The All Blacks have suffered three-straight losses on home soil for the first time ever after a shock defeat at the hands of Argentina on Saturday.
The Pumas stunned New Zealand 25-18 in their Rugby Championship Test in Christchurch, beating the three-time world champions for the first time on Kiwi soil.
Argentina scored their first ever win over New Zealand just two years ago in another championship match in Sydney, and Saturday’s victory was from the same mould with magnificent defence backed up by iron discipline.
“I’m very proud of our team, we are starting to believe what we can do, not just a magic moment like our first win (in Sydney),” said captain Julian Montoya.
“Very, very happy, very, very proud, it’s a very special moment for us.”
The boot of winger Emiliano Boffelli, who kicked five penalties, kept them in the contest when New Zealand scored two tries in the first half and kept them ahead after flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez had scored an opportunist second-half try.
New Zealand, who played the last nine minutes with 14 men after Shannon Frizell was shown a yellow card, will almost certainly be plunged back into the crisis that was apparently ended by their victory over South Africa two weeks ago.
Tries from Samisoni Taukei’aho and Caleb Clarke should have given them a comfortable lead at half-time, but ill-discipline throughout the match cost them dearly.
“It certainly felt in the first half that we were more dominant in areas than we managed to show on the scoreboard,” All Blacks captain Sam Cane said.
“A lot of credit has to go to Argentina for the way they stuck in it and eventually turned the tables.”
The loss marked the first time in the All Blacks’ 119-year history that they’ve suffered three-straight defeats on home soil.
It also gives Argentina successive wins in the Rugby Championship for the first time ever after their impressive 48-17 thrashing of Australia in San Juan two weeks ago.
The Pumas remain top of the championship standings on points difference ahead of Australia, who earlier beat South Africa 25-17 in Adelaide.
The rugby world was left in pure disbelief as the All Blacks’ crisis under new coach Ian Foster descended to new depths.
Source: Aus sports.yahoo,.com