Argentina as a whole is in shock following the death of legend Diego Maradona.
And the Pumas will certainly want to pay tribute to "Pibe de Oro", Saturday (9.45am), on the occasion of the reunion with the All Blacks, whom they beat for the first time in their history two weeks ago (25- 15).
New Zealand captain Same Cane warned, “Knowing the people of Argentina, from my limited experience I'm sure that they (Maradona) were considered a divine figure.
I'm sure it will be a determining factor for them. ”
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Rugby: why nothing is going well with the All Blacks
Beaten by Australia and therefore Argentina, the All Blacks are not serene.
On Saturday they will try to avoid being the first to lose three games in a row since… 1998. For two weeks, the three-time world champion team (1987, 2011, 2015), symbol of excellence, has to face a torrent of criticism.
Unusual for them.
"Simply horrible", "horror show", "shame on the legacy of the All Blacks" ... The New Zealand media have been unleashed on their selection after the setback against Argentina, only the seventh nation of the story to make him bite the dust.
Torrent of reviews
In a country where rugby is king, this second defeat in a row, after that suffered by the eternal rival Australian (24-22 on November 7), had the effect of an earthquake and aroused the acid comments of many supporters.
Captain Sam Cane had stepped up to the plate in an attempt to end the storm.
“I think we have amazing fans, but we also have some very brutal ones,” said the 28-year-old third line, aware that only a New Zealand volcano awakening can quench “hateful and disrespectful comments”.
"It's like a skill or a physical training: we also have to train our brain"
Beauden barrett
Coach Ian Foster, who took over from Steve Hansen in November after the Japanese World Cup (semi-final defeat against England), has his head on the chopping block.
His record so far, with just two wins in five matches, makes him a target.
The All Blacks have mostly conceded two defeats in a row, something that had not happened to them since 2011. And then three defeats?
We have to go back to 1998 to find the trace of such a negative spiral.
Worse, since they had recorded five losses in a row: three against the Wallabies and two against the Springboks.
Guilty indiscipline
To avoid any further disappointment, the Oceanian selection has focused on mental training, said assistant coach John Plumtree, aware like the rest of the staff that indiscipline, with 26 penalties conceded in two games, weighed down the players.
“Fozzie (Foster) has worked hard to come up with creative drills, where players might be a little overwhelmed with some of his decisions, especially on officiating,” Plumtree explained.
For the full-back or opener Beauden Barrett, “it all starts with discipline”.
"It's like a skill or a physical training: we must also train our brain", insisted the best player of the world of the years 2016 and 2017. During the week, the Kiwis also emphasized the provocations of the Argentines , which had completely destabilized Sam Cane and his teammates, causing them to lose the thread of the match.
"Maradona was an example of how you have to play for this Argentina jersey"
Mario ledesma
In Sydney, New Zealand was short of arguments against a concrete Argentine defense and the festival opener Nicolas Sanchez, author of all the points for his team.
“Under the pressure we got a bit blinded and tried to push our way through carrying the ball - it didn't work against an outstanding Argentina defense,” admitted Foster.
Pumas forced to expose themselves
For Gonzalo Quesada, former Argentinian international and former member of the Pumas staff, "the Blacks will certainly force Argentina to expose themselves a little more, to have more of the ball", to ensure that possession is more balanced .
"They will want to put pressure on the Pumas to make them make mistakes and thus take advantage of turnover balloons or mistakes", continues the current coach of the Stade Français Paris, interviewed by AFP.
Argentina coach Mario Ledesma has changed ten players in his XV compared to the duel against Australia and warned that his team would pay tribute before or after the match to Diego Maradona.
"He was an example of how we should play for this jersey (Argentina)," said the coach of the Pumas, who dreams of a new feat.
(With AFP)
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