New Zealand vs. Argentina Rugby Betting (September 3): Will angry All Blacks respond in Argentina rematch?

Followers of international rugby union have another Rugby Championship double-header to look forward to this weekend, and it will get up and running with a rematch between New Zealand and Argentina.

The All Blacks enjoy the home advantage again as they did for last Saturday’s match in Christchurch, and they will have a point to prove after suffering a shock upset to the Pumas.

New Zealand is one of international rugby’s most famous teams, known for winning big tournaments and producing fearsome players. Yes, it would be fair to say that the All Blacks haven’t been firing on all cylinders lately, but they remain a talented team full of running with bags of bottles to call upon.

Will we see the All Blacks respond with a winning performance in Hamilton, or will Argentina pull more magic out of the bag to score a second straight stunner?

New Zealand vs. Argentina Match Information and Betting Odds

New Zealand vs. Argentina Match Information

• New Zealand is looking to score what would be an overdue win against Argentina after losing to the same opponent last Saturday.
• Argentina heads into this match with confidence to burn following an unexpected but thoroughly deserved 25-18 win over the All Blacks.
• The home team has played three games already this month, losing two and winning one, with South Africa responsible for the other defeat.
• Venue & Location: Waikato Stadium (Hamilton, New Zealand)
• Kick-Off Time: 3:05 a.m. Eastern Time

New Zealand vs. Argentina Betting Odds

Odds are from BetOnline.

Moneyline

• New Zealand -650
• Draw +2500
• Argentina +500

Spread

• New Zealand -11.5 (-114)
• Argentina +11.5 (-108)

All Blacks feeling the pressure

New Zealand head into this match as the strong favourite with all major bookmakers, but the hosts find themselves under pressure following a below-par run of results that has piled pressure on the coaches and players.

Fans will be in attendance to support the team but won’t be slowing in making their feelings clear if things don’t improve.

It’s not often you’ll find New Zealand with their backs against the wall, but following two defeats in their last three games, they are in that situation.

The only way they can pull clear and escape from under this dark cloud is to get back to winning and putting on a performance that will haul the fans, pundits and media back on their side.

A win is vital on Saturday but so too is an eye-catching performance with everyone out to see just how this side responds to losing against Argentina last time.

The Rugby Championship hasn’t gone according to plan so far, with the All Blacks’ poor form leaving them third in a four-team division, behind leaders Argentina and Australia but ahead of South Africa.

Last five results for New Zealand

• Argentina (home): lost 25-18
• South Africa (away): won 35-23
• South Africa (away): lost 26-10
• Ireland (home): lost 32-22
• Ireland (home): lost 23-12

Playing for their futures

Looking through the recent form of New Zealand, it’s obvious to see this is a major name of the sport that is desperately out of form and in need of a confidence-boosting win, especially at home.

There’s no doubt New Zealand can fight back and fire themselves into contention, but to stand any chance of that, they must get the desired result in Saturday’s match. If not, heads will surely roll soon.

Table-topping Pumas make history in Christchurch

Argentina is a respected rugby-playing nation, but few would have picked them out as leaders of the Rugby Championship at this stage. W

ith three games played, they can be found in pole position with two wins and a defeat against their name, resulting in nine points which put them level with nearest rivals Australia.

The Pumas made history last time out by beating New Zealand for the first time on their patch, and it was nothing less than they deserved following a battling performance.

They wanted it more that day, and it showed, with Argentina forcing the pace and picking up on mistakes made by their opponents.

How far can they go in this tournament? Do they have what it takes to win it for the first time? That remains to be seen, but fans can begin to dream big if they repeat the feat and leave with another win over the All Blacks.

Last five results for Argentina

• New Zealand (away): won 25-18
• Australia (home): won 48-17
• Australia (home): Lost 41-26
• Scotland (home): won 34-31
• Scotland (home): won 29-6

The Pumas will know that they are up against a dangerous team, a wounded animal that is out to prove that they are better than their recent results.

A similar showing to the one that won them the match in Christchurch is required, but most followers expect the home team to fire back and perform twice as good as they did last time.

Argentina won the match, and that shock made headlines, but it masked the true story of what was a competitive and hard-fought slugfest.

New Zealand should bounce back in Hamilton but expect the same attributes that Argentina showed in Christchurch to be on display again. That will enable them to keep the match close throughout and makes them good value on the handicap.

New Zealand vs. Argentina Prediction: New Zealand to win

New Zealand vs. Argentina Betting Tip: Argentina +11.5 (-108 at BetOnline)