Gregor Townsend said the Scotland players will take time to recover both physically and mentally from their defeat to the All Blacks but acknowledged his side must move on quickly with another tough test waiting next weekend.
Scotland will face Argentina, who travel to Murrayfield after opening their November campaign with victory over Wales in Cardiff.
Townsend, like an emotional Sione Tuipulotu in his post-match press conference, painted a bleak picture of the Scotland dressing room in the immediate aftermath of the 26-17 defeat to New Zealand, the coach said they must pick themselves up to face Felipe Contepomi’s team.
"A lot goes into a performance, not just 80 minutes, a whole week," said Townsend.
“It'll take a wee while to get over. I'm sure they'll be thinking about it in the next couple of days.
"What's normal for a sportsman as well is to get back into the next game, which is Argentina, next week. I'm glad we've got an extra day's rest because that was a really physical game.
"We've got to quickly move on to that. They're a top side. While it was very frustrating not to get the win, we've got another challenge up ahead pretty quickly."
In years gone by, facing the Pumas may have been considered a step down from a match with the All Blacks. However, Townsend was under no illusions about the challenge that awaits next Sunday.
"They're a really good side,” he added.
"They're respected by every country. I think they're very well coached and Felipe Contepomi has done a very good job. They've got some of the best players in the world playing for teams throughout Europe.
"We know the threat. I think the way the game changed as well, with more contested kicks, it suits their strengths.”
And with that kick battle in mind, Townsend singled out Kyle Steyn, whose inclusion at the expense of Duhan van der Merwe was the major selection talking point, for praise.
"I want to mention Kyle Steyn as well, and Darcy. I think we won that [aerial] battle today, just a little bit unfortunate that a couple of times the ball got knocked on, but that is a fact of international rugby.
“There's going to be contested kicks and that will be one of our biggest challenges next week."
Another challenge for Scotland will be to match, or better, the physicality of the Argentina pack.
After a poor first half in which Scotland trailed 17-0 and struggled to impose themselves, Townsend’s team tightened up their gameplan in the second half, with great reward.
"It was such a physical game. You see guys walking off blood. That's the highest level of test rugby, the physicality. You ask for players, and they delivered that today."
Gregor Brown was one of Scotland’s stand-out performers against the All Blacks, proving he can be an option in the back-row as well as at lock, where he has primarly been used in his test career to date.
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"He's gone up against an outstanding pack with some very good individuals in their team, so he'll have learned a lot today as well,” said Townsend.
Quizzed on Brown’s long-term future, Townsend would not be drawn on which position he believes the Glasgow forward is better suited to.
The Scotland boss added: “I think he'd probably want to play at six - he doesn't have to be in the middle of the scrums – and he's shown that he can be a really good six.
"You've got that lineout option now with someone like him in the back-row, and he's got the skills and the carrying and the work rate to be in the back-row.
"At one stage we were thinking about moving him up into the second row during the game, and that's always going to be an option if he starts in the back-row for us."
And Townsend confirmed he is unlikely to make wholesale changes to his team that runs out at Murrayfield next Sunday, but may rotate the squad for the series finale against Tonga on November 23.
“I don't think next week,” he said when asked about the prospect of sweeping changes.
Townsend added: “If players are playing three test matches in a row, then it would be tough to play all four. We'll have to see where we are, there's the physical demands, but also performance and there are other players that are knocking on the door.”
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