# 1976 New Zealand rugby union tour of South America

The 1976 New Zealand rugby union tour of South America was a series of eight matches played by the New Zealand national rugby union team in Uruguay and Argentina in October and November 1976. The tour was entirely successful as the New Zealand team won all nine matches, scoring a total of 321 points with 72 conceded.
New Zealand did not award full international caps for the three international matches against the Uruguay and Argentina national teams. The match played on 29 October was also first time Argentina played New Zealand in their history.

## Matches
### Summary

Test matches
| # | Date | Rival | City | Venue | Score |
| 1 | 12 Oct | Uruguay | Montevideo | Centenario | 64–3 |
| 2 | 16 Oct | Buenos Aires RU | Buenos Aires | Ferro C. Oeste | 24-13 |
| 3 | 20 Oct | Seleccionado del Interior | Córdoba | C.A. Belgrano | 30–13 |
| 4 | 23 Oct | C.A. San Isidro | Buenos Aires | Ferro C. Oeste | 37–3 |
| 5 | 27 Oct | Tucumán RU | Tucumán | C.A. Concepción | 51–15 |
| 6 | 30 Oct | Argentina | Buenos Aires | Ferro C. Oeste | 21–9 |
| 7 | 3 Nov | Rosario RU | Rosario | Jockey Club | 43–4 |
| 8 | 6 Nov | Argentina | Buenos Aires | Ferro C. Oeste | 26–6 |
| 9 | 9 Nov | Cuyo RU | Mendoza | Club Marista | 25–6 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Combined teams of players outside Buenos Aires

