All Blacks beat Argentina 41-24, reclaim World No. 1
New Zealand held off a determined second-half comeback from Argentina to secure a 41-24 win in their Rugby Championship opener in Córdoba, returning to the top of the world rankings for the first time in four years.
The All Blacks got off to a flying start, racing to a 10-0 lead within the first 10 minutes through a Beauden Barrett penalty and Sevu Reece’s opening try. Though Pumas winger Rodrigo Isgro responded to bring the hosts within three points, the All Blacks quickly pulled away.
A dominant spell saw Ardie Savea, Cortez Ratima, and Reece score in quick succession, sending New Zealand into the break with a commanding 31-10 advantage. Argentina came out fired up in the second half, with Tomas Albornoz powering over 11 minutes after the restart to cut into the deficit.
Momentum shifted further when Billy Proctor was shown a yellow card, and Joaquin Oviedo capitalized to bring the score to 31-24, raising hopes of a dramatic comeback in front of a raucous home crowd. But New Zealand’s experience and depth told in the closing stages.
Samisoni Taukei’aho crossed twice in the final 12 minutes to snuff out any remaining Argentine hopes and seal a bonus-point win for the visitors. Barrett: “We Finished Strong”
All Blacks captain Scott Barrett praised his side’s resilience under pressure: “We talked about starting well and I think we did that. We finished the second half quite strong it was a bit of a statement there.”
The result extends New Zealand’s unbeaten record on Argentine soil to 15 matches, maintaining their historic dominance in this fixture. The two teams will clash again next in Buenos Aires, where Argentina will be desperate to end their winless home run and bounce back from a spirited but ultimately unsuccessful effort.
