Los Pumas bounce back from opening-round defeat to New Zealand to end 40-year wait for first home victory over All Blacks and throw the Rugby Championship wide open
Argentina made history in Buenos Aires on Saturday, defeating New Zealand 29-23 to record their first ever home victory over the All Blacks. After 40 years and 15 failed attempts, Los Pumas finally broke the hoodoo in front of a rapturous home crowd, reigniting their Rugby Championship campaign in stunning fashion.
It looked like business as usual early on when New Zealand surged into a 13-6 lead, with first-half tries from Billy Proctor and Fletcher Newell silencing the Argentine fans. The All Blacks, buoyed by Codie Taylor’s 100th cap, seemed in complete control, shifting the ball with pace and punishing Argentina’s errors.
But the match turned on discipline – or rather, New Zealand’s lack of it. When Will Jordan was shown a yellow card, Argentina pounced. Juan Martín González crashed over for a try, converted by Santiago Carreras, bringing the scores level at 13-13. Moments later, Tupou Vaa’i was also sent to the bin, leaving the All Blacks down to 13 men. Although Argentina couldn’t quite finish off another golden chance before half-time, they went into the break believing a famous upset was possible.
The second half belonged to Los Pumas. With New Zealand struggling to regain composure, Carreras’ boot took centre stage. The replacement fly-half coolly slotted two penalties to edge Argentina in front. Then came the decisive blow: Pablo Matera bulldozed forward off the back of a scrum, setting up Gonzalo García to dart over for Argentina’s second try. With Carreras adding the extras, Argentina were suddenly 26-13 ahead.
The All Blacks mounted their inevitable response. A driving maul saw Samisoni Taukei’aho touch down, and Damian McKenzie’s conversion narrowed the gap. But just as the momentum threatened to shift, Sevu Reece deliberately batted down a pass and was shown yellow. Carreras added another penalty to give Argentina a six-point cushion, which they clung to through a tense final stretch.
When the final whistle blew, the stadium erupted. Fans poured into song, players embraced in tears, and history was made – Argentina’s first ever home victory over rugby’s most iconic team.
The result leaves the Rugby Championship finely poised. After two rounds, all four teams – Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia – sit level with one win apiece. With three rounds remaining, the tournament is wide open and promises more drama ahead.
For Argentina, this victory will be remembered as a defining moment. Since their first win over New Zealand in 2020, Los Pumas have shown they can topple giants, but doing so on home soil carries special significance. It was a triumph built on resilience, opportunism, and the unerring accuracy of Santiago Carreras.
For the All Blacks, it was a night of frustration. Ill-discipline cost them dearly, and while their attacking spark shone in patches, their inability to control the breakdown or adapt to pressure handed Argentina the opening they needed.
Los Pumas, long the underdogs of the southern hemisphere, have now reminded the world that on their day, they can beat anyone – even the mighty All Blacks.
My Goat Sports 