Pumas

The All Blacks, who were beaten at home by South Africa in their last match, but have not lost back-to-back tests since 2011, could secure the Rugby Championship title with a win and a bonus point in Buenos Aires.

They come up against an in-form home side, however, who have won two games in the tournament for the first time since they began to test themselves against the southern hemisphere's best in 2012.

The world champions are six points clear of second-placed South Africa and a win and a bonus point in Buenos Aires on Saturday would guarantee them the trophy.

But after losing at home to the Springboks in their last game they would have their work cut out against an Argentina side who have recorded two wins in the competition for the first time since they joined in 2012, half-back Perenara said.

"We played them in Nelson and we won but it was a tough game," Perenara said.

The Wallabies had won 15 of the past 16 matches between the two teams, including the last six, and had not been beaten by the Pumas on home soil since 1983.

But, on a day that had already seen South Africa shock New Zealand in Wellington, a second upset came to pass as head coach Mario Ledesma – a former member of Michael Cheika's Australia backroom team – masterminded a famous victory.

The former Wallabies forwards coach will bring quiet confidence but a lack of faith in his scrum across the Tasman following Argentina's 46-24 loss to the All Blacks in Nelson.

Saturday's Rugby Championship Test against Australia on the Gold Coast will be Ledesma's first against his former team since taking charge of the ninth-ranked Pumas from Daniel Hourcade six weeks ago.

He is perturbed by a slide in Argentine scrummaging standards, once considered the rock their game was built around.

The defending champions will bid for their 15th straight win in the tournament against Mario Ledesma's Argentina, who have arrived in New Zealand full of confidence after an impressive 32-19 win over South Africa.

The Pumas have long taken pride in the strength of their set piece, and Franks was impressed by the South Americans' dominance against the Springboks as they claimed just their fourth win in 35 games in the southern hemisphere tournament.

"They take real pride in their set piece," he told local media in Nelson.

Comfortable winners of last weekend's reverse fixture in Port Elizabeth, the Springboks were given a helping hand on this occasion as Argentina's Tomas Lavanini was sent off in the 57th minute for a second yellow-card offence.

Pumas number eight Juan Manuel Leguizamon and South Africa full-back Andries Coetzee were also sin-binned in a frenetic encounter.

De la Fuente, who missed the away defeat and home win against South Africa this month, was included on Monday in the squad that will travel on Friday but has now dropped out.

He is replaced in the 28-man squad by Gabriel Azcarate, who could make his tournament debut if called into action during the away Tests, the Argentine Rugby Union (UAR) said.

Coach Daniel Hourcade said that De la Fuente had failed a medical before praising the Pumas' form.

The Pumas, who warmed up in black t-shirts carrying the number 11, in tribute to former All Black Jonah Lomu who died this week, ran in seven tries in front of a crowd of 38,101, with wing Santiago Cordero crossing twice and setting up a third.