Pumas change 2 for All Blacks

Napier - Argentina on Thursday announced two changes for Saturday's Rugby Championship Test against the All Blacks as they chase their first win in the southern hemisphere competition.

Leonardo Senatore replaces the injured Paul Matera to slot in at the back of the scrum, joining veterans Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Juan Manuel Leguizamon in a rejigged loose trio.

In the backs, 53-Test wing Horacio Agulla comes in for Manuel Montero, with the high-scoring Juan Imhoff named to come off the bench against the world champions in Napier.

With wet weather forecast, assistant coach German Fernandez said their build-up had focused on forward play with the pack "making better decisions and hence better cleaning out of the rucks".

Senatore, who set up Argentina's lone try against the All Blacks in their 33-10 2011 World Cup quarter-final defeat, said his side had to be prepared for everything.

"The try in the World Cup is a great memory, but today the reality is a different match and I have to play the best game," he said.

"We are getting better and that will put us squarely in the match against New Zealand."

Argentina narrowly lost their opening two matches in this year's championship, going down to South Africa 6-13 away and then beaten 31-33 at home.

Defending champions New Zealand drew their first game against Australia in Sydney 12-12 before crushing the Wallabies 51-20 in Auckland a week later.

Teams:

New Zealand:

15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Wyatt Crockett

Substitutes: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Joe Moody, 19 Jeremy Thrush, 20 Sam Cane, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Colin Slade, 23 Malaki Fekitoa

Argentina:

15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Juan Martin Hernandez, 11 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Mariano Galarza, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustin Creevy (captain), 1 Marcos Ayerza

Substitutes: 16 Matias Cortese, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Rodrigo Baez, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Juan Imhoff