### Match details

Complete list of matches played by New Zealand in Uruguay and Argentina:
* 12 October 1976
| Uruguay | 3–64 | New Zealand |
| Drop: Iturria | | Try: Brake (2), Cartwright (3) Cron, Rollerson, Sapsford Sloane, Stewart, Stokes Con: Wilson (4) Pen: Wilson (4) |
* Centenario, Montevideo Attendance: 5,000
Team details :
| Uruguay | | New Zealand |
| Andres Gianoli | FB | 15 | FB | Richard Wilson |
| Carlos Widemann | W | 14 | W | Kenneth Granger |
| Ignacio Amorin | C | 13 | C | Eddie Stokes |
| Jose Maria Ubilla | C | 12 | C | Doug Rollerson |
| Michael Smith | W | 11 | W | Scott Cartwright |
| Pablo Iturria | FH | 10 | FH | John Brake |
| Alberto Cibils | SH | 9 | SH | Kevin Greene |
| Jorge Etcheverria | N8 | 8 | N8 | Pat Ryan |
| Juan Bordaberry | F | 7 | F | Stewart Cron |
| Jorge Zerbino | F | 6 | F | Graham Mourie (capt.) |
| Gerardo Laenz | L | 5 | L | Vance Stewart |
| Rafael Zerbino | L | 4 | L | John Callesen |
| John Bird | P | 3 | P | John Spiers |
| Francisco Obes | H | 2 | H | Peter Sloane |
| Jorge Andres Varela | P | 1 | P | Paul Sapsford |
| | | Replacements | | |
| Fernando Praderi | H | 16 | | |
| Jorge Pedro Rignon | P | 17 | | |
| Mario Balinas | L | 18 | | |
| Jose Luis Capezzuto | F | 19 | | |
| Daniel Mutio | SH | 20 | | |
| Alvaro Mastroiani | FH | 21 | | |
| Roberto Canessa | W | 22 | | |
* 16 October 1976
| Buenos Aires RU | 13–24 | New Zealand |
| Try: I. Gutiérrez O'Farrell, Cerioni Con: Igarzábal Pen: Igarzábal | | Try: Wilson (2), Jaffray, Granger; Con: Rowlands Pen: Rowlands (2) |
* Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Referee: Florencio Varela (Argentina)
Buenos Aires: S. Gutiérrez O'Farrell; R. Benyon, I. Balfour, 1. Gutierrez O'Farrell, E.Sansot; J. Igarzábal, R. Landajo (capt.); R. Casabal, R. Lucke, M. García Haymes; J. Rodríguez jurado, E, Greene; R. Ventura, E. Vila, A. Cerioni. New Zealand: G. Rowlands; S. Wilson, E. Stokes, M. Taylor, K. Granger; M. Taylor, I. Stevens; G. Mourie (capt.), S. Conn, M. Jaffray; J. Calleson, A. Haden; J. Me Eldowney, J. Black, P. Sapsford.
* 20 October 1976
| Seleccionado del Interior | 13–30 | New Zealand |
| Try: Morgan Pen: Guarrochena (2), Baetti | | Try: Cartwright (2), Ryan Rollerson, Spiers Con: Rollerson (2) Pen: Rollerson (2) |
* Belgrano, Córdoba Referee: Bruno Bertelli (Argentina)
Interior: R. Muñiz; J. Nogués, O. Terranova R. L'Erario, G. Morgan; D. Guarrochena (Escalante) C. Baetti; B. Minguez, J. Nazzasi (capt.), J. Navesi; R. Pessaglia, J. Mangiamelli; A. Sofredini, J. Crivelli, C. Abud.
New Zealand: R. Wilson; S. Cartwright, S. Wilson, D. Rollerson, K. Granger; J. Brake, I. Stevens; G. Mourie (capt.), S. Conn, P. Ryan; A. Haden, V. Stewart; J. Spiers, P. Sloane, J. Me Eldowney.
* 23 October 1976
| C.A. San Isidro | 3–37 | New Zealand |
| Pen: G. Béccar Varela | | Try: Rollerson (2), Mark Taylor (2) Mourie, Cartwright Con: Rowlands (5) Pen: Rowlands |
* Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Referee: Ricardo Colombo (Argentina)
C.A. San Isidro: M. Alonso; D. Beccar Varela, A. Travaglini, G. Beccar Varela, R. Rinaldi; J.Igarzábal, A. Etchegaray (capt.); R. Brinnand, M. García Haymes, A. Urien; L. Varela, G. Allen (A.Casanova); M. Farina, G. Casas, L. Moore.
New Zealand: G. Rowlands; S. Cartwright, S. Wilson, D. Rollerson, Mark Taylor; Murray Taylor, K.Greene; P. Ryan, G. Mourie (capt.), S. Cron; A. Haden, J. Calleson; P. Sapsford, P. Sloane, J. McEldowney.
* 27 October 1976
| Tucumán RU | 15–51 | New Zealand |
| Try: Rodríguez Con: Gamboa Pen: Gamboa (2) Drop: Acuña | | Try: Granger (3), Cartwright (2) Jaffray (2), Stevens Con: R. Wilson (5) Pen: R. Wilson (3) |
* C.A. Concepción, Tucumán Referee: Manuel Peralta (Argentina)
