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 The victory in the Rugby Championship opener was a massive leap from
a scrappy 25-16 win over Samoa last week in Apia though it indicated
Steve Hansen's side still have a lot of work to do if they are to
defend the World Cup in two months.
Captain Richie McCaw, Ma'a Nonu, Charles Piutau, Kieran Read and
debutant Codie Taylor all scored tries while flyhalf Dan Carter, who
appeared more confident at challenging the defensive line, slotted
14 points from the boot.
"We went up four or five gears and we needed to, to be honest,"
Hansen said in a televised interview.
"For most of the game we were pretty good, but there was a period
there for about 10 or 15 minutes when we went to sleep and let them
back into it.
"Overall a pass mark."
The All Blacks imposed their pace on the game from the beginning and
ran the Pumas defence ragged, with Piutau's try early in the second
half a clear demonstration of their attacking intent and ability to
execute it.
The left winger scored after backs and forwards combined to create a
wave of runners all offloading in the tackle and changing angles as
the Pumas were stretched thin.
Such was the pace of the game during that period, that Pumas captain
Agustin Creevy was too out of breath to complain to referee Craig
Joubert about what he thought had been a forward pass during another
All Blacks' attack.
"For the first game of the tournament we played well in some
moments," Creevy said through an interpreter after the game.
"But to beat the All Blacks you need to do everything well.
"We played some parts of the game in good shape but we need to
improve."
Speed was not the only issue the Pumas faced, with their vaunted
scrum dominated throughout to the point where the All Blacks shunted
them off the ball to secure a tighthead.
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At the time, rookie prop Nepo Laulala, who was not in the original
squad and was brought in as injury cover for Charlie Faumuina, and
Taylor were both in the front row.
"Really pleased with it," Hansen said in singling out scrum coach
Mike Cron and veteran hooker Keven Mealamu for special praise for
their work during training.
"We lost nothing with those two young guys out there."
The All Blacks' aggressive defence also put pressure on the Pumas in
their own half, which resulted in Read's try when he seized on the
panic and scooped up a loose pass to cross.
Hansen, and McCaw, however, were not impressed with allowing Creevy
to score twice from rolling mauls following attacking lineouts and
the team had been given a tongue lashing by the captain after the
second, though he was ultimately pleased.
"It's a step in the right direction," said McCaw.
"But as always you have to look at ways of improving and we'll do
that."
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Sudipto
Ganguly)
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