Publications
Partners
London - Argentina see a New Zealand weakness in the maul and will attack there when the two nations clash in the World Cup at Wembley on Sunday, coach Daniel Hourcade said.
The Pumas upset the All Blacks with their rolling maul when the two sides met in the recent Rugby Championship and Hourcade said that will be the target.
"The maul is one of the many options we have and we are trying to develop to hurt the All Blacks," Hourcade said, noting All Blacks coach Steve Hansen "did not like what happened."
Hansen branded the lethal rolling maul as "bloody boring" and called for a law change so it could be legally collapsed after Argentina scored two tries in quick succession in the July Test from lineout drives which the All Blacks were powerless to stop.
The tries were never going to change the outcome as the All Blacks coasted to a 39-18 victory in Christchurch. But they did expose a chink in the All Blacks' armour.
"It opened our eyes to something we weren't doing too well. It's a really good point of attack so I can see quite a few teams doing it," veteran New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu said.
The pack Hourcade has lined up to play the All Blacks on Sunday is even more experienced than the one he field in Christchurch.
With one exception it is the same pack that steered the way for their historic win over South Africa in Johannesburg last month with the only change being the inclusion of Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe who replaces fellow veteran flanker Juan Manuel Leguizamon.
"We know the All Blacks are the best team in the world but we are going out to try to win," Hourcade said after naming his side on Friday.
"We all have weaknesses and you have to analyze and detect them. But to break the (All Blacks) we must have perfection, tactics with almost surgical precision."
The All Blacks are the only top tier nation Argentintina have never beaten, with a sole draw in 1985 their best showing in 21 matches.
The match kicks off at 17:45 on Sunday.
