As a symbol, the Argentina-New Zealand semi-final on Friday (9 p.m.) will be refereed by Angus Gardner. The Australian was on the whistle during the Pumas’ very first victory against the All Blacks, in the anonymity of a Sydney venue, in November 2020.
Beyond superstition, the Argentines will be able to rely on the ingredients that led them to success that day. A tough defense, a great goalscorer to exploit New Zealand’s indiscipline, and, of course, their legendary grinta. The recipe was the same in August 2022, during Argentina’s second and final victory against the men in black. “We know it’s possible because we’ve already done it,” assures Michael Cheika, the coach, before Friday’s meeting. Autopsy of two resounding successes.
Before November 14, 2020, the best result that Argentina had obtained against the All Blacks was a draw (21-21), in 1985 in Buenos Aires. We had to wait until the 30th duel to finally see a victory for the Pumas. At that time, Mario Ledesma was coach. In his staff, he called on an “external advisor”, a certain… Michael Cheika, who took over in March 2022.
The context is particular. Delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rugby Championship is renamed Tri-nations 2020 after South Africa withdrew. All six matches are being played in Australia. It is therefore in the sparse stands of Bankwest Stadium in Sydney that the major feat takes place.
A great Nicolas Sanchez
Argentina is experiencing its first match of 2020, thirteen months after its last outing on a rugby field, a victory against the United States (47-17) during the Japanese World Cup. For its part, New Zealand had just lost a few days earlier against Australia (22-24). It therefore fields a typical team, but that will not be enough. For the first time since 2011, the men in black will lose two consecutive matches.
At the start of the game, everyone wants to fight. A little too much, perhaps. From the 3rd minute, after a penalty whistled for Argentina, we came to blows. The opportunity for Nicolas Sanchez to score the first three points. Whoever is then the opener at the Stade Français Paris will score all the points for his team, making 25 in total. A record falls, that of the greatest number of points scored by a single player against the All Blacks, previously held by the legendary Hugo Porta.
His capital performance was even enhanced by a try, when in the 19th minute he himself recovered a small kick over the top at the entrance to the 22 meters. The Argentinians have control of the ball and lead 16-3 at the break against the New Zealanders who are far too undisciplined.
A heroic defense
In the second half, Sam Cane flattens in the in-goal after a carried ball (53rd), but Nicolas Sanchez continues to score points. The Blacks, hampered by Argentina’s aggressiveness in defense, were unable to break through and committed some unusual handballs.
The third row Pablo Matera continues the important scratches and the Pumas scrum dominates. Caleb Clarke scores New Zealand’s second try in stoppage time (80th), but it’s too late. Clinical, precise, aggressive, courageous and determined, Argentina exults. “Today I was proud to represent my country. What I felt in the last minutes watching the defense, the preparation, the people who were there in the bad moments, it’s incredible. I want to thank everyone who was there when things were not going well,” says hero Nicolas Sanchez after the final whistle.
For his part, Mario Ledesma evokes a “surreal” moment. Some players haven’t seen their families in months. I think we will remember it for a long time.” Annoyed, the All Blacks took their revenge two weeks later with a 38-0 victory.
It must be written that the Argentines will score 25 points for each of their successes against the All Blacks. That of August 27, 2022, the second in history but above all the latest, has a particular flavor, since it was acquired in New Zealand. More precisely at Addington Stadium, in Christchurch, during the Rugby Championship 2022.
This time, it is Michael Cheika, the current coach, who is in charge. And the Pumas corrected his former team, Australia, two weeks earlier (48-17). As in 2020, New Zealand fields an almost typical team on the field. On the Argentinian side, Nicolas Sanchez is not there. But it’s another scorer who will score almost all the points: Emiliano Boffelli, the Edinburgh winger.
Same recipe
It was the All Blacks who took the lead at the break (15-12) thanks to a first try scored by Samisoni Taukei’aho (11th) and following a carried ball, then a second from Caleb Clarke (32nd), at the conclusion of a very good three-quarter action. But Argentina remains in contact, the precision at the foot of Boffelli allowing them to fully exploit New Zealand’s indiscipline (9 penalties in the first half alone!).
Returning from the locker room, Argentina scored a try by Juan Martin Gonzalez Samso (47th), who took advantage of an error by Scott Barrett to rush into the goal from 22 meters. It’s transformed, and the Pumas pass in front. They will remain so, since apart from a penalty from Richie Mu’onga, New Zealand will no longer score in the game. The opportunities in the Argentine camp are wasted by too much indiscipline, both on the ground and in the lineups.
The All Blacks sink into crisis
As time passes, Ian Foster’s men increase their playing time but cannot find the solution to break through the defensive curtain and end up committing handball errors. The turn of the match strongly resembles the victory of November 2020. The Argentine defense is intractable and forces errors on the New Zealand side. So much so that Shannon Frizell will receive a yellow card. Impassable, the Pumas no longer gave up an inch of ground and won in front of 18,000 stunned spectators.
Defeated for the third consecutive time at home, New Zealand plunged into crisis for what will remain one of its worst years. A week later, however, she took her revenge by destroying Argentina (53-3). Offensive washed away.
