In their Rugby Championship opener in Wellington, Argentina pulled off a remarkable surprise win over New Zealand, securing a 38-30 victory. Despite the All Blacks taking an early lead of 10-0 and maintaining a 13-5 advantage after the first thirty minutes, the resilience of Argentina shone through. A notable highlight was Mateo Carreras’ superb try in the 37th minute, one of four scored by the team.
A crucial try scored by Agustin Creevy, a veteran player from the front row aged 39, put the Pumas in the forefront in the final stages of the game. A subsequent late penalty by Santiago Carreras further extended their lead. The match marked the highest number of points the All Blacks have given away on home soil and their third loss in four years to Argentina.
Ardie Savea, who wears the number eight jersey for the All Blacks, expressed significant disappointment, stating that the performance was not up to their usual standard. He added, “This loss stings, but we’ll internalise it and use it to energise us for the upcoming match next weekend.”