New Zealand hammered Argentina 42-10 in the second match of the Rugby Championship at the iconic fortress of Eden Park on Saturday morning, a significant improvement on their previous performance.

This was a stark contrast to the previous week when Argentina stunned the hosts with a 30-38 victory. New Zealand, however, had other plans this time around.

Damian McKenzie, captain Ardie Savea, Caleb Clark, Will Jordaan, and Beauden Barrett all crossed the try line for the All Blacks in the first half, effectively putting the game beyond Argentina’s reach. With McKenzie’s accurate conversions, the score stood at 35-3.

Although the All Blacks scored five tries in the first half, it seemed likely they would continue their dominance after Jordaan’s second try early in the second half. However, Argentina fought back, and changes made by both teams disrupted the flow of the game. Argentina’s only try came through Juan Cruz Mallía in the 72nd minute, a testament to their determination.

The All Blacks finished the match with 14 players after Asafo Aumua was sent to the sin-bin following a head-on collision, which was further reviewed by the bunker but remain a yellow card.

This was New Zealand’s 50th match at Eden Park Stadium, extending their unbeaten record at the iconic venue to 30 years.

The Springboks are next in action against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday, aiming for their second consecutive victory in the Rugby Championship against the hosts. Their win over the Wallabies in Brisbane last weekend was their first in Australia since 2013.

The Boks will face the All Blacks in two highly anticipated matches at Ellis Park Stadium later this month and at DHL Stadium in early September. This clash between rugby superpowers will be a rematch of the Rugby World Cup final in France last year, where Rassie Erasmus’ team successfully defended their title.