Samisoni Taukei'aho in action against France last month. Photo: Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
Pumas v All Blacks
Kickoff 9.10am, Sunday, 24 August
Estadio Vélez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Live blog updates on RNZ
Samisoni Taukei'aho will have a smile a mile wide, when his good friend and fellow All Blacks hooker Codie Taylor runs out for his 100th test.
Taylor will become the 14th All Blacks centurion, when he takes the field in Sunday's Rugby Championship test against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Taukei'aho is in the reserves for the match, after producing an impressive performance off the bench in last week's win over the Pumas in Cordoba.
Codie Taylor scores a try against France. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
He's looking forward to Taylor reaching the milestone, and seeing Chiefs team-mate and loose forward Simon Parker start at No.8 against Argentina, making his All Blacks debut.
"Simon Parker from the Chiefs, I've been playing with him all year and to see him run on for his first cap will be special," Taukei'aho told RNZ. "The big one - my mate Codie - bringing up 100 is a no easy feat and it's well deserved, after all the work he's put in.
"It will be a special night for everyone,"
The All Blacks employ a fast-paced gameplan using width, but they had plenty of success with rolling mauls at Cordoba. Taukei'aho said they will adjust their strategies, depending on what happens on the field.
"We play according to what the game needs at the time," he said. "In last week's game, we were dominating in the area, so we just went to it and it worked out.
"We just roll up our sleeves in the forward pack and listen to our game drivers. They put us in the right place of the field and we just get to work, and that's what we did."
The All Blacks made a fast start last weekend and Taukei'aho said the goal was the same at Buenos Aires, as they sought to take the Argentinian crowd out of the game.
"They're very passionate people," he told RNZ. "They're passionate about their team.
"I think it's in their culture to get behind their team, especially when they get a bit of a roll on and get a few tries.
"It's really hard to try and combat that, but they quiet down a bit, if you get on top of them, and we try our best to do that. They're very passionate people and the atmosphere is unbelievable.
"It's a good crowd to play in front of."
Samisoni Taukei'aho's performance off the bench helped swing the Cordoba test. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The lineout has been a strength for the All Blacks lately and Tauke'iaho said rookie lock Fabian Holland, who debuted against France in July, had been impressive.
"Fabian is probably the tallest in our team, so being a jumper and that tall is quite helpful, not just for our our lineouts, but also defensively getting up and stealing the ball," he said.
"Our skipper, Scott Barrett, has been calling to the right spot and we've had Tupou Vaa'i at blindside as well. That gives us a bit of height in the lineout and it makes our job a bit easier.
"As hookers, we can just put it up there for the tall boys to go and get. It's been working really well for us."
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