LA PLATA, Argentina — Winger Cory Jane scored three of New Zealand's seven tries as the All Blacks put in a world champion performance to beat Argentina 54-15 and lift the inaugural Rugby Championship title Saturday. The other New Zealand winger, Julian Savea, also scored two tries in an open match in which the Pumas also crossed the All Blacks line twice, most notably with scrumhalf Martin Landajo's opening try of the match. A noisy 45,000 full house at the Etadio Unico were treated to some exciting running from both back lines with the All Blacks enjoying a clear edge when it came to slick handling and finishing. New Zealand took its winning run to 15 since last year's World Cup and travels to Johannesburg for its final match of the tournament next weekend against South Africa, which beat Australia 31-8 earlier Saturday. Pumas Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, whose side faces Australia in Rosario next week in their final match of the competition, admitted the home side had been well beaten. Argentina showed its intent to run the ball at every opportunity and went ahead within nine minutes. The Pumas won a lineout on the left inside their own half, the ball was passed inside to fullback Lucas Gonzalez Amorisino, who rode two tackles and set off on a diagonal run toward the right. He was tackled inside the New Zealand 22 but laid off to Landajo, who darted between two players to touch down. Flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez missed the conversion. New Zealand hit back eight minutes later with the first try conceded by the Pumas in the first half of their championship matches. Center Ma'a Nonu broke through the defense at a ruck in the middle and raced for the posts before passing out of the tackle to scrumhalf Aaron Smith, who touched down. Carter converted to put the All Blacks ahead and then put over a penalty for a 10-5 lead at the halfway point of the first half. The All Blacks then scored a second try through Jane in the left corner after a break by number eight Kieran Read, with Carter again converting. Flyhalf Hernandez and Carter exchanged penalties before a brief tale of two interceptions. First the Pumas snapped up a loose ball and moved play out right where wing Gonzalo Camacho dropped the ball to allow Savea to kick ahead, chase and touch down. Savea scored his second try in the corner as the half was winding down after several phases of All Blacks attacks and, with Carter's conversion, New Zealand went in at halftime 32-8 ahead. Argentina pinned New Zealand back into its half from the restart and after several phases of attack won a penalty. It chose to run and was rewarded when Camacho picked up from a ruck and scurried over to score their second try. Again, New Zealand hit right back with Jane's second try at the end of a move that began on the far side after a lineout. A lot more running of the ball by both teams, amid a myriad of replacements in the final quarter, failed to deliver another try for the home side, but Nonu crossed and Jane secured his hat trick for New Zealand. — Reuters