Tucumán: J. Monterrubio; M. Rodríguez, L. Gamboa, C. Imbert, G. Solá; P.Acuña, G. Palou; J. Bach (capt.), J. Posse, F. Veglia; C. Figueroa, J. Yapur; H. Pérez, S. Martoni, C. Bonano. – Replacements: M. Galindo y L. de Chazal
New Zealand: R. Wilson; S. Cartwright, E. Stokes, D. Rollerson, K. Granger; J. Brake, I. Stevens; S. Conn, M. Jaffray, S. Cron; V. Stewart, A. Haden; J. Spiers, J. Black, P. Sapsford
* 30 October 1976
| Argentina | 9–21 | New Zealand |
| Pen: G. Béccar Varela (2) Drop: Porta | | Try: Wilson, Sloane Con: Rowlands (2) Pen: Rowlands (3) |
* Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Attendance: 20,000 Referee: Michel Messan (France)
Team details :
| Argentina | New Zealand |
| Argentina | | New Zealand |
| Martín Sansot | FB | 15 | FB | Greg Rowlands |
| Jorge Gauweloose | W | 14 | W | Scott Cartwright |
| Gonzalo Beccar Varela | C | 13 | C | Stu Wilson |
| Alejandro Travaglini | C | 12 | C | Doug Rollerson |
| Daniel Beccar Varela | W | 11 | W | Mark Taylor |
| Hugo Porta | FH | 10 | FH | Murray Taylor |
| (capt.) Adolfo Etchegaray | SH | 9 | SH | Ian Stevens |
| Ricardo Mastai | F | 8 | N8 | Merv Jaffray |
| Carlos Neyra | F | 7 | F | Stewart Cron |
| Eliseo Branca | L | 6 | F | Graham Mourie (capt.) |
| Jorge Carracedo | N8 | 5 | L | Andy Haden |
| José Javier Fernández | L | 4 | L | John Callesen |
| Fernando Insúa | P | 3 | P | John McEldowney |
| José Costante | H | 2 | H | Peter Sloane |
| Rito Iraneta | P | 1 | P | Paul Sapsford |
* 3 November 1976
| Rosario RU | 4–43 | New Zealand |
| Try: Seaton | | Try: S. Wilson, Stewart, Sapsford Haden, Granger, R. Wilson Con: R. Wilson (5) Pen: R. Wilson (3) |
* Jockey Club Stadium, Rosario Referee: José María Cabanas (Argentina)
Rosario RU: Baetti; Romero Acuna, Giner (C. Blanco), Gorina, G. Blanco; Escalante, Castagna; Cúneo, Imhoff (R. Pecce), Macat; Senatore (capt.), Mangiamelli; Pavani, Seaton, Risler. New Zealand: R. Wilson; K. Granger, Mark Taylor, E. Stokes, S. Wilson; J. Brake, K. Greene; G.Mourie (capt.), S. Conn, P. Ryan; A. Haden, V. Stewart; P. Sapsford, J. Black, J. Spiers.
* 6 November 1976
| Argentina | 6–26 | New Zealand |
| Pen: Sansot, Porta | | Try: Rollerson, Cron Murray Taylor, Mark Taylor; Con: Rowlands (2) Pen: Rowlands (2) |
* Ferro C. Oeste, Buenos Aires Referee: Michel Messan (France)
Team details :
| Argentina | New Zealand |
| Argentina | | New Zealand |
| Martin Sansot | FB | 15 | FB | Greg Rowlands |
| Jorge Gauweloose | W | 14 | W | Scott Cartwright |
| Gonzalo Beccar Varela | C | 13 | C | Stu Wilson |
| Alejandro Travaglini | C | 12 | C | Doug Rollerson |
| Daniel Beccar Varela | W | 11 | W | Mark Taylor |
| Hugo Porta | FH | 10 | FH | Murray Taylor |
| (capt.) Adolfo Etchegaray | SH | 9 | SH | Ian Stevens |
| Ricardo Mastai | F | 8 | N8 | Merv Jaffray |
| Carlos Neyra | F | 7 | F | Stewart Cron |
| Eliseo Branca | L | 6 | F | Graham Mourie (capt.) |
| Jorge Carracedo | N8 | 5 | L | Andy Haden |
| José Javier Fernandez | L | 4 | L | John Callesen |
| Fernando Insúa | P | 3 | P | John McEldowney |
| Jose Costante | H | 2 | H | Peter Sloane |
| Rito Iraneta | P | 1 | P | Paul Sapsford |
* 9 November 1976
| Cuyo RU | 6–25 | New Zealand |
| Pen: Guarrochena (2) | | Try: Black, Wilson Con: Wilson Pen: Wilson (4) Drop: Rollerson |
* Marista R.C. field, Mendoza Referee: Felipe Ferrari (Argentina)
Cuyo: Muñiz; Massera (Stahrínger), O. Terranova (E. Terranova), Tarquini, Morgan; Guarrochena, Chacón; Navessi, (capitán), Nassazzi, Antonini (Viazzo); Serpa Cattaneo; Irañeta, Crivelli, Michelli. New Zealand: R. Wilson; S. Cartwright, E. Stokes, D. Rollerson, K. Granger; K. Greene, J. Brake S.Cron, G Mourie (capitán), P. Ryan; A. Haden, V. Stewart; J. Spiers, J. Black, J. Mc Elowney.