Win clinches third title in row

BUENOS AIRES: The All Blacks won their third straight Rugby Championship title — and a sixth in seven years — yesterday after two tries from winger Rieko Ioane helped them to a 3517 victory over Argentina in Velez Sarsfield.

The bonuspoint win clinched the title with a game to spare for the world champion in what was a scrappy but welldeserved victory.

New Zealand, looking to bounce back after a home loss to South Africa two weeks ago, went behind to a Nicolas Sanchez penalty after just five minutes but, after Ioane had put the visiting side ahead two minutes later, it never looked back.

Waisake Naholo went over after 16 minutes, Ioane scored the All Blacks’ third 11 minutes before halftime and Beauden Barrett put away all three conversions as Argentina’s handling errors contributed to a 213 deficit at the break.

All Blacks captain Sam Whitelock said the first try set the team on its way.

‘‘I thought that we started really well, didn’t have the ball in the first bit but when we got our first opportunity we scored and the boys really took that and built as the game went on,’’ he said.

Sonny Bill Williams was given a yellow card four minutes before halftime but the home side could not take advantage and replacement Patrick Tuipulotu added a fourth New Zealand try, converted again by Barrett, after 54 minutes.

That sparked a minirevival by the home side as first replacement halfback Tomas Cubelli and then Emiliano Boffelli scored tries, both of which were converted by Sanchez, who had a poor night by his standards, missing one easy penalty early in the first half.

New Zealand got a fifth try when replacement Anton LienertBrown chased down a kick with eight minutes left.

The bonuspoint win lifted the All Blacks to 21 points, seven more than South Africa, which beat Australia 2312 in Port Elizabeth earlier yesterday.

Cubelli said that Argentina had not done itself justice.

‘‘They’re the best in the world, it’s no surprise,’’ he said of the All Blacks.

‘‘We weren’t the team that we can be. We upped our energy levels a bit in the second half but you can’t come back against opponents like these. We need to learn from that.

‘‘We didn’t know how to handle the pressure very well. That’s another lesson.’’

Argentina, which has claimed two victories in the Rugby Championship this year, the first time since joining the tournament in 2012, was a work in progress, Cubelli said.

‘‘We’re not happy, but looking at the big picture, we’re on the right track,’’ he said. — Reuters