Seven days after game one in Córdoba, Argentina and New Zealand square-off again at the Estadio Vélez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires. The round two clash of the 2025 Rugby Championship sees the now world no 1 New Zealand defending their ranking against a team they lost against in their capital city in 2024.
The match will be Los Pumas’ last home test match until July 2026. The UAR moved the October match against South Africa to London, UK while both 2025 Rugby Championship matches against the Wallabies will be played in Australia.
There will not be a 2026 Rugby Championship. The arrival of the Nations Championship and South Africa vs New Zealand contesting “The Greatest Rugby Rivalry” in 2026 will affect the Rugby Championship with it changing to be played on a biennial basis.
Argentina and Australia will contest two test matches in 2026 and Los Pumas will face South Africa once. None of these will be Rugby Championship fixtures. In fact, after 2025, there will only be one normal Rugby Championship in the following five years. There will be no Rugby Championship in 2026, 2028 or 2030 and reduced Rugby Championships in 2027 and 2031. Only 2029 will feature a normal format with two matches between all competitors.
FORM GUIDE
Current World Ranking: 7 (81.06 points)
2025-08-16 – Argentina 24-41 New Zealand (Córdoba, AR)
2025-07-19 – Argentina 52-17 Uruguay (Salta, AR)
2025-07-12 – Argentina 17-22 England (San Juan, AR)
2025-07-05 – Argentina 12-35 England (La Plata, AR)
2025-06-20 – British & Irish Lions 24-28 Argentina (Dublin, IE)
Current World Ranking: 1 (92.51 points)
2025-08-16 – Argentina 24-41 New Zealand (Córdoba, AR)
2025-07-19 – New Zealand 29-19 France (Hamilton, NZ)
2025-07-12 – New Zealand 43-12 France (Wellington, NZ)
2025-07-05 – New Zealand 31-27 France (Dunedin, NZ)
IN
OUT
7
Juan Martín González
Marcos Kremer
11
Mateo Carreras
Bautista Delguy
14
Bautista Delguy
Rodrigo Isgró
IN
OUT
7
Ardie Savea
Du’Plessis Kirifi
8
Simon Parker
Ardie Savea
– N/A
– Simon Parker (N8)
– P Matera (113), J Montoya (109), G Petti (90), N Tetaz Chaparro (80), P M Kremer (74), S Carreras (56), JM González (43), JC Mallía (43)
– B Barrett (137), C Taylor (99), A Savea (99), R Ioane (84), S Barrett (82), D McKenzie (65), W Jordan (45)
– S Benítez Cruz (4), P Delgado (5), J Piccardo (5), G Garcia (12), F Molina (13), J Oviedo (14)
– F Holland (4), B Proctor (5), J Lord (7), P Tosi (10), C Ratima (15), Q Tupaea (16), T Williams (18)
– Ignacio Calles (LH), Thomas Gallo (LH), Eduardo Bello (TH), Efraín Elías (LO), Tomás Lavanini (LO), Gonzalo Bertranou (SH), Matías Moroni (CE)
– Tyrel Lomax (TH), Ofa Tu’ungafasi (TH), Patrick Tuipulotu (LO), Luke Jacobson (FL), Cam Roigard (SH), Anton Lienert-Brown (CE), Caleb Clarke (WI)
Argentina is targeting a first-ever home win over New Zealand. Los Pumas defeated the All Blacks in 2020 in Sydney, Australia and in 2022 and 2024 in New Zealand.
Buenos Aires is where capped international competition between Argentina and New Zealand began. The All Blacks won the inaugural test match 23-20 in 1985. The teams competed to a 25-25 draw in the following week at the Estadio Ferro Carril Oeste.
The most recent meeting between the teams in Buenos Aires was won 20-16 by New Zealand in 2019. Los Pumas have won three of the eleven test matches against the All Blacks since the 2019 match.
Argentina’s last match at Vélez Sarsfield was a 33-25 win over France in 2024.
