By the numbers: Yet more unwanted history for Foster’s men
The All Blacks are making a habit of making history for all the wrong reasons.
Just as it seemed Ian Foster’s tenure as coach couldn’t throw up any more ignominious firsts, his side went and lost to Argentina in Christchurch on Saturday night.
It made the brilliant victory over the Springboks in Johannesburg, which ensured Foster got the backing of the New Zealand Rugby board through to next year’s World Cup, look like an aberration.
Here’s a by the numbers wrap of the 25-18 round-three Rugby Championship defeat to the Pumas at Orangetheory Stadium:
1
It was a first-ever win for Argentina over the All Blacks in New Zealand.
The Pumas, who first toppled the men in black in 2020 in Sydney, had lost all their previous 15 tests on Kiwi soil by 15-plus points.
It of course follows last month’s historic home Ireland implosion.
2
The Argentinians have achieved back-to-back wins in the Rugby Championship (or the Tri-nations variation in 2020) for the first time, after they successfully followed up their 48-17 win over the Wallabies in San Juan.
Before Saturday night, the Pumas had only triumphed in seven of their 54 games since their addition to the southern hemisphere competition in 2012, and had only once before won two in the same season.
3
The All Blacks have now lost three consecutive tests at home for the first time in their 119-year history.
Following on from last month’s defeats to Ireland in Dunedin and Wellington, the horror hat-trick topped the lose, lose, draw run from 1949-50 (two defeats to Australia, in Wellington and Auckland, followed by a stalemate with the British Lions in Dunedin).
4
The All Blacks have lost four tests this year.
Only twice before have they been beaten in more in the one season – five in 1998 (three to Australia, two to South Africa) and six in 1949 (four to South Africa, two to Australia).
They still have Argentina (Hamilton), Australia (Melbourne and Auckland), Japan (Tokyo), Wales (Cardiff), Scotland (Edinburgh) and England (London) to come in 2022.
15
The All Blacks’ defeat to the Pumas
25
ended what had been a 15-game winning streak for them in Christchurch.
The garden city, hosting its first test in six years, had been quite the happy hunting ground for the men in black, who had beaten eight different sides since their Bledisloe Cup-surrendering 27-23 loss to Australia at Lancaster Park in 1998.
Argentina’s 25 points were the most they had ever scored in a game against the All Blacks in New Zealand.
They may have managed just the one try, but the brilliant boot of winger Emiliano Boffelli saw him nail seven from seven off the tee (one conversion and six penalties) as the Pumas eclipsed the 24 points they managed in their last outing on these shores, in Nelson in 2018.
27
The age of Saturday night’s referee, Nika Amashukeli, who came in for a stream of criticism from Foster and
All Blacks captain Sam Cane for his rulings at the breakdown.
The Georgian was refereeing the All Blacks for the first time and was younger than both captains on the field. He was a year younger than Wayne Barnes was in the 2007 World Cup quarterfinal when France beat the All Blacks..
Amashukeli, who last year became the first referee from a tier two country to take charge of a test involving a tier one side, will be seen again this Saturday as an assistant referee to Nic Berry in the rematch in Hamilton.
100
Aaron Smith brought up the rare feat of 100 starts in the All Blacks jersey. The veteran halfback, who has now played 108 tests, for a 92.59% strike rate of starting, is just the sixth player to achieve the century.
The others are Tony Woodcock (105 starts in 118 tests), Dan Carter (106 in 112), Sam Whitelock (114 in 136), Kieran Read (120 in 127) and Richie Mccaw (141 in 148).