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All Blacks go back to full-strength team to face Argentina as Pumas name three debutants

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12th November, 2020
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New Zealand are back to full strength for their Tri-Nations clash with Argentina in Sydney on Saturday following their shock loss last round to the Wallabies.

The All Blacks have named their first-choice halves combination of Richie Mo’unga and Aaron Smith, who sat out the Brisbane defeat, while barnstorming winger Caleb Clarke is also back in the line-up.

Among other changes, veteran prop Joe Moody returns after missing two Tests through concussion with Tyrel Lomax replacing suspended prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi.

Patrick Tuipulotu, who missed the Brisbane Test with illness, has been named in the second row.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster said he wanted to see a “smarter” performance from his troops.

“We were bitterly disappointed with the loss against Australia on the weekend, but we’ve taken a lot of lessons from that game,” Foster said.

“Specifically, we need to be smarter in seeing space and executing our plan around that.”

He said the All Blacks were on guard for the Pumas, who pushed them before falling 20-16 last year.

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“The Argentinians are well coached by Mario Ledesma and we have a lot of respect for them,” he said.

“You only need to go back to Buenos Aires last year, when we had a real arm wrestle with them, to know how tough they can be.

“They’ve been in Australia for a number of weeks, they are well-prepared and this is their first Test of 2020 so it’ll be a massive occasion for them and their country so we have to be ready.”

Meanwhile, Los Pumas have also named their side to face the All Blacks, with Pablo Matera to captain and Santiago Chocobares, Santiago Grondona and Lucio Cinti to make their debuts.

New Zealand
1. Joe Moody, 2. Dane Coles, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Samuel Whitelock, 6. Shannon Frizell, 7. Sam Cane (c), 8. Ardie Savea, 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Richie Mo’unga, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Jack Goodhue, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Jordie Barrett, 15. Beauden Barrett

Replacements: 16. Codie Taylor, 17. Alex Hodgman, 18. Nepo Laulala, 19. Tupou Vaa’i, 20. Hoskins Sotutu, 21. Brad Weber, 22. Rieko Ioane, 23. Damian McKenzie

Argentina
1. Tetaz, 2. Julian Montoya, 3. Francisco Gómez-Kodela, 4. Guido Petti, 5. Matias Alemanno, 6. Pablo Matera (C), 7. Marcos Kremer, 8. Rodrigo Bruni, 9. Tomas Cubelli, 10. Nicolas Sánchez, 11. Juan Imhoff, 12. Santiago Chocobares, 13. Matias Orlando, 14. Bautista Delguy, 15. Santiago Carreras

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Replacements: 16. Facundo Bosch, 17. Mayco Vivas, 18. Santiago Medrano, 19. Santiago Grondona, 20. Tomas Lezana, 21. Gonzalo Bertranou, 22. Lucio Cinti, 23. Santiago Cordero

© AAP

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