More flak likely for Foster after Pumas win

The hounds aren’t going away anytime soon, not after yet another All Blacks stinker.

Head coach Ian Foster, less than two weeks after receiving backing through next year’s World Cup, can expect to cop plenty more flak after his side’s historic 25-18 loss to Argentina in Christchurch last night. Indeed, a maiden loss to the Pumas on home soil made it evident the All Blacks win over the Springboks in Johannesburg a fortnight ago was not the start of a bright new dawn.

The All Blacks, who had won 31 of 33 matches between the teams, have now lost four of six tests this year, and six of their past eight.

But credit to the Michael Cheika coached Pumas, who sunk the All Blacks on the back of sharpshooter Emiliano Boffelli’s 20-point haul. The wing kicked six penalties and a conversion, punishing the illdisciplined hosts, who conceded 14 penalties and had Shannon Frizell yellow carded in the 70th minute after Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli lost his patience.

Flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez’s 47th minute try, moments after Richie Mo’unga slotted a penalty to give the All Blacks an 18-12 lead, swung the fixture the visitors’ way.

Boffelli’s fine sideline conversion made it 19-18. Two years after the All Blacks first lost to the Pumas, Boffelli stroked two more threepointers over to cushion the lead.