Scott Barrett returns to lead All Blacks against Argentina in Cordoba

All Black selectors Scott Robertson, Scott Hansen and Jason Ryan have named their team to play Argentina in their opening Test of the 2025 Rugby Championship at Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba on Sunday.

Captain and lock Scott Barrett returns from injury to lead the All Blacks into the first round of the Lipovitan-D Rugby Championship against Argentina in Córdoba.

Barrett will start alongside Fabian Holland in the second row in one of nine changes to the team that finished the July Series against France in Hamilton.

Tupou Vaa’i also returns to action after missing the Hamilton Test through injury and will wear the No 6 jersey for the fourth time in a Test. Vaa’i will be part of a balanced loose forward trio, with Du’Plessis Kirifi at openside in his second Test start and Ardie Savea at No 8 in what will be his 98th Test for the All Blacks and 100th match.

Cortez Ratima and Beauden Barrett start at halfback and first five respectively, with Finlay Christie and Damian McKenzie providing impact from the reserves. Christie returns to the All Blacks match day 23 for the first time since the second Test of the 2024 July Series against England at Eden Park.

Billy Proctor starts his fifth Test in the No 13 jersey, alongside Jordie Barrett in the midfield. Wings Rieko Ioane and Sevu Reece combine with Will Jordan in the back three.

There is a wealth of experience in the reserves where backs Christie, Anton Lienert-Brown and McKenzie have a combined 172 Test caps. In the forwards Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ollie Norris and Pasilio Tosi provide impact in the front row along with lock Patrick Tuipulotu and loose forward Samipeni Finau.

All Black head coach Robertson said the squad was fully focused and prepared for the start of The Rugby Championship.

“We’ve had a great week of training in Buenos Aires and the group is ready to go out and perform. Scott and our leaders have led from the front and there’s a lot of focus and motivation in the group for the start of the campaign.

“We know the Pumas identity is a fast and physical game and we’ve selected a team that will embrace the occasion. It’s been 30 years since the All Blacks played in Córdoba and we are looking forward to the passion and energy of the home crowd.”

Los Pumas have also confirmed their team to host the All Blacks at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Cordoba. It will be a historic event since it will be the first confrontation between the two teams in La Docta.

The last time Los Pumas played in Cordoba was in 2014 when they fell to Scotland 21-19. This Saturday's Test will be the sixth official match of the national team in the province: in 2003 they beat Fiji 49-30, in 2005 they lost to Italy 30-29, in 2008 it was a defeat against Italy by 13-12, in 2012 they won against France by 23-20 and the loss to Scotland in 2014.

This will be the 14th visit by the men in black to Argentina, with Vélez being the stadium where they played the most (7). However, this will be their fourth time in the province: in 1976 they beat the Interior National Team by 30-13, while in 1985 and 1991 they did it against the Córdoba National Team by 72-9 and 38-9, respectively.

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Los Pumas starting XV: Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Bautista Delguy; 10 Tomas Bathrobe, 9 Gonzalo Garcia; 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera; 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina; 3 Pedro Delgado, 2 Junlian Montoya (capt), 1 Mayco Vivas. Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Joel Scalvi, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21 Simon Benitez Cruz, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Justo Piccardo.

All Black starting XV: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Rieko Ioane; 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cortez Ratima; 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Tupou Vaa’i; 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Scott Barrett (capt); 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot. Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Damian McKenzie.

Match facts

• The All Blacks and Argentina play for the 40th time this week. New Zealand has won 35 and drawn one (in the inaugural series in 1985).

• Argentina has never beaten the All Blacks on home soil or won a series against them.

• The All Blacks will play in Córdoba for the first time since 1976, when they beat an Interior Selection 30-13.

• Ardie Savea will play his 98th Test match and 100th game for the All Blacks.

• Beauden Barrett has faced the Pumas 21 times, the most of any All Black.

• Will Jordan has scored seven tries in seven Tests against Argentina.

• Damian McKenzie will play his 20th Test in succession for the All Blacks, the longest run of match day squad selections in the current squad.

Argentina v New Zealand - Saturday @ Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes (11.10pm)

Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)

Assistant Referees: Nic Berry (RA), Morné Ferreira (SARU)

Television Match Official: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)

FPRO: Damon Murphy (RA)

Broadcast: SuperSport Rugby