Argentina and New Zealand have been playing each other in the sport of Rugby Union since 1976.
New Zealand first sent a team, a New Zealand XV rather than the top All Blacks team, to play against Argentina (Los Pumas) on 30 October 1976. Argentina credited its own players with test match caps for both games on that tour, and for two games against the New Zealand XV when Argentina toured New Zealand in 1979. The New Zealand XV won all these matches.
The first Test Match that was recognised by both national unions was held on 26 October 1985, when the top level All Blacks toured Argentina.
In full Tests, the teams have met 37 times. The All Blacks have won 34 times, with the Pumas winning 2 and 1 match drawn. Argentina claimed their first ever win over the All Blacks with a 25–15 victory in Sydney Australia on 14 November 2020. [1] These games have included four meetings at the Rugby World Cup, the teams having been in the same pool at the inaugural tournament in 1987, then at the quarter-finals in 2011, then again in the pool stage in 2015, and then in the semi-final in 2023.
Since 2012, the teams have met twice annually in The Rugby Championship (formerly known as the Tri Nations before Argentina's entry in the 2012 Tournament as the fourth participating team). The 2015, 2019, and 2023 Rugby Championships were exceptions, with each side playing the other only once due to those competitions shortly preceding the same years' editions of the Rugby World Cup.
Note: Summary below does not include the four Los Pumas versus New Zealand XV matches from 1976 to 1979, which only Argentina recognizes as tests.
Details | Played | Won by Argentina | Won by New Zealand | Drawn | Argentina points | New Zealand points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
In Argentina | 14 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 215 | 456 |
In New Zealand | 17 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 231 | 780 |
Neutral venue | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 60 | 198 |
Overall | 37 | 2 | 34 | 1 | 506 | 1,434 |
Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was or last set.
Record | Argentina | New Zealand |
---|---|---|
Longest winning streak | 1 (14–28 November 2020; 27 August – 3 September 2022) | 27 (1 June 1987 – 14 November 2020) |
Largest points for | ||
Home | 21 (2 November 1985) | 93 (21 June 1997) |
Away | 25 (14 November 2020; 27 August 2022) | 54 (29 September 2012) |
Largest winning margin | ||
Home | — | 85 (21 June 1997) |
Away | 10 (14 November 2020) | 39 (29 September 2012; 12 September 2021) |
No. | Date | Venue | Score | Winner | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 26 October 1985 | Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires | 20–33 | New Zealand | 1985 New Zealand tour of Argentina |
2 | 2 November 1985 | Ferro Carril Oeste, Buenos Aires | 21–21 | draw | |
3 | 1 June 1987 | Athletic Park, Wellington | 46–15 | New Zealand | 1987 Rugby World Cup |
4 | 15 July 1989 | Carisbrook, Dunedin | 60–9 | New Zealand | 1989 Argentina tour of New Zealand |
5 | 29 July 1989 | Athletic Park, Wellington | 49–12 | New Zealand | |
6 | 6 July 1991 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires | 14–28 | New Zealand | 1991 New Zealand tour of Argentina |
7 | 13 July 1991 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires | 6–36 | New Zealand | |
8 | 21 June 1997 | Athletic Park, Wellington | 93–8 | New Zealand | 1997 Argentina tour of New Zealand |
9 | 28 June 1997 | Rugby Park, Hamilton | 62–10 | New Zealand | |
10 | 23 June 2001 | Lancaster Park, Christchurch | 67–19 | New Zealand | 2001 Argentina tour of Argentina |
11 | 1 December 2001 | Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires | 20–24 | New Zealand | 2004 New Zealand tour of Argentina, Ireland and Scotland |
12 | 26 June 2004 | Waikato Stadium, Hamilton | 41–7 | New Zealand | 2004 Argentina tour of New Zealand |
13 | 24 June 2006 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires | 19–25 | New Zealand | 2006 New Zealand tour of Argentina |
14 | 9 October 2011 | Eden Park, Auckland | 33–10 | New Zealand | 2011 Rugby World Cup |
15 | 8 September 2012 | Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington | 21–5 | New Zealand | 2012 Rugby Championship |
16 | 29 September 2012 | Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata | 15–54 | New Zealand | |
17 | 7 September 2013 | Waikato Stadium, Hamilton | 28–13 | New Zealand | 2013 Rugby Championship |
18 | 28 September 2013 | Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata | 15–33 | New Zealand | |
19 | 6 September 2014 | McLean Park, Napier | 28–9 | New Zealand | 2014 Rugby Championship |
20 | 27 September 2014 | Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata | 13–34 | New Zealand | |
21 | 17 July 2015 | Rugby League Park, Christchurch | 39–18 | New Zealand | 2015 Rugby Championship |
22 | 20 September 2015 | Wembley Stadium, London (England) | 26–16 | New Zealand | 2015 Rugby World Cup |
23 | 10 September 2016 | Waikato Stadium, Hamilton | 57–22 | New Zealand | 2016 Rugby Championship |
24 | 1 October 2016 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires | 17–36 | New Zealand | |
25 | 9 September 2017 | Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth | 39–22 | New Zealand | 2017 Rugby Championship |
26 | 30 September 2017 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires | 10–36 | New Zealand | |
27 | 8 September 2018 | Trafalgar Park, Nelson | 46–24 | New Zealand | 2018 Rugby Championship |
28 | 29 September 2018 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires | 17–35 | New Zealand | |
29 | 20 July 2019 | José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires | 16–20 | New Zealand | 2019 Rugby Championship |
30 | 14 November 2020 | Western Sydney Stadium, Sydney (Australia) | 15–25 | Argentina | 2020 Tri Nations Series |
31 | 28 November 2020 | Newcastle Int. Sports Centre, Newcastle (Australia) | 0–38 | New Zealand | |
32 | 11 September 2021 | Robina Stadium, Gold Coast (Australia) | 0–39 | New Zealand | 2021 Rugby Championship |
33 | 18 September 2021 | Lang Park, Brisbane (Australia) | 36–13 | New Zealand | |
34 | 27 August 2022 | Rugby League Park, Christchurch | 18–25 | Argentina | 2022 Rugby Championship |
35 | 3 September 2022 | Waikato Stadium, Hamilton | 53–3 | New Zealand | |
36 | 8 July 2023 | Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza | 12–41 | New Zealand | 2023 Rugby Championship |
37 | 20 October 2023 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis (France) | 6–44 | New Zealand | 2023 Rugby World Cup |
Below is a list of matches that Argentina has awarded matches test match status by virtue of awarding caps, but New Zealand did not award caps, as the governing New Zealand Rugby Union had sent a New Zealand XV rather than the top All Blacks team.
Not classed as a full international by New Zealand, who fielded a New Zealand XV rather than the All Blacks:
Date | Venue | Score | Winner | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
30 October 1976 | Estadio Ricardo Etcheverry, Buenos Aires | 9–21 | New Zealand XV | 1976 New Zealand XV tour of South America |
6 November 1976 | Estadio Ricardo Etcheverry, Buenos Aires | 6–26 | New Zealand XV | |
8 September 1979 | Carisbrook, Dunedin | 18–9 | New Zealand XV | 1979 Argentina tour of New Zealand |
15 September 1979 | Athletic Par, Wellington | 15–6 | New Zealand XV |
Played | Won by Argentina | Won by New Zealand | Drawn |
---|---|---|---|
4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Year | Argentina Wins | New Zealand Wins | Series winner |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | ½ | 1½ | New Zealand |
1989 | 0 | 2 | New Zealand |
1991 | 0 | 2 | New Zealand |
1997 | 0 | 2 | New Zealand |
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