New Zealand vs. Argentina: Winners and Losers in 2015 Rugby Championship Game

New Zealand overcame a slow start on Friday to defeat Argentina 39-18 and get the ball rolling in their Rugby Championship title defence with a morale-boosting victory.

The Pumas made a stubborn start in Christchurch, but Steve Hansen's side scored through Ma'a Nonu just before the break to open up a considerable lead over their guests, capitalising in the second half.

Richie McCaw opened the scoring against the Pumas in what seemed fate-like circumstances, as he was making his final New Zealand appearance in front of a home crowd.

The Test legend sits as one of the biggest winners from Friday's Rugby Championship opener, which provided both teams with their share of highs and lows, discussed in further detail ahead.

Winner: Celebrated Centurion Send-Offs

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New Zealand were always expected to come out on top in a home fixture against Argentina, but departing pair McCaw and Dan Carter will have treated this like their first outing in national team colours.

Before Carter completes his move to Racing 92 and McCaw takes his leave of the sport—at least at Test level—the duo had one last win to play out in the most appropriate setting imaginable.

Since 2001 and 2003, respectively, McCaw and Carter have represented the Crusaders in Super Rugby, taking both their club and national side onto new heights.

Carter was off-target with a few kicks, with both his and McCaw's replacements in the squad already emerging, but not before the pair make a final impact for the All Blacks.

Fellow New Zealand centurions Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock of course deserve their mentions, too, after their last home outings for the national team.

Loser: Hooter Horror Hits Argentina Again

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The All Blacks proved on Friday that there is no other team in the world more clinical when it comes to point-scoring around the whistle, those most crucial junctures at which matches are decided.

Whether it's a lightning-fast start, an inexhaustible finish or the ability to score around the half-time hooter, New Zealand simply do not cease in their crusade to reach the desired whitewash destination.

For the second year in a row, Argentina conceded a try to New Zealand after the half-time hooter had sounded; in 2014 it was Liam Messam, and this time it was Ma'a Nonu's turn to do the damage.

Those scores so close to the break are especially hurtful to a team like the Pumas, who were just five points off their hosts prior to the score, only to then go in at the break with an 18-6 deficit.

It was an almost identical story last year in Napier, when Daniel Hourcade's side looked defensively cohesive and trailed 8-6, but Messam's score had big ramifications.

From there, the floodgates opened in Christchurch, and New Zealand piled the pain on their foes with a second-half barrage, which might have been avoided had Argentina just shown a little more stamina.

Winner: Waisake Naholo

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It hasn't even been a fortnight since Waisake Naholo scored in the Super Rugby final to give the Highlanders their first title, but the winger was back in action on Friday for his All Blacks debut.

It's a daunting prospect making one's first appearance for any national team, but you wouldn't have guessed this was Naholo's first taste of the Test stage, as he adapted to his surroundings with ease against the Pumas.

The Fiji-born maestro looked every bit the talent he has been since arriving in Otago, with Jon Cardinelli of the Financial Mail noting his energetic presence.

By half-time, Naholo already had the achievements of most metres made (54), most defenders beaten (four) and joint-most offloads (three) to his name. Not bad for a maiden half in Test rugby.

Loser: Nicolas Sanchez

Victor R. Caivano/Associated Press

Wasted opportunities are a suicidal offence against New Zealand, and Pumas fly-half Nicolas Sanchez evidently felt the pressure in Christchurch as he let the hosts off all too generously on numerous occasions.

Kicking out on the full is a particularly frustrating offence for team-mates to witness in a match of this importance, and Sanchez's boot was wayward in the first period, to say the least.

Argentina had several opportunities to get out of their half and push into All Blacks territory, but the chances went astray, instead handing the home outfit chances of their own in punishable positions.

Of course, that's not to suggest the result would have been any different but for Sanchez's transgressions, but the first-half scoring opportunities would have improved significantly in what was a forgettable outing.

Winner: New Zealand at Their Offloading Best

Ross Setford/Associated Press

Sonny Bill Williams may be regarded as "Mr. Offload" in some circles, as he's the most likely culprit to attempt the odd piece of passing magic, but Friday evening showed almost the entire All Blacks lineup trying their hand.

To put the free-flowing hosts' carrying prowess into context, Argentina's entire squad—including eight substitutes—made just three offloads on Friday, while New Zealand made an almighty 22.

Four of those came from debutant Naholo, with another three apiece from Williams and Carter, but commentator Nick Heath questioned the legality of the All Blacks' on-the-floor antics. 

Whatever might be the validity of that argument, it's without debate that New Zealand's proficiency for support in numbers and long passages of passing play makes for fine entertainment.

All statistics come courtesy of ESPN Scrum and Statbunker.