Argentina vs New Zealand LIVE: Rugby Championship score and updates today

A bit of news from earlier today, with an All Blacks XV kicking off a short tour with a win over a Japan XV. It was scratchy early on from New Zealand’s second string but solid after the interval to pull away and record a 38-6 victory – they face the Brave Blossoms proper in Kumamoto next weekend.

Argentina may be without Marcos Kremer, but it’s still a fearsome five at the back of their pack. The hallmark of both of their big wins last year was how that unit was able to impose itself physically, Pablo Matera and Juan Martin Gonzalez particularly impressive as the All Blacks were knocked offf in Christchurch.

They will spy a chance here to do something similar to a New Zealand pack lacking Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock’s gnarl and snarl. Sam Cane has re-found form this year, which is timely given the respect he commands as a leader in this All Blacks side, but it still feels like he needs a big performance or two over the next few weeks to cement himself in the side for the World Cup given how Dalton Papali’i came on last year.

“When you think about collisions, loose forwards are involved in a lot of those on both sides of the ball,” Cane said on Friday.

“Not just the loosies, they’ve got a big, physical forward pack. They pride themselves on set-piece dominance and they’re big bodies, they know how to carry hard and tackle hard.

“It’s a challenge we’re looking forward to as a forward pack. It’s no secret that rugby games are often won up front up so it’s gonna be good.”

His selection in the centres today is intriguing – he has a little bit of experience in midfield, but much of his senior career post starring on the sevens circuit has come on the wing, where his height and speed are mighty valuable. His installation in the 12 shirt perhaps speaks to Michael Cheika wanting a bit more threat instead of the rock solid pairing of Matias Orlando and Matias Moroni, and Argentina are hardly short of wing alternatives – even with the late loss of Bautista Delguy, Argentina can still afford to go without Santiago Cordero, Juan Cruz Mallia and Juan Imhoff.

Damian McKenzie’s hopes of returning to the All Blacks fold appeared in jeopardy when he flew off to Japan at the end of 2021 for a lucrative season with Tokyo Sungoliath.

On Saturday, however, the playmaker will wear the number 10 jersey against Argentina after forcing the selectors’ hand with a brilliant Super Rugby season for the Waikato Chiefs.

It will be McKenzie’s third start at flyhalf in his 41st test, with the position switching between Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett in recent seasons.

With electric pace and a raking boot, the 28-year-old has thrilled crowds with his attacking instincts for years but was sometimes marked down for being too flamboyant when sound game management was required.

That criticism has fallen away after steering the Chiefs with aplomb in their run to the Super Rugby Pacific final.

Often deployed at fullback to great effect in the past, McKenzie locked down the Chiefs’ 10 shirt and never looked back.

In a sign of All Blacks coach Ian Foster’s faith, he will take kicking duties off the tee from centre Jordie Barrett against the Pumas in Mendoza as they launch their Rugby Championship defence in the lead-up to the World Cup.

“My game’s probably matured a little bit more than what it has in the past,” McKenzie told New Zealand media.

“I used to run myself into trouble a bit, and put the team under pressure.

“I’ve learnt that kicking is a big part of being a playmaker, and having that experience this year with the Chiefs has been great.”

Damian McKenzie gets first crack at ten for New Zealand, with the Chiefs playmaker coming off a fine Super Rugby Pacific season. There’s a debut for his club colleague Emoni Narawa on the wing, while Josh Lord gets a chance to burgeon his reputation in the second row alongside Scott Barrett. The other two Barrett brothers fill the 12 and 15 shirts, with the right assembly of his playmaking options a key question for Ian Foster to answer ahead of the World Cup.

New Zealand XV: Ethan de Groot, Dane Coles, Tyrel Lomax; Scott Barrett, Josh Lord; Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane (capt.), Ardie Savea; Aaron Smith, Damian McKenzie; Caleb Clarke, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Emoni Narawa; Beauden Barrett.

Replacements: Codie Taylor, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Nepo Laulala, Tupou Vaa’i, Dalton Papali’i; Finlay Christie, Richie Mo’unga, Braydon Ennor.

Michael Cheika’s first Argentina side of the year is captained by hooker Julian Montoya, who is joined in the front row by Lucio Sordoni, back amongst things for the first time internationally in nearly three years after a long injury lay-off. Marcos Kremer’s suspension affords Rodrigo Bruni an opportunity in the back row while Lucio Cinti is an eye-catching starter at inside centre, the former sevens player more often a wing so far in his young test career but providing plenty of threat in a backline full of strike runners.

That backline had been due to include Bautista Delguy, but the wing is a late scratch; Sebastián Cancelliere steps in after an excellent season with Glasgow.

Argentina XV: Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya (capt.), Lucio Sordoni; Matias Alemanno, Tomas Lavanini; Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Rodrigo Bruni; Gonzalo Bertranou, Santiago Carreras; Mateo Carreras, Lucio Cinti, Matias Moroni, Sebastián Cancelliere; Emiliano Boffelli.

Replacements: Agustin Creevy, Mayco Vicas, Eduardo Bello, Pedro Rubiolo, Santiago Grondona; Lautaro Bazan Velez, Nicolas Sanchez, Matias Orlando.

Still a little while yet before we get going in Mendoza, but there’s news of a late change to bring you, so let’s check in on the two 23s…

The Boks were also awarded two penalty tries and got another from flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit in the bonus-point victory as they dominated the aerial battle and had too much muscle and speed for the visitors, who have now lost all seven of their visits to Pretoria.

There will be few positives for Jones in his first match back in charge of the Wallabies since 2005, though they scored an early try through wing Marika Koroibete and a late one via debutant Carter Gordon, and enjoyed line-out success on both teams’ throws.

South Africa sent a number of players to New Zealand this week ahead of their second fixture in Auckland next Saturday, handing a debut to lock Jean Kleyn. They were far from perfect, but still did more than enough for the comfortable win.

“I’m really proud of the boys, it was a fantastic performance,” Bok captain Duane Vermeulen said at the post-match presentation. “We played to our strengths. We can still improve, it was not 100 percent our best performance, but I’m very happy with the result.”

The visitors received two yellow cards in the second half, for hooker Dave Porecki and wing Suliasi Vunivalu, a symptom of the pressure they were put under by their hosts.

What of the Pumas, then? 2022 was a successful year for Argentina, Michael Cheika’s appointment paying immediate dividends with historic wins in New Zealand and at Twickenham. With a friendly World Cup draw to come in the autumn, Cheika will have genuine hopes his side can yet repeat the achievements of the 2015 vintage, with a semi-final berth eminently achievable for a side with plenty of good qualities.

First, though, comes this curtailed campaign, with trips to Sydney and Johannesburg following this sole home fixture. Can they secure a third win against the All Blacks in this cycle?

Right, that just about does us for the early wrap on South Africa’s tonking of Australia. We’ll have plenty more reaction over the coming days.

But we’ve more Rugby Championship business to attend to this evening – New Zealand are in Malbec country, with Argentina eyeing another statement victory.