With two rounds of action remaining Steve Hansen’s All Blacks boast a six-point cushion over Australia and South Africa in second and third respectively.

Such a margin means a bonus-point win over the Pumas will see New Zealand extend their Rugby Championship hegemony, having won both titles since the inaugural competition began with the introduction of Argentina in 2012.

Skipper Richie McCaw will equal a 43-year record Saturday, matching legendary lock Colin Meads who made 133 appearances for the All Blacks — 55 Tests and 78 other matches — before his 1971 retirement.

Flanker McCaw has worn the famous black jersey 132 times to date with all but one match against the Barbarians being Tests.

In a 15-year international career, the sheep farmer became an iconic figure, adored by his rugby-loving countrymen and respected by all opponents.

McCaw has developed into a modern rugby colossus, who led hosts New Zealand to the 2011 World Cup title.

While the All Blacks have dominated the Rugby Championship with 15 wins and a draw, Argentina have found life among the elite extremely difficult with one draw and 15 losses.

But New Zealand coach Hansen was quick to praise Argentina, who have lost three of four Championship games this season by seven or fewer points to earn a losing bonus point.

Physicality

A 28-9 defeat in soggy New Zealand was the only Test in which the Agustin Creevy-skippered South Americans failed to collect a losing bonus point.

“To beat the Pumas we must deliver a quality performance, full of excitement, energy, physicality and accuracy,” stressed the coach.

“The Pumas have been playing very well and are a much improved side since last season. Expectations of a home win among supporters will be high.”

Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade hopes a team lacking injured back-row star Juan Manuel Leguizamon can recover from a “shameful” 32-25 loss in Australia.

“It was our worst performance of the season as we spent most of the time defending,” he said. “The only consolation was that we still came close to a draw.”

Injuries and ill-discipline forced Hansen to change five of the team that started against the Springboks in a 14-10 Wellington win a fortnight ago.

In come centre Malakai Fekitoa, fly-half Beauden Barrett, hooker Keven Mealamu, lock Sam Whitelock while flanker Jerome Kaino, with the injured Ma’a Nonu, suspended Aaron Cruden, father-to-be Dane Cole as well as the dropped Jeremy Thrush and Steven Luatua making way.

Meanwhile, Pumas coach Hourcade has made three changes to his side following their 32-25 reverse against the Wallabies; Tomas Cubelli coming in at scrum-half, Thomas Lavanini returning at lock and Benjamin Macome replacing the injured Juan Manuel Leguizamon.

Keys

The weather will be crucial. It’s been a wet week in the Bay and more rain is predicted on Saturday night. It could denude the All Blacks of some of their attacking weapons and kicking will be crucial. Have they learned from their mistakes in Sydney? The Pumas’ scrum is a beast and the All Blacks’ pack need to stick to their task or they could be backpedalling at a rate of knots.

Prediction

While the Puma’s have performed stronger than anyone predicted in this year’s quad-country competition, beating the All Blacks at home or away, is a tough ask for anyone, let alone a team – somewhat unjustly, ranked outside the top 10.

For the Puma’s to have any chance, they’ll need to force the All Blacks into many, many scrums. But even then, the All Blacks looks too strong across the field.  Even with the off-field distraction of Aaron Cruden, the Kiwi’s should walk it in. I’m tipping New Zealand by 18.

Teams

All Blacks: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (capt), Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett

Bench: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Joe Moody, Jeremy Thrush, Sam Cane, TJ Perenara, Colin Slade, Malakai Fekitoa

Argentina: Joaquin Tuculet, Horacio Agulla, Marcelo Bosch, Juan Martin Hernandez, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo, Leonardo Senatore, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Tomas Lavanini, Mariano Galarza, Ramiro Herrera, Agustin Creevy (capt), Marcos Ayerza

Bench: Matas Cortese, Lucas Noguera Paz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Matas Alemanno, Rodrigo Baez, Tomas Cubelli, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Juan Imhoff

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This latest induction represents the incorporation into the IRB Hall of Fame of many of the International Rugby Hall of Fame, which was recently acquired by the IRB and presentations were made by Hall of Fame panel member Don Cameron and New Zealand Rugby chief executive Steve Tew. The new inductees are: Fred Allen, Don Clarke, Grant Fox, Sean Fitzpatrick, Michael Jones, Ian Kirkpatrick, John Kirwan, Terry McLean, Colin Meads, Graham Mourie and George Nepia.

Graham Mourie 

Hailing from Taranaki, Graham Mourie captained his province from flanker and went on to become one of the great All Black captains in the late 1970s and early 1980s. First selected in 1976, he played against the British & Irish Lions in 1977 and captained the side to France later that year.
He played a total of 61 matches for the All Blacks, including 21 Tests, and led the side on the historic Grand Slam tour of Britain and Ireland in 1978.

Sir Terry McLean 

A legendary New Zealand sports writer and author who started as a journalist on theAuckland Sun in 1930, Terry McLean became the finest reporter of New Zealand rugby for more than half a century. Together his 32 books tell the story of every incoming tour to New Zealand and many All Black trips overseas.

After his distinguished career as a rugby correspondent and sports editor of the New Zealand Herald, in 1996 McLean became the only New Zealand sports journalist to be knighted for services to sporting journalism.

