— Hamilton Ian Foster, the All Blacks’ head coach, warned on Thursday that New Zealand must play fearlessly against Argentina in Hamilton on Saturday to exact revenge for their shocking loss last weekend and avoid the embarrassment of losing a fourth straight home Test.
The Pumas created history by defeating the All Blacks for the first time in New Zealand, surprising critics by selecting the same starting lineup that lost 25-18 in Christchurch.
Despite consecutive wins against Australia and New Zealand that sent Argentina to the top of the Rugby Championship standings, coach Michael Cheika made four changes to his team, whom he still referred to as “underdogs.”
“For those that want blood, I guess we haven’t given it have we,” Foster said, explaining he doesn’t want his players to feel their places are constantly under threat after four defeats in six Tests in 2022, including a home series loss to Ireland.
“If you play under fear, you restrict your options, you restrict your thinking and what actually happens is you don’t get your game going.
“We believe the best way to build confidence in those pressure moments is put the guys out there who have just been through it, have felt it.”
Foster has overhauled his bench, recalling 298 caps worth of experience through hooker Dane Coles, lock Brodie Retallick, flank Dalton Papali’i and flyhalf Beauden Barrett.
Cheika dropped his lone Christchurch try-scorer, flank Juan Martin Gonzalez, to the bench along with lock Matias Alemanno, wing Lucio Cinti and scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou.
Forwards Santiago Grondona and Matias Alemanno are recalled, along with experienced back Tomas Cubelli and Santiago Cordero.
Cheika laughed off suggestions that the Pumas would start as favourites, with last week’s historic result following a 48-17 dismantling of Australia in San Juan.
“Mate, we’re in New Zealand, playing against New Zealand,” he told reporters.
“I know that you guys like to manoeuvre the story around, but we’re about as underdog as you get. You win once, and then no one expects you to win again.
“There’s absolutely no benefit for any of us to think about anything like that,” though he conceded that Ireland’s successive wins in July “gives us some hope”.
Foster said New Zealand’s command of possession and territory, primarily off the dominance of their scrum, had made the historic defeat all the more difficult to accept.
In front after 50 minutes, Foster said his side repeatedly ran into Argentina’s wall of defenders with a lack of attacking variety.
“It’s an area where I think great All Black teams have always been great — in that last 15 minutes — backing themselves and doing the right thing,” he said.
“We clearly got a bit flustered under a bit of pressure and it narrowed down some of our options.
“On the field we have to get better than that.”
New Zealand (15-1): Jordie Barrett; Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke; Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (capt), Shannon Frizell; Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock; Tyrel Lomax, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan de Groot
Replacements: Dane Coles, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Brodie Retallick, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Quinn Tupaea
Argentina (15-1): Juan Cruz Mallia; Emiliano Boffelli, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Santiago Cordero; Santiago Carreras, Tomas Cubelli; Pablo Matera, Marcos Kremer, Santiago Grondona; Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti; Joel Sclavi, Julian Montoya (capt), Thomas Gallo
Replacements: Santiago Socino, Mayco Vivas, Eduardo Bello, Matias Alemanno, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Gonzalo Bertranou, Benjamin Urdapilleta, Lucio Cinti