Pumas v All Blacks
Kick-off: 9:10am Sunday 24 August
Estadio Vélez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Live blog updates on RNZ
Analysis - What adjustments does Scott Robertson make to his All Black side for this weekend? The 41-24 win over the Pumas on Sunday morning was certainly a positive step forward - after all, that was a fixture the All Blacks lost last year - but there was enough in the performance to make Friday morning's team naming quite an interesting one.
Here are the talking points:
Big men back
Tamaiti Williams celebrates during the All Blacks v Argentina. Photo: Blake Armstrong/ActionPress
Tamaiti Williams almost certainly goes straight back in to start, which is far more of a reflection of just how important he is rather than anything that's been lacking in his absence. Indeed, Ethan de Groot got through a power of work on both sides of the ball in Córdoba, which was a timely reminder of his capabilities after a tough end to 2024. Whoever backs up Williams on the bench is in line for a decent stint though, as the big man will be on managed minutes after his injury.
Meanwhile, Wallace Sititi may well be the other way around. His comeback to the test arena has been keenly anticipated, but Robertson may well feel that the loose forward mix can benefit with Du'Plessis Kirifi staying in the starting openside role and therefore leaving Ardie Savea at number eight. While Sititi did play blindside for much of last season, Tupou Vaa'i has been excellent there and it feels like the Scott Barrett/Fabian Holland locking partnership is going to stay intact.
Simon Parker and a potential bomb squad
Simon Parker. Photo: Martin Hunter/www.photosport.nz
But then where does that leave Simon Parker? He has likely been picked as a Springbok-counter measure so will likely need some game time before those highly anticipated tests next month. Parker and Sititi or Vaa'i off the bench isn't out of the question, although it would somewhat go against Robertson's selection logic.
Reserve halfback
Crusaders Kyle Preston during Super Rugby Pacific. Photo: Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
Cortez Ratima was one of the standouts in Cordoba, with an assured performance that included a now trademark finish of a long range try. So he's a certainty for the starting job, but did Finlay Christie do enough to keep his spot on the bench? Defensively you'd have to say no, Christie's ineffectual tackle attempt led to a try to Tomas Albornoz, but it is worth remembering that his shift did include some tight possession play around the ruck that he controlled. Waiting in the wings is Kyle Preston, although he is a last minute, uncapped injury replacement.
Midfield and wings
Quinn Tupaea of the Chiefs. Photo: © Photosport Ltd 2025 www.photosport.nz
The most glaring errors last weekend were when the All Blacks butchered chances on attack, which was due to some extremely clunky transition from Billy Proctor and Rieko Ioane. Proctor does deserve to be persisted with at centre, but just what the back up plan is might be interesting as it may involve Ioane shifting back in.
It's a bit tricky to see where Timoci Tavatavanawai fits into all this if he's not picked tomorrow, although having Quinn Tupaea on the bench to replace the injured Anton Lienert-Brown makes perfect sense.
Out wide, it would be nice to see Leroy Carter get a run, given just how good he was during Super Rugby Pacific and the long legacy of picking wings when they're young and fast.
Scott Barrett and Ardie Savea
Ardie Savea. Photo: ActionPress
Not so much a selection issue as both are obviously the first names on the sheet, being captain and vice-captain respectively. It's more about the ability to replace Barrett, as was the case last week, and have Savea take over as skipper by design. Savea's decision-making in Cordoba was effective and forthright at the end, which takes nothing away from Barrett's calls at the start that led to a 31-10 halftime lead.
Subbing an All Black captain regularly is something that would take a bit of getting used to, however, it does open up the possibility of even more power coming off the bench and perhaps the aforementioned pairing of Parker and Sititi.
