-6).
Second half underway...
HALFTIME
42nd min - TRY ALL BLACKS to Tupou Vaa'i
After a patient build up, a loose ball spills free from a close range ruck and Sotutu is on hand to flick a simple ball onto an unmarked Vaa'i on the wing to stroll in their third try. Barrett converts. (NZ 24-3)
40th min - Bruising run from Taukei'aho, as the All Blacks make their way to the Pumas' 10m. Savea chip and chase, Tupaea regathers. 5m out now.
39th min - The Pumas quickly back in the mix but NZ win a defensive penalty at the ruck courtesy of Will Jordan. They clear to halfway.
37th min - Uh oh, truck and trailer sees the Pumas immediately penalised and the All Blacks escape.
35th min - NZ clear and the Pumas work their way back towards the NZ 22m. Penalty advantage cashed in. Back to the 5m lineout they go.
32nd min - Pumas earn a penalty at the ruck. They turn down the shot and move to a 5m lineout. Huge moment here for the underdogs.
But the All Blacks defend the maul perfectly and it goes to ground. Scrum NZ.
30th min - Ioane cuts open the defence yet again but chooses to throw the dummy with Perenara looming in support right in front of the sticks. Tries to get back to his feet and dive over and Peyper penalises him for his efforts. Certain try gone begging there.
28th min- And the restart sails out on the full. This is starting to get worrisome for the Pumas. NZ scrum in the centre of the paddock.
26th min - TRY ALL BLACKS to TJ Perenara
Sotutu explodes off the back of the scrum, great long ball to Perenara, who burrows his way over. Barrett converts. (NZ 17-3)
25th min - Super shunt at the scrum from this young All Blacks pack against their much more experienced rivals. Defensive penalty won and they choose to pack it again. 5m out.
21st min - Rieko Ioane is over under the sticks off a perfect Mckenzie chip kick, only to be pulled back again for a forward pass he recovered from the kick gatherer Jordan.
NZ win a scrum penalty though, and they look to touch. They roll the 5m lineout maul but it breaks down, Pumas scrum.
19th min - Barrett through a gaping hole off a beautiful short ball from McKenzie. Forced the offload in the tackle though, and the movement ends in a Pumas scrum 22m from their own line.
16th min - All Blacks building nicely here, working the short ball at the line with great effect. Tupaea through half a gap, offloads to Taukei'aho, the prop finds Jordan inside for what looks to be a try, but the referee Peyper calls him back for a forward pass. Fair ruling.
14th min - Pumas looking to test NZ under the high ball, McKenzie and Barrett up to the task respectively. We end with an NZ lineout at halfway.
12th min - Some skillfull interplay here from the All Blacks, but the referee blows up their penalty advantage. Jordie Barrett has the kicking duties today, and steps up to slot a straightforward attempt. (NZ 10-3)
10th min - Rieko Ioane again looking dangerous, cuts through some defenders near halfway but the offload is fumbled. Pumas clear from the scrum.
Bridge soars to reel in a bomb and NZ are right back on thre front foot. Inside the 22m they go...
8th min - Blackadder is pinged immediately from the restart and suddenly the Pumas have a point blank penalty opportunity. Over it goes, quick response from Argentina. (NZ 7-3)
5th min - TRY ALL BLACKS to Patrick Tuipulotu
The movement starts with a clear break from a ruck by Hoskins Sotutu, who links with Will Jordan, who does well to fight within an inch of the chalk. Tuipulotu is quick on deck to to take the hit up and bulldoze his way over the line. (NZ 7-0)
4th min - Pumas give the ball some width, work their way past the NZ 10m mark. Kick ricochets into touch and NZ will throw the lineout near halfway.
2nd min - Brilliant work from Montoya at the breakdown to snare a turnover, which turns into a penalty. Pumas clear to their 10m.
1st min - McKenzie gets us started and there's another shuddering hit from the outset by the All Blacks chasers. Clearance doesn't find touch and NZ are in the red zone early, 22m out...
We're underway...
10:04pm - Skipper Savea at the tip of the All Blacks' haka spear. 'Ka mate' laid down ferociously. Let's roll.
10:02pm - Significant upgrade in the NZ anthem rendition from last week. Shout out Arthur Bristowe.
9:58pm - Both sides have taken the paddock on a relatively balmy night in Brisbane. Here's hoping the spectacle does it justice.
9:50pm - Just 10 minutes until we get back underway at Suncorp Stadium, where it seems the majority of the crowd who witnessed Aussie's second straight win over the Springboks in the curtain-raiser have stuck around for the second leg of the Rugby Championship double header. I'll stop short of calling it the main event.
***
The All Blacks were highly satisfied with their efforts in their shutout win over the Pumas on the Gold Coast last weekend, where they dominated across the paddock to record a pulverising 39-0 victory.
With an overhauled line-up in anticipation of their long-awaited clash with South Africa next weekend, the key now for coach Ian Foster and his troops will be continuing that upward trajectory against a wounded Pumas side that will undoubtedly have a point to prove.
We'll bring you full play-by-play updates from 10pm.
TAB betting odds:
New Zealand $1.03 Argentina $12
All Blacks captain Ardie Savea places faith in rookie pair Quinn Tupaea, Tupou Vaa'i for second Argentina clash
By Alex Powell
All Blacks captain Ardie Savea backing his side's inexperienced players to stand up and make the most of a rare start in Saturday's Rugby Championship clash against Argentina.
With just six days since last week's 39-0 victory over the same opposition on the Gold Coast, the All Blacks have been forced into wholesale changes to keep the team fresh for future matches.
Coach Ian Foster has made 11 changes to the starting XV for Saturday's match at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, including inexperienced midfielder Quinn Tupaea and lock Tupou Vaa'i.
Combined, Tupaea and Vaa'i have played less than 10 tests. Saturday's match will earn Tupaea his third test cap, while Vaa'i will play in his seventh match for the All Blacks.
But despite the rookie pair being handed crucial starting berths, captain Savea is confident they are up to the task of facing a physical Argentina side out for revenge.
"The boys know what's expected of them [in] doing their job," Savea says. "I just like to encourage in small ways and remind the boys that they're here for a reason.
"That's about it. I trust them to do their job and they're in this team for a reason.
"Even though they have less caps, it doesn't matter. Those boys are raring to go."
Savea is also anticipating an Argentina bounce-back, after they were kept scoreless on the Gold Coast.
Since the historic 25-15 loss to Argentina in Sydney last year, the All Blacks have beaten Los Pumas 38-0 and 39-0 in their two following encounters.
But that won't lead to any complacency from the All Blacks, who could go a long way towards securing the Rugby Championship title with another victory.
"For us, even though there have been changes, it's about backing that up," says Savea. "If we turn up thinking the same performance as last week will be enough, we're kidding ourselves.
"We know the Argie boys, they're a wounded beast. They're dangerous right now.
"If we don't turn up, it could be a long day."