Grant Fox

A member of the New Zealand team that won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, Grant Fox made the All Black number 10 jersey his own between 1985 and 1993, playing 46 Tests and scoring 645 points.

Hailing from the Auckland club where he also coached, Fox has gone on to become a recognised and respected rugby broadcaster in New Zealand and overseas. A true pioneer of modern kicking, he is still regarded as one of the finest goal-kickers of all time.

Sir Fred Allen 

First selected as an All Black in 1946, Fred Allen was named captain every time he wore the famous jersey, including on the tour to South Africa in 1949 when the Springboks won the series 4-0.

Allen coached Auckland successfully during the 1950s and was an All Blacks selector before becoming All Blacks coach in 1966, earning a 100 per cent record with 14 wins out of 14 Tests.

Sir John Kirwan 

A hulking wing in both union and league, John Kirwan is best known for his playing exploits for Auckland and the All Blacks, for whom he scored 35 tries in 63 Tests and won the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.

In a playing career that also took him across the world to Europe and Japan, Kirwan made 96 appearances in total as an All Black between 1984 and 1994 and played a key role in the team’s 23-Test unbeaten run from 1987 to 1990. His 67 tries in total for the All Blacks remains a New Zealand record, as does his total of 199 first-class tries.

Having started coaching in 2001 as an assistant with the Auckland Blues, Kirwan moved to Italy in 2002 to become coach of the national team. In 2007, his coaching education was taken a step further when he was appointed Japan coach, leading them to two Rugby World Cups before returning to his roots in Auckland with the Blues.

Ian Kirkpatrick 

Hailing from Gisbourne and playing first for Poverty Bay, Ian Kirkpatrick moved to Christchurch and established himself in the Canterbury team, scoring 115 tries in 289 first-class games, one of the few forwards to reach a century of tries.

Having made his All Black debut against France in Paris in November 1967, Kirkpatrick played in 39 Tests over 10 years, captaining his country nine times between 1972 and 1974. His 16 tries stood as a national record until Stu Wilson surpassed the figure in 1983.

Michael Jones 

Michael Jones was an integral part of the successful Auckland and Auckland Blues teams which dominated the late 1980s and ’90s, but it was as an openside flanker in the Test arena where he won global acclaim.

Having made his international debut for Samoa in 1986, he played for New Zealand from 1987. He made his Test debut for the All Blacks in the opening match of Rugby World Cup 1987 and was the first player to score a try in that victorious campaign. He amassed 55 caps and would have had many more, but for a cruel run of injuries and strong Christian beliefs which meant he refused to play on a Sunday.

Jones coached Samoa at RWC 2007 in France and four years later fulfilled the role of Volunteer Ambassador for the tournament in New Zealand. He remains a positive role model in the country, particularly for Pacific Island youth in New Zealand.

Sean Fitzpatrick  

A product of a powerful Auckland provincial side, Sean Fitzpatrick made his All Blacks debut in France in 1986, helping a young side to victory and quickly forging a reputation. He started as second choice hooker behind captain Andy Dalton at Rugby World Cup 1987, but played after Dalton’s injury and kept his place to the inaugural tournament.

In 1992, he was appointed All Black captain, a position he held until his retirement from Test rugby in 1997. Fitzpatrick led New Zealand to a first ever series victory over the Springboks in South Africa in 1996. He played 92 Tests – 69 of them as captain – for the All Blacks, a record until overtaken by Richie McCaw and Mils Muliaina in November 2010.

His enduring success in the domestic game with Auckland and the Auckland Blues cemented Fitzpatrick’s status as an icon of New Zealand rugby.

Don Clarke 

First selected to play at the age of 17 in 1951, Don Clarke became a Waikato great and in 1956 helped his province to a 14-10 victory over the touring Springboks.

Clarke was first selected as an All Black for the third Test of that tour and went on to play 89 times for New Zealand, including 31 Test matches, between 1956 and 1964. Revered for his goal-kicking, he earned the nickname ‘the Boot’, scoring 781 points, a record for 24 years until broken by Grant Fox in 1988.

George Nepia 

George Nepia was first selected for the Hawke’s Bay provincial team in 1922, aged 17. After excelling on the wing and at centre, he was selected two years later as a full back for the All Blacks’ unbeaten ‘Invincibles’ tour to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The leader of the haka, he played in all 32 matches – the only player to do so – and scored 77 points.

In 1935 Nepia switched codes to play rugby league in England and back home after his return two years later. In 1947 he returned to union and, when he played a first-class match in 1950 against a Poverty Bay side captained by his eldest son, he became the oldest New Zealander to play in a first-class game.

He is remembered as an exceptional full back and one of the most famous Maori rugby players of all time.

Sir Colin Meads 

Widely considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game, Colin ‘Pinetree’ Meads is a true icon of New Zealand and world rugby.

Meads played his first game for King Country in 1955 at the age of 19 and made his Test debut in Australia two years later, quickly becoming an automatic All Black selection.

In an All Black career spanning 14 years he played 133 matches, 55 of them Tests. He captained his country for the first time in 1960 and for the last time on the occasion of his final Test in 1971.

Meads was named the country’s Player of the Century at the NZRFU Awards in 1999.

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