Historic All Blacks loss to Argentina a tale of two coaches

Argentina's historic 25-15 win over New Zealand in a Tri-Nations rugby test in Sydney has become a tale of two coaches.

Victorious coach Mario Ledesma suggested someone likely will write a book to record how a Pumas team which hadn't played a match in more than 13 months, which had battled a COVID outbreak in its own ranks and comes from a nation ravaged by the virus, managed for the first time to topple the three-time world champions.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster, in contrast, has been left fighting for his job after New Zealand suffered back-to-back losses for the first time in nine years after losing only a week earlier to Australia. The All Blacks have won two, lost two and drawn one match since Foster took charge in December, a poor record for a team which has maintained a winning rate in excess of 80% over 115 years.

Foster was an unpopular appointment when he was named to succeed Steve Hansen, who guided New Zealand to victory at the 2015 World Cup. He was seen, as a former assistant to Hansen, to be next in a line of succession but was not regarded as the best candidate.

A further loss to Argentina when the teams meet again on Nov. 28 would almost certainly doom Foster's coaching reign.

It wasn't only the fact of the New Zealand loss but the nature of it which has left Foster's career hanging by a thread. The All Blacks were entirely outplayed by the 10th-ranked Pumas, who didn't miss a tackle while New Zealand made only one line break in the match.

Argentina played with resolve and composure while New Zealand lost its composure along with its discipline and sense of common purpose.

"We're hurting greatly," Foster said. "That was a frustrating response to a similar game last week. It's the second week in a row where we haven't had good composure when things haven't quite gone our way. Again we got rattled."

Foster inherited problems which have been apparent for many years but which have increased on his watch. The New Zealand forward pack has unable to physically match top-line opponents for several years or to cope with teams which produce line speed on defense.

Those shortcomings were especially obvious during the 2017 series against the British and Irish Lions and again when the All Blacks were crushed by England in a semifinal of last year's World Cup.

Argentina on Saturday again won the physical battle between the forward packs, led by its outstanding captain Pablo Matera who, after being manhandled by an All Blacks player early in the match angrily told the referee "they should show respect. I'm playing for my country."

The Pumas played for a country which has lost 35,000 people to the coronavirus. The All Blacks showed little willingness to play for their country or the legacy inherent in their jersey.

Ledesma had few worries after the match, other than to curb his team's celebrations which were long and emotional.

"I think (New Zealand) is the only team we haven't beaten so for us I think we'll remember this for a long time coming," he said. "Not only because of the game but the special situation that got us to the game.

"I guess someone will write a book about it. Just playing that game was surreal for us, just sitting down and watching the boys get on the field after everything that has happened to us this year back in Argentina.

"Just being out there and playing like they did. I would have said the same thing even if we lost. I would have been disappointed but as proud as I am right now."

All Blacks drop to lowest point on world rugby rankings

After back to back losses to Australia and Argentina, New Zealand has dropped to third place on rugby's ranking list, its lowest point since the ranking system began.

New Zealand lost to Australia 24-22 in the final test of their fourmatch Bledisloe Cup series, then suffered its first-ever loss to Argentina, 25-15 in Sydney on Saturday. Argentina was ranked 10th before its historic win and has moved up to eighth, while Australia is steady in sixth place.

New Zealand previously was in second place behind world champion South Africa, which chose to miss the Rugby Championship in

Australia and hasn't played a test since winning the Rugby World Cup in Japan last year.

England, which beat Georgia 400 in London on Saturday, moves up from third to second place, leap-frogging New Zealand.

Wales, on a six-test losing streak, has dropped from eighth to ninth place, its lowest point since 2012.

The rankings began in 2003.

Ireland's Sexton and Henshaw ruled out of England test

Captain Jonathan Sexton and center Robbie Henshaw were ruled out of Ireland's match against England at Twickenham on Saturday in the Autumn Nations Cup.

Neither finished the 32-9 win against Wales at Lansdowne Road on Friday to open the tournament.

Sexton limped off with a tight right hamstring, and the Irish Rugby Football Union said on Monday a scan ruled him out for the coming weekend.

Henshaw suffered an abductor strain.

Sexton was replaced at flyhalf by Billy Burns on debut, but Burns also had to leave prematurely after a head injury in the second half. Conor Murray finished the match at 10 as a stand-in.

Burns was undergoing concussion protocols, and if he's unavailable coach Andy Farrell's choices included Ross Byrne, who came off the bench against France and Italy last month, and Jack Carty, who was in the national squad but hasn't appeared since the Rugby World Cup a year ago.

Henshaw will be easier to cover with the rested Bundee Aki expected to rejoin Chris Farrell in midfield.

The captaincy passed to lock James Ryan after Sexton's exit.

There were more positive updates on Iain Henderson and Jacob Stockdale following their late withdrawals ahead of the Wales game.

Meanwhile, there was positive updates about lock Iain Henderson and fullback Jacob Stockdale, who were late withdrawals from the run-on side before the Wales game. Henderson had an unspecified medical issue, and Stockdale a tight calf. Henderson was back training, while Stockdale will return to training later in the week.

Uncapped Munster back Shane Daly was also training after an injury last week.

Ntamack ruled out of France's Nations Cup match in Scotland

Flyhalf Romain Ntamack has been ruled out of France's upcoming Autumn Nations Cup match against Scotland because of an unspecified injury.

The French rugby federation said Monday that Ntamack will be replaced by uncapped Toulon player Louis Carbonel ahead of Sunday's match at Murrayfield.

France did not say how long Ntamack will be sidelined but his withdrawal is a tough blow for the team. Ntamack, who formed a promising halfback pairing with Antoine Dupont, was impressive during the Six Nations tournament, finishing as the top point scorer with 57 while running in three tries.

France was set to start the newly-created tournament last weekend against Fiji but the match was canceled following an outbreak of COVID-19 within the South Pacific team. Scotland beat Italy 28-17 in their tournament opener.

The inaugural Autumn Nations Cup was launched after the coronavirus pandemic prevented major teams from the Southern Hemisphere from playing the traditional autumn tests. The event involves the Six Nations tournament teams plus Fiji and Georgia.