'Eden Park Streak on the Line' - 4 Talking Points: Scott Hansen, Sam Darry & Julien Montoya Fired Up for All Blacks v Argentina - Rugby Championship 2nd Test

Veteran hooker Agustin Creevy, 39, rolled back the years by scoring Argentina’s decisive fourth try, while Santiago Carreras kicked 18 points to seal the win in Wellington. The Pumas are now chasing back-to-back wins over New Zealand for the first time, but it has been 30 years since the All Blacks last lost at Eden Park.

Here are the top four talking points from the build up to the Auckland showdown:

Soon after the final whistle in Wellington, Pumas forward Pablo Matera predicted the All Blacks will be a “different animal” at Eden Park and Argentina can certainly expect a backlash in Auckland. The All Blacks record at the legendary stadium is jaw-dropping. New Zealand has twice lifted the World Cup at Eden Park where they won the 1987 and 2011 finals on home soil.

They are undefeated in their last 51 Test matches in Auckland, including 49 wins and two draws, racking up an average of 36 points per game. Their last loss at Eden Park was a 23-20 defeat to France in July 1994. Most of the current side hadn't yet been born back then. The touring British and Irish Lions were the last side to deny the All Blacks a win when they ground out a 15-all draw in 2017 to square the series 1-1.

New Zealand assistant coach Scott Hansen said All Blacks fans can expect a better display from their team. "We have talked about a response and what it needs to look like," Hansen told reporters on Monday. "Could be attitude, could be physicality, it won't just happen."

Hansen said many lessons had been learnt during a frank appraisal of the Wellington defeat. "The facts are we were caught in our own half, our efficiency in getting out of there wasn't good enough. Argentina were allowed to put pressure on us and we didn't respond well enough in that area of the field. Our skill sets at times let us down, so that will be our focus. We have been given an opportunity for us to respond. We need to make a stamp on the game."

Hansen said there is "hurt" in the All Blacks camp "and there should be". The All Blacks defence coach said he took it "personally" that his team conceded 38 points, including four tries." We talked as a defence today about the fact we need to be far better than we were," Hansen added. "Their tries came from us not being set defensively. We need to adjust."

All Blacks Number 8 Ardie Savea is the current world player of the year and New Zealand fly-half Damian McKenzie has been running defences ragged for the Chiefs all season, yet both were involved in a bizarre series of poor plays by the home side in Wellington. New Zealand won a line-out late in the game on the halfway line, but from the resulting ruck, Savea threw a pass over the heads of several team-mates.

McKenzie picked up the loose pass off the floor and did exactly the same thing, lobbing a wild pass which eluded his team-mates. It was left to Reiko Ioane to finally secure possession behind his own goalline as the All Blacks cleared the self-inflicted danger. Lock Sam Darry, who scored his first try in only his second Test, said the All Blacks have collectively taken a long hard look at their own play in Wellington, to figure out where to improve and cut out the errors which plagued New Zealand in the capital.

"We have got to own our mistakes," Darry told reporters. "It’s on everyone. Everyone has got to have a bit of a look in the mirror, at their prep, how they turned up for the game and how we can be better. We are really excited about the opportunity at Eden Park against a quality Argentina side. It’s a great Test to see what we are made of."

The 24-year-old tasted his first defeat in the famous black shirt - "that really hurt" – but insisted there is no panic in the All Blacks camp. "We are really clear with how we want to play," he said. "There are a few things we want to tweak, but also a few things we are really happy with so it's not throwing the baby out with the bath water. We still know what works for us and we will stick with that."

Head coach Scott Robertson has kept virtually the same pack which was outmuscled in Wellington but revamped his backline. He makes three changes in the backs plus one enforced injury switch in the forwards, where prop Tamaiti Williams replaced neck-injury victim Ethan de Groot.

"I think for every All Black forward pack, after a result like that, it's a chance for a bit of redemption. And, you know, they've owned it," Robertson said Thursday. Prolific try-scorer Will Jordan replaces Sevu Reece on the right wing in his first Test start since last year's World Cup after shoulder surgery.

Caleb Clarke takes over on the left wing from Auckland Blues teammate Mark Tele'a. Experienced Blues centre Rieko Ioane is being recalled in place of Anton Lienert-Brown. Until Highlanders prop De Groot dropped out, Robertson had been planning to field the same starting forwards who were outplayed by the more committed Pumas pack last week.

"Look, we learned a lot last weekend, we all did. They've got to go and put it into action. That's been our focus." Former All Blacks captain Sam Cane is recalled to the bench despite the 32-year-old flanker's plan to retire from international rugby at the end of this year, to take up a Japanese club contract with Suntory Sungoliath.

Cane’s last Test was as skipper in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final last October, when he was shown a red card for a high tackle in the 12-11 loss to South Africa in Paris. Robertson said he wanted Cane to provide a sense of calm late in the game, drawing on his 95 international appearances, something the All Blacks boss felt was lacking in Wellington when they squandered an early lead.

“Calmness is something Sam has got in his game,” added Robertson, saying the openside knows how to give “great messages at the right time.”

Argentina have made three changes to their starting side, including the return of skipper Julian Montoya, who missed the first Test with a rib injury. Montoya reclaims the captaincy from Pablo Matera and demotes hooker Ignacio Ruiz to the bench. This means there is no room in the squad for 39-year-old Agustin Creevy, who scored the decisive late try at Sky Stadium in a barnstorming display off the bench.

Montoya has vowed not to let Creevy down. "Of course 'Gus is an inspiration and he helped me throughout my career so I'm going to be grateful for that forever," Montoya said. "I have the opportunity to bring fresh legs and give everything for the team." Glasgow prop Lucio Sordoni replaces Eduardo Bello while Perpignan No.8 forward Joaquin Oviedo is promoted from the bench, pushing Marcos Kremer to lock and Franco Molina to the bench.

Having beaten France at home in Argentina, then New Zealand away in Wellington, Los Pumas have posted back-to-back wins over Tier One nations. The last time they posted a longer streak was in 2007, when they beat hosts France, Ireland and Scotland at the Rugby World Cup before losing to eventual winners South Africa in the semi-finals.

Snapping the All Blacks phenomenal unbeaten run at Eden Park and posting back-to-back defeats over New Zealand for the first time would herald one of the greatest moments in Argentina rugby history.