Many were quick to dismiss Argentina’s win over New Zealand in Christchurch in the 2022 Rugby Championship - Los Pumas’ first win over the All Black on away soil - as a one-off, a blip in the topsy-turvy tenure of now-departed All Blacks boss Ian Foster.

Two years later in Wellington, as Argentina pulled off another Rugby Championship stunner against the All Blacks by way of an epic 38-30 victory, it just might be destiny.

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Argentina’s 39-year-old all-time caps leader Agustin Creevy came off the bench to score the go-ahead try to put Los Pumas ahead in the 69th minute, with his team putting up a legendary final quarter at Sky Stadium to secure a massive win for the country’s rugby scene as a whole and for first-year coach and World Rugby Hall of Fame player Felipe Contepomi.

It was Argentina’s third win in 38 matches against New Zealand. All three victories have come since 2020. Los Pumas’ first win against the All Blacks came in Sydney during the 2020 Tri Nations Series.

As for the All Blacks, first-year coach (and former Crusaders dynasty architect) Scott Robertson has a lot of sudden questions that need to be answered about his side, as its hopes for a fifth straight Rugby Championship title immediately are in jeopardy, especially with two tests against reigning Rugby World Cup champion South Africa still to go.

Things started well enough for the hosts, as they were the first ones to cross over by way of Sam Darry, who scored a 15th-minute try in just his second senior international cap after debuting last month against Fiji. His five-pointer, plus both a conversion and a prior penalty from Damian McKenzie, had the All Blacks seemingly cruising early on at 10-0.

But even as the situation could’ve easily gone south for Los Pumas from there, there was little anxiety shown from the South Americans in a city where they’ve lost to the All Blacks four times previously. Though Argentina often was caught running into its own way in the first half by giving up 11 penalties, it was by no means out of it at halftime, as the hosts held a 20-15 advantage at the intermission. 

Center Lucio Cinti scored the first of the visitors’ four tries in the 23rd minute, and even when Anton Lienert-Brown scored for the All Blacks in the 35th minute to put them up 20-8, Los Pumas were unfazed. They pounced on a botched clearance kick moments later from McKenzie. Mateo Carreras scooped up the loose ball and scurried away for an easy try to cut the deficit going into the shed.

It was when the second half began that Argentina began to etch its name into legend.

While indiscipline nearly became Los Pumas’ undoing in the first 40 minutes, they limited themselves to just three whistles against them in the final 40 minutes to leave them focused on just one thing as the tension ramped up - beating the All Blacks on their own turf once again. 

A near-immediate try from Franco Molina off of a brilliant lineout, where he caught it short and drove forward after Los Pumas faked the All Blacks out with a jumper, made it 22-20 to Argentina just three minutes into the second half.

The lead was traded following a penalty from each side until the speedster Mark Tele’a broke through from short range and scored in the 52nd minute, putting the All Blacks back up by five. McKenzie’s subsequent kick, however, was the last time that New Zealand would score points.

Santiago Carreras booted through a penalty in the 56th minute to make it 30-28, and after just over 10 minutes of waiting, Argentina finally broke through via the ageless Creevy, who muscled over from close range. A conversion and penalty then upped Los Pumas’ advantage to a crucial eight points late, and New Zealand’s desperate push to get back into it went nowhere as Los Pumas closed out the upset.

It was a deserved win for Argentina and a brilliant result in the young coaching career of Contepomi, already a playing legend for Los Pumas who succeeded Michael Cheika following the Rugby World Cup last year.

Meanwhile, New Zealand will attempt to avoid what would be an arguably more catastrophic second defeat in a Rugby Championship rematch with Argentina next weekend at Eden Park, a venue where the All Blacks haven’t lost since 1994.

Uno que gambetea 😮‍💨#SomosLosPumas pic.twitter.com/BRdNhe6E2x

— Los Pumas (@lospumas) August 12, 2024

How To Watch The Rugby Championship 2024

The Rugby Championship will be streaming in the United States on FloRugby and the FloSports app.

Match replays, highlights and more will be on both platforms. 

The Rugby Championship 2024 Schedule

August 10

• Australia 7, South Africa Springboks 33
• New Zealand All Blacks 33, Argentina 38

August 17

• New Zealand All Blacks vs. Argentina - 3:05 a.m. EDT
• Australia Vs. South Africa Springboks - 5:55 a.m. EDT

August 31

• South Africa Springboks vs. New Zealand All Blacks - 11 a.m. EDT
• Argentina vs. Australia - 5 p.m. EDT

September 7

• South Africa Springboks vs. New Zealand All Blacks - 11 a.m. EDT
• Argentina vs. Australia - 3 p.m. EDT

September 21

• Australia vs. New Zealand All Blacks - 1:55 a.m. EDT
• Argentina vs. South Africa Springboks - 5 p.m. EDT

September 28

• New Zealand All Blacks vs. Australia - 3:05 a.m. EDT
• South Africa Springboks vs. Argentina - 11 a.m. EDT

World Rugby Rankings 2024

1. South Africa, 93.11
2. Ireland, 92.12
3. New Zealand, 90.37
4. France, 86.96
5. England, 85.40
6. Scotland, 82.82
7. Argentina, 81.64
8. Italy, 78.98
9. Australia, 78.96
10. Fiji, 77.44
11. Wales, 76.04
12. Georgia, 74.10
13. Samoa, 73.65
14. Japan, 71.63
15. Tonga, 70.58
16. Portugal, 70.61
17. Uruguay, 68.66
18. Spain, 66.29
19. USA, 66.01
20. Romania, 62.62

Where To Watch Rugby Internationals 2024?

In the USA, FloRugby will broadcast some of the best international rugby fixtures of 2024.

South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and England will play matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app.

How To Watch Rugby Matches In the United States On FloRugby

FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to: 

• Investec Champions Cup
• EPCR Challenge Cup
• Currie Cup
• Top 14
• Super Rugby
• And more

FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays. 

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