Preview: Pumas Eye Historic Home Win Over All Blacks In Rugby Championship
Preview: Pumas Eye Historic Home Win Over All Blacks In Rugby Championship
Los Pumas chase historic 250th win and first home victory over All Blacks in Rugby Championship opener. Full preview, team news & key battles in Córdoba.
Felipe Contepomi’s Los Pumas will be on the verge of a momentous occasion for Argentinean Rugby when they host the All Blacks this Saturday in Round 1 of the 2025 Rugby Championship.
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Should the hosts claim the win, it will be the 250th test victory in Argentinean Rugby history and their first over New Zealand on home soil, having claimed three victories over the All Blacks on the road in recent years.
On the other side of the ledge, Scott Robertson’s All Blacks know that back-to-back victories are key if they are to set up a Championship-deciding series against the Springboks in Round 3 and Round 4.
Thus, the stage is set for a cracking test between two of the game’s most exciting test outfits, and rugby fans in the United States can catch all of the action live, and exclusively, on FloRugby.
Team News
All Blacks selectors Robertson, Scott Hansen and Jason Ryan have confirmed a strong 23 for the clash in Córdoba.
Captain Scott Barrett returns from injury to lead the side, pairing with Fabian Holland in the second row. Tupou Vaa’i slots in at blindside flanker alongside Du’Plessis Kirifi and vice-captain Ardie Savea in a balanced loose trio.
Cortez Ratima gets the nod at halfback, linking with Beauden Barrett, while Billy Proctor partners Jordie Barrett in midfield. The back three sees Rieko Ioane and Sevu Reece on the wings, with Will Jordan at fullback.
The bench boasts serious impact with experienced backs Finlay Christie, Anton Lienert-Brown and Damian McKenzie, while Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ollie Norris, Pasilio Tosi, Patrick Tuipulotu and Samipeni Finau cover the forwards. Tamaiti Williams (knee) and Wallace Sititi (ankle) are unavailable.
Felipe Contepomi has named a near full-strength Los Pumas side, having rested several of his front-line players in July. Chief among the recalled players are stars Santiago Chocobares, Bautista Delguy, Marcos Kremer and Juan Cruz Mallía.
The back three features Mallía, Delguy and Rodrigo Isgró, while Chocobares partners with Lucio Cinti in midfield. In-form halves Gonzalo García and Tomás Albornoz will direct play.
A powerful loose forward unit sees Joaquín Oviedo, Kremer and Pablo Matera combine with Pedro Rubiolo and Franco Molina locking the scrum.
Captain Julián Montoya starts at hooker between Mayco Vivas and Pedro Delgado.
Ignacio Ruiz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Joel Sclavi, Guido Petti and Juan Martín González are the forward replacements, with Simón Benítez Cruz, Santiago Carreras and Justo Piccardo covering the backs.
Injuries to Bautista Bernasconi, and the inclusion of uncapped front-rowers Leonel Oviedo and Boris Wenger, have shaped the squad, while Emiliano Boffelli has joined temporarily.
Contepomi has resisted a 6-2 split, favoring a traditional 5-3 bench in a match where Argentina will look to blend power with pace against the All Blacks.
Where The Match Will Be Won
Across the board, these two sides are more equally matched than at any point in their respective histories.
Up front, the battle at set-piece time will be ferocious and will go a long way to deciding which side can get much-needed field position.
Yet, it is in the back three where the most intriguing of head-to-head battles are set to unfold.
Occupying their respective No. 15 shirts, Juan Cruz Mallia and Will Jordan are amongst the top five fullbacks in the world at the moment.
The return of Stade Toulousain star Mallia to the starting lineup instantly offers Los Pumas more direction and control, which was sorely missed in their series loss to England in July.
Standing opposite the Argentina magician is World Rugby’s most lethal finisher, Will Jordan, who is chasing down Doug Howlett’s all-time All Blacks try scoring record at a rate of knots. Now just seven tries short of Howlett’s mark, Jordan will be itching to overhaul the record this campaign.
On the wings, both sides are stacked with power and pace, with Los Pumas fielding a pair of European club rugby’s top finishers in Bautista Delguy and Rodrigo Isgró.
Staring down the other side of the flanks are the experienced pairing of Sevu Reece and Rieko Ioane, who themselves each have sublime try-scoring records in the test arena. Although he is unlikely to chase down Jordan, Ioane’s 38 test tries are good enough for ninth all-time on the All Blacks' try scoring list, just one behind legendary fullback Ben Smith.
Prediction
Despite being discussed as a precursor to what will be a titanic series against the Springboks, the All Blacks would be foolish to look past Los Pumas.
Losing at home to them last season, and in 2022, to go along with their 2020 loss on the Gold Coast, the All Blacks are all too aware of the threats their hosts pose.
Coming into the fixture on the back of mixed form, both sides have yet to truly play their best rugby in 2025, so this fixture could be clunky in the opening exchanges as the two sides feel each other out.
Going against the grain, we have a feeling Los Pumas will be able to weather the All Blacks early storm and remain in the fight as the final 20 minutes approach.
Should this be the case, the experience and power of their bench should be capable to swing the momentum in their favor. While we would be far from surprised if the All Blacks keep their 100% record in Argentina alive, we are backing the home side. Argentina by 4.
Argentina Lineup
Starting XV: 15 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Rodrigo Isgró, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Bautista Delguy, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo García, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Pedro Delgado, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Mayco Vivas
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Juan Martín González, 21 Simón Benítez Cruz, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Justo Piccardo
New Zealand Lineup
Starting XV: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Damian McKenzie
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