The sides delivered an intriguing battle during their Hamilton test which suffered when rain fell consistently after the first quarter to leave a slippery Waikato Stadium surface.
Conditions restricted the teams' work but Sanzar referees head Lyndon Bray has pinpointed their first-half scrum work as an example for others to emulate.
''[It] showed what we can do - with just one reset scrum and one scrum penalty - with a very good engagement, contest and co-operation between referees and packs,'' he said.
''It is about the contest and teams being able to exert pressure on each other. We don't want to lose that, but at the same time it has to be both legal and effective to still having scrums completed and ensure that teams can still launch attacks off scrums.''
Bray was assessing a range of issues for referees including the 70% targets for scrums to work on their first hit and for ball to be cleared in 3sec, while also gauging the offside lines at rucks and turnovers.
The crouch-bind-set commands were new to the Rugby Championship and Bray said data from six games were not enough to assess the impact. Coaches and players were adjusting and there were signs teams understood they could not ''chase and hit'' any more.
Bray picked out the start of the All Blacks-Pumas duel to emphasise the law's aims but conceded progress had slipped in the last round when the All Blacks played the Springboks and Wallabies met the Pumas.
''It is important we win back that stability post the engagement.''
Talk about the scrum is sweet music to the Pumas, and the All Blacks will have to be at their best on Sunday in La Plata to stay with the hosts in that set-piece area.
It is one of a clutch of areas which will focus attention as the championship heads into its deciding two rounds. Confident talk continues from the Argentina about its ability to stay with its rivals.
The All Blacks won a scrappy duel in Hamilton 28-13 where they sustained several injuries, lost experienced loosehead Tony Woodcock to flu at halftime and struggled to contain the Pumas scrum.
The Pumas were also aggressive on defence and brought an attitude which belied the pounding they had taken from the Boks at the start of this year's series.
At home, the Pumas should have got a draw in the niggling rematch with the Boks in which they showed a huge improvement in their organisation and attitude.
They should bring those qualities once more this Sunday and will be buoyed by the injury absence of both Richie McCaw and Daniel Carter.
Brumbies coach Jake White has reportedly quit with two years still left on his contract at the Super 15 club.
White asked for a release yesterday, according to News Ltd, and the franchise is expected to grant his wish. The 50-year-old South African missed out on the Wallabies coaching job in July. He has recently indicated his desire to return to the international scene.
- The New Zealand Herald/AAP