Argentina’s most capped player of all-time, Pablo Matera will earn his 114th cap.
Simon Parker makes his test debut for New Zealand.
Codie Taylor will earn his 100th cap for New Zealand. He becomes the 14th All Black centurion. His great-great-grandfather Walter Pringle was an All Black in 1893.
Beauden Barrett will earn his 138th cap and a New Zealand record 22nd cap against Argentina.
All Blacks Patrick Tuipulotu and Anton Lienert-Brown were injured in Córdoba. As a result, Josh Lord and Quinn Tupaea have been named as replacements.
The fit-again Loose Head Tamaiti Williams and flanker Wallace Sititi return as replacements.
Seven of the 23 Pumas are from Buenos Aires: S Benítez Cruz, B Delguy, P Matera, J Montoya, G Petti, J Piccardo and I Ruiz.
Argentina’s 23-man line-up is entirely homegrown.
New Zealand starts with two non-homegrown players and two others have been selected as replacements.
Nic Berry will officiate the contest. Los Pumas have struggled and have not been competitive in matches vs New Zealand refereed by Nic Berry. Cases in point are losing 38-0 in 2020 39-0 in 2021, and 53-3 in 2002. The 2020 and 2022 losses both followed Argentina defeating New Zealand.
New Zealand have history on their side in Buenos Aires showdowns against Los Pumas. The 1985 draw prevents a perfect record but they remain unbeaten in the Argentine capital. Form is also in New Zealand’s favor; Argentina need to nullify the All Blacks attack while also scoring tries of their own and greatly improving their discipline to that from Córdoba. Conditions are expected to be excellent for the test match. Light rain on Friday is to be followed by clear skies for the 6pm kick-off. New Zealand are favorites to win in Buenos Aires.
ARGENTINA
#
PLAYER
FROM
CAPS
1
Mayco Vivas
Rafaela
32
2
Julián Montoya (capt.)
Buenos Aires
109
3
Pedro Delgado
Santiago del Estero
5
4
Franco Molina
Córdoba
12
5
Pedro Rubiolo
Rafaela
24
6
Pablo Matera (vice-capt.)
Buenos Aires
113
7
Juan Martín Gonzalez
Mendoza
43
8
Joaquín Oviedo
Córdoba
14
9
Gonzalo García
Tucumán
12
10
Tomás Albornoz
Tucumán
18
11
Mateo Carreras
Tucumán
27
12
Santiago Chocobares
Rufino
28
13
Lucio Cinti
La Plata
35
14
Bautista Delguy
Buenos Aires
34
15
Juan Cruz Mallía (vice-capt.)
Córdoba
43
16
Ignacio Ruiz
Buenos Aires
19
17
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
General Juan Madariaga
80
18
Joel Sclavi
Mar del Plata
28
19
Guido Petti
Buenos Aires
90
20
Marcos Kremer
Concordia
74
21
Simón Benítez Cruz
Buenos Aires
4
22
Santiago Carreras
Córdoba
56
23
Justo Piccardo
Buenos Aires
5
NEW ZEALAND
#
PLAYER
HOMEGROWN
CAPS
1
Ethan de Groot
New Zealand
33
2
Codie Taylor
New Zealand
99
3
Fletcher Newell
New Zealand
26
4
Scott Barrett (Capt.)
New Zealand
82
5
Fabian Holland
Netherlands
4
6
Tupou Vaa’i
New Zealand
41
7
Ardie Savea (vice-capt.)
New Zealand
98
8
Simon Parker
New Zealand
–
9
Cortez Ratima
New Zealand
15
10
Beauden Barrett
New Zealand
137
11
Rieko Ioane
New Zealand
84
12
Jordie Barrett (vice-capt.)
