All Blacks Stick Up For Under-pressure Pumas

New Zealand talked up Argentina as a "dangerous" foe Friday on the eve of their Rugby Championship Test in New Plymouth, dismissing the South Americans' form slump over the past two years

NEW PLYMOUTH, New Zealand, Sept 8, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 08th Sep, 2017 ) - New Zealand talked up Argentina as a "dangerous" foe Friday on the eve of their Rugby Championship Test in New Plymouth, dismissing the South Americans' form slump over the past two years.

After rising to fifth in the world rankings when they made the 2015 World Cup semi-finals, Los Pumas have since dropped to 10th despite a regular diet of Rugby Championship matches against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia.

"I don't take any notice of those rankings. The history of this championship is they have been very tough opponents for us, even here in New Zealand," All Blacks captain Kieran Read said. "They're unpredictable.

They've certainly got some players who've got experience -- in Super Rugby and at this level -- so (they are) a dangerous side." Since Argentina joined the championship in 2012, in a move aimed at lifting their standard of play, they have never beaten New Zealand in 10 matches with the All Blacks scoring 44 tries to 11 and producing an average winning score of 36-14.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen argued that Argentina were in a difficult situation with an arduous travel schedule to reach any of the top tier playing nations. "They've gone from being a team that was spread all around the world, which has its ups and downs, to a team that were brought together and put into the Super Rugby competition," he said.

"Now they play four or five home games every year and then their next closest game is New Zealand, which I think is 15 hours' flight time. "It's an horrific schedule they've got. I think that takes a lot out of them. I certainly wouldn't want to be doing it, but it is what it is for them."