All Blacks tighthead prop Fletcher Newell expects a tough contest up front in the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship opener in Cordoba on Sunday (NZT).
Having got the travel out of their systems, the All Blacks hit the training ground on Tuesday to begin their preparation against a side they shared a 1-1 win-loss record with last year.
“They [Argentina] pride themselves on their set piece. We can’t give them an inch because they’ll take a mile. We’re expecting a tough game.
“Last year we lost to them, we learned a lot of lessons out of that game, so hopefully, we can transfer some of those lessons this week. They’ve got an experienced pace, and they pride themselves on their scrum.
“Last year we didn’t nail those areas quite as much, maybe in the last game but not so much in the first. We’re excited to keep building on those areas of our game. We know they’re going to be important.”
“That loss last year hurt, so it’s a lot of motivation going into this week.”
Newell said the 2025 All Blacks were still trying to find their identity, but showed glimpses of what they wanted against France, and they want to build on those.
“We’ve got plenty of room to grow in those facets of the game throughout the Rugby Championship. It’s going to be a massive game first up.”
There is competition among all the props in the squad, but they are a tight group.
“We love working with each other and getting each other better. We are lucky in our unit sessions to go up against each pack and it sets us up for the game.”
Wing Sevu Reece said Buenos Aires, where the All Blacks are based before heading to Cordoba, was a special place to him because he made his All Blacks debut in the city.
“I was nervous and excited as well. It was a close game, but from my memory, the Argentinian crowd is unbelievable. Before the games start, they start singing till the end. They don’t sit down, they don’t stop.
“Hopefully, they bring the same, energy and support on Saturday.”
Having grown as a player since his debut, he learns something every day and still wants to improve his game.
It would be exciting to play Argentina again if he is among the 23 selected players.
“We watched Argentina beat the Lions. They’re a different team now. They’ve come a long way, and they’re tough to go up against.
“They play a nice style of rugby. Everyone can run fast, kick the ball and they’ve got my friend Pablo [Matera], that guy can kick the ball as well. That’s just how special and talented they are. They’re so skilful and we respect that.”
The All Blacks go into the Championship wanting to build from where they left off in their third Test against France in July.
“We want to keep growing every Test we play. The boys have been training hard and we are excited to go out there this weekend and showcase the direction of our game.
“The competition in the All Blacks is very tough, and no one is guaranteed the jersey. We have a good group, a very talented group, and anyone can play.
“But it makes it so much better because every training session we go hard, we compete and we help each other.”
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