Argentina stun All Blacks with historic 29-23 upset win / Photo: Luis ROBAYO - AFP
Argentina stun All Blacks with historic 29-23 upset win
An inspired Argentina played with greater discipline to upset New Zealand 29-23 in a bruising Rugby Championship Test Saturday and record their first ever home win over the All Blacks.
The Pumas were out-scored three tries to two in Buenos Aires but replacement fly-half Santiago Carreras landed three second-half penalties to push them clear and respond in style to last week's 41-24 defeat in Cordoba.
Damian McKenzie landed a late penalty goal to earn New Zealand a bonus point, meaning they top the Rugby Championship standings after two rounds.
All four teams have recorded a win and a loss after the Springboks earlier beat the Wallabies 30-22 in Cape Town.
It was a maiden win over New Zealand on home soil in 16 attempts for Argentina, who had lost on 14 other occasions and drew once, in 1985.
The seventh-ranked Pumas fully deserved victory, dominating all facets against a New Zealand who will cling to their number one world ranking.
The visitors' cause wasn't helped by conceding three yellow cards, including two late in the first half that left them defending with 13 men.
Argentina suffered a blow when influential fly-half Tomas Albornoz was forced out of the game, soon after scoring the opening points through a penalty goal.
Trailing 6-3, the All Blacks enjoyed a period of dominance midway through the first half, with centre Billy Proctor and prop Fletcher Newell scoring tries from slick team moves.
However, a yellow card to New Zealand fullback Will Jordan for deliberate obstruction swung momentum.
The Pumas drew level through flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez's try and All Blacks forward Tupou Vaa'i was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knockdown during the same passage of play.
Playing with a two-man advantage, the home side were foiled in their attempts to take a lead into the interval, with the scores instead locked at 13-all.
Carreras landed two penalties before Argentina pulled 13 points clear midway through the second stanza when scrum-half Gonzalo Garcia scored, popping the ball over the tryline after a rampaging charge from impressive back-rower Pablo Matera.
New Zealand threatened a comeback following a driving maul try to Samisoni Taukei'aho but their hopes buckled when wing Sevu Reece was shown a yellow card for a deliberate foul.
A.Wallace--EWJ
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