New Zealand vs Argentina

All Blacks captain Richie McCaw said on Friday that New Zealand would not let any foul play by Argentina put them off their Rugby Championship Test at Waikato Stadium on Saturday.

The World Champions will draw level with France as the most successful Test playing nation to date if they win this weekend and McCaw insisted they would not be affected by any underhand tactics.

Argentina have acquired a reputation as an uncompromising side with loose forward Leonardo Senatore currently serving a nine-week ban for biting.

Last year, prop Juan Figallo was suspended for three weeks for head-butting.

Although the All Blacks have preferred to describe the South Americans as “physical” rather than “dirty”, McCaw said New Zealand would stick to their game plan.

“You don’t take a backward step, but we’re here to play rugby and if we do that properly, not worrying about the opposition doing those sort of things, then you’re probably on the front foot from the start,” he said.

“The boys definitely won’t step down. It’s a physical game and you’ve got to bar up and there’s ways of imposing yourself physically. There’s no place in the game for any stuff like that.”

An All Blacks win in the third-round Rugby Championship match would take them to 382 victories from 504 matches. It took France 695 Tests to achieve 382 wins while third best England have 356 wins from 665 matches.

The odds are heavily in favour of the All Blacks who have never lost to Argentina, and coach Steve Hansen said losing was not an option.

“In the All Blacks, whether you’re a coach, a player or the baggage man, you are expected to win every Test, whether you have never lost to them before or whether you have had one or two or three losses,” he said.

Argentina, who tightened up their defence after losing by 60 points to the Springboks and reduced the deficit to just five a week later, have made four changes.

Influential captain Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, who returns after missing the opening two matches with a calf injury, said their aim is to push New Zealand as hard as they can.

Teams
New Zealand
Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Francis Saili, Julian Savea; Dan Carter, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Steven Luatua; Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick; Charlie Faumuina, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett, Ben Franks, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Cane, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Charles Piutau.
Argentina
Juan Martin Hernandez, Gonzalo Camacho, Marcelo Bosch, Santiago Fernandez, Horacio Agulla; Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo; Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe; Julio Farias Cabello, Manuel Carizza; Juan Figallo, Eusebio Guinazu, Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: Agustin Creevy, Nahuel Lobo, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Mariano Galarza, Benjamin Macome, Tomas Cubelli, Felipe Contepomi, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino.