All Blacks pound Pumas to win Rugby Championship

World Champions New Zealand defended their Rugby Championship title with an emphatic 35-17 win against the Pumas in Argentina.

The All Blacks, who led 21-3 at halftime, scored five tries to two to claim the championship with one round still to play.

The New Zealanders, stun by the 36-34 home defeat to the Springboks, were never troubled in Buenos Aires. This was despite the yellow card to Sonny Bill Williams.

Rieko Ioane scored two tries and Beauden Barrett kicked four conversions. Riche Mo’unga, who played the last quarter at flyhalf when Barrett went to fullback added a conversion.

Ardi Savea, a late switch to start at No 8, was the pick of the New Zealanders.

The All Blacks complete the Rugby Championship against the Springboks at Loftus in Pretoria this coming Saturday.

In the earlier Rugby Championship action, the Springboks beat the Wallabies 23-12.

The Boks, with their third win of the Championship, are poised to finish second in the competition.

All the match action from the Opta Powered Keo Live Match Centre

New Zealand 35 (Rieko Ioane 2, Waisake Naholo, Patrick Tuipulotu, Anton Lienert-Brown tries; Beauden Barrett 4 cons, Richie Mo’unga con)
Argentina 17 (Tomas Cubelli, Emiliano Boffelli tries; Nicolas Sanchez pen, 2 cons)
Halftime: 21-3