Napier, New Zealand: The All Blacks are wary of the rapid development of Argentine rugby going into Saturday’s Test, with only an apparent lack of self-belief holding back the South Americans.
“They’ve made a lot of progress,” All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said ahead of the third-round Rugby Championship encounter.
Although the Pumas have yet to register a win in 14 matches since joining the southern hemisphere championship in 2012, they were unlucky not to upset South Africa twice last month.
With coach Daniel Hourcade adding an expansive running game to their traditional aggressive forward play, Argentina dominated both matches, although they were not able to close them out.
“This is something we have to learn against the best teams in the world. We played very well but in the last minute we stopped playing as a team and played as individuals,” Hourcade said.
But despite the late drop-off, All Blacks captain Richie McCaw was impressed with what he saw.
“They’re playing probably better than they have done over the last couple of years,” he said, adding the relentless aggression of their pack was no longer their only weapon.
“They have a pretty good defensive system, too, out in the backline and guys like [Juan Martin] Hernandez and their fullback [Joaquin Tuculet] they played pretty damned well against the Springboks and scored some good points.
“So, if we give them easy ball at the right end of the field they’ve got the ability to make us pay.”
But as much as Argentina are improving across the board, they are yet to believe they can beat the All Blacks as they arrived in Napier talking up the world’s top-ranked side.
“Without a doubt they are the best team with the best players and for me it will be a great challenge,” said prop Ramiro Herrera who will be facing the All Blacks for the first time in only his fifth Test.
Tomas Lavanini, also making his debut against the world champions referred to playing the All Blacks as “something I always dreamed of”.
However, neither showed any flicker of believing they could clinch victory, which veteran wing Horacio Agulla noted was a psychological barrier the side needed to break through.
“There’s been a couple of games when we’ve been very close and we could have won. Hopefully we can start winning games, that’s why we are here,” he said.
“We need to start believing we can beat these teams. We know they are the best teams in the world, but once we win a game that belief will come. We need to break that barrier.”
Argentina’s best result against the All Blacks in 22 Tests was a draw in the second Test between the two sides back in 1985.
Meanwhile. the Wallabies will rely on their maligned forwards to provide a platform if they are to reverse a three-match losing run against South Africa in their Rugby Championship Test in Perth on Saturday.
The Australian pack was outplayed by the world champion All Blacks in a 51-20 mauling in Auckland a fortnight ago and coach Ewen McKenzie has largely stuck with the same combination against the powerful Springboks.
The forecast is for wet and windy conditions in Saturday’s game, giving the South Africans the edge in their traditional dominance of the set piece.
The Wallabies were smashed 38-12, four tries to nil, by the Springboks in their 2013 Rugby Championship Test in Australia and the home side is looking to win back the Mandela Challenge Plate, which they lost to South Africa last year after holding it for three seasons.
“They’ve got two things that we want,” Wallabies’ skipper Michael Hooper said on Friday.
“They’re number two in the world and they’ve got the Mandela Plate.”
The Springboks have beefed up their pack for an expected physical battle with the Wallaby eight by the inclusion of Marcell Coetzee, line-out general Victor Matfield, Adriaan Strauss and Tendai Mtawarira.
“Maybe they might still feel the psychological pressure of what happened in the past,” Springboks skipper Jean de Villiers said.
“But we’re not banking on them holding the scars of last year. They’ve come a long way.
“We see it as a brand new challenge and a brand new game.”
Hooper also believes the Wallabies are a different proposition than the team tossed aside by the Springboks in Brisbane 12 months ago.
“It was a long time ago, teams have changed and we’ve got a completely different squad,” he said.
McKenzie has prepared for a brutal battle up front and will go into the Test with a forwards heavy 6-2 reserves bench split and among them he has recalled former Wallabies skipper James Horwill to help with the line-outs.
Hanson set for first Test start
Hooker James Hanson will make his first Test start, with Springboks great Matfield sure to give him a tough night on his throws into the line-out.
De Villiers said the Springboks were looking to bank on their traditional strengths to win for the fourth consecutive time against the Wallabies.
“We are trying to evolve as a team. We are always going to rely what made us a good team, what Springbok rugby is all about,” he said.
“That will always be there for us and that’s not negotiable.
“If we can add to that and try evolving around that then we can only become a better team and I think we have done that in a way.
“We need to stay strong in the areas that we have generally been strong at for a century or so, tomorrow may be occasion when we need that where the forwards will have to be at their best. The Wallabies have improved in that regard.”
Perth has been a happy hunting ground for the Springboks and they have won three and drawn one of their seven Tests in Western Australia.
“They have a lot to play for and they have their goals, and we have our goals set as well,” de Villiers said.
“We would like to get to the number one and strive to be the best in the world.
“It’s much easier said than done. We do know that the Wallabies will be a massive threat for us, but it’s a challenge that we are excited about and we are looking forward to it.”
The game will also be Springbok winger Bryan Habana’s 100th Test, while de Villiers is just one match behind him.
“The fact Bryan is playing his 100th gives [this Test] a different feel,” de Villiers said.
“It would be great to make it a special day for him.”