New Zealand
72
13
Billy Proctor
New Zealand
5
14
Sevu Reece
Fiji
35
15
Will Jordan
New Zealand
45
16
Samisoni Taukei’aho
Tonga
34
17
Tamaiti Williams
Australia
18
18
Pasilio Tosi
New Zealand
10
19
Josh Ford
New Zealand
7
20
Wallace Sititi
New Zealand
10
21
Finlay Christie
New Zealand
24
22
Quinn Tupaea
New Zealand
16
23
Damian McKenzie
New Zealand
65
Date: Saturday, August 23
Venue: Estadio Vélez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires (AR)
Kickoff: 6:10pm (AR); 9:10am (NZ)
Weather Forecast: Clear Skies, 14°C, wind (18 km/h)
Broadcasts: ESPN; Disney +
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (France); Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
FPRO: Damon Murphy (Australia)
vs HISTORY
Aug 16, 2025 – Argentina 24-41 New Zealand (Córdoba, AR)
Aug 17, 2024 – New Zealand 42-10 Argentina (Auckland, NZ)
Aug 10, 2024 – New Zealand 30-38 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
Oct 20, 2023 – New Zealand 44-06 Argentina (Paris, FR)*
July 08, 2023 – Argentina 12-41 New Zealand (Mendoza, AR)
Sep 03, 2022 – New Zealand 53-3 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Aug 08, 2022 – New Zealand 18-25 Argentina (Christchurch, NZ)
Sep 18, 2021 – New Zealand 36-13 Argentina (Brisbane, AU)
Sep 12, 2021 – New Zealand 39-0 Argentina (Gold Coast, AU)
Nov 28, 2020 – New Zealand 38-0 Argentina (Newcastle, AU)
Nov 14, 2020 – New Zealand 15-25 Argentina (Sydney, AU)
July 20, 2019 – Argentina 16-20 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Sep 29, 2018 – Argentina 17-35 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Sep 08, 2018 – New Zealand 46-24 New Zealand (Nelson, NZ)
Sep 30, 2017 – Argentina 10-36 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Sep 09, 2017 – New Zealand 39-22 Argentina (New Plymouth, NZ)
Oct 01, 2016 – Argentina 17-36 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Sep 10, 2016 – New Zealand 57-22 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Sep 20, 2015 – New Zealand 26-16 Argentina (London, UK) *
July 17, 2015 – New Zealand 39-18 Argentina (Christchurch, NZ)
Sep 27, 2014 – Argentina 13-34 New Zealand (La Plata, AR)
Sep 06, 2014 – New Zealand 28-09 Argentina (Napier, NZ)
Sep 28, 2013 – Argentina 15-33 New Zealand (La Plata, AR)
Sep 07, 2013 – New Zealand 28-13 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Sep 29, 2012 – Argentina 15-54 New Zealand (La Plata, AR)
Sep 08, 2012 – New Zealand 21-05 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
Oct 09, 2011 – New Zealand 33-10 Argentina (Auckland, NZ) *
June 24, 2006 – Argentina 19-25 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, NZ)
June 26, 2004 – New Zealand 41-07 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
Dec 01, 2001 – Argentina 20-24 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
June 22, 2001 – New Zealand 67-19 Argentina (Christchurch, NZ)
June 28, 1997 – New Zealand 62-10 Argentina (Hamilton, NZ)
June 21, 1997 – New Zealand 93-08 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
July 13, 1991 – Argentina 06-36 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
July 06, 1991 – Argentina 14-28 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
July 29, 1989 – New Zealand 49-12 Argentina (Wellington, NZ)
July 15, 1989 – New Zealand 60-09 Argentina (Dunedin, NZ)
June 01, 1987 – New Zealand 45-15 Argentina (Wellington, NZ) *
Nov 02, 1985 – Argentina 21-21 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
Oct 26, 1985 – Argentina 20-23 New Zealand (Buenos Aires, AR)
* Rugby World Cup Match
vs OVERALL RESULTS
New Zealand Wins 36
Argentina Wins 3
Draws 1