Los Pumas bring Boks back down to earth in Santiago heat
REPORT: The Springboks’ unbeaten run in the Rugby Championship has ended after a 28-29 defeat to Argentina in their Round Five clash in Santiago del Estero.
Rassie Erasmus’ side headed into the match needing a win to secure the title, but a sloppy defensive performance and poor decision-making cost them in sweltering conditions.
The world champions had a chance to snatch victory with a last-minute penalty attempt by Manie Libbok, but the flyhalf pushed his kick horribly wide.
However, take nothing away from Argentina as they delivered another spirited performance, especially on attack.
It’s disappointing for the Boks, especially after they raced to a 17-0 lead after 12 minutes.
The tournament will now be decided in Nelspruit next weekend with the teams meeting again. However, the Boks have a five-point lead in the standings heading into that clash.
The story continues below…
It was a brilliant start for the Springboks with Aphelele Fassi being put into acres of space by Handre Pollard to score a try in the third minute. It came after an excellent move from a line-out inside Los Pumas’ 22.
The visitors kept up the pressure with ball in hand and they were in again in the eighth minute after Jesse Kriel burst through a couple of defenders before racing away to the tryline.
Pollard was pulling the strings nicely on attack and he also had his kicking shoes on as he converted a penalty into three points in the 13th minute.
However, moments later, some poor Bok defending on the outside allowed Santiago Chocobares to burst through before he fed the ball to Mateo Carreras, who ran in for a five-pointer in the 15th minute.
The home side received another boost in the 18th minute when Bok wing Kurt-Lee Arendse was sent to the sinbin for a high tackle. But Los Pumas flyhalf Tomas Albornoz could not find the direction with his penalty kick after that.
It didn’t really matter as Los Pumas made use of their extra man to send the ball wide and it was Pablo Matera who found himself in space to race away for a try.
After Albornoz’s second conversion, the home side was just three points behind.
Felipe Contepomi’s side then found themselves in front in the 27th minute when Joel Sclavi powered his way over the tryline after the ball was kept in play by Joaquin Oviedo from a maul that was heading into touch.
Albornoz could not find the direction with his conversion attempt.
Momentum was well and truly on Argentina’s side and they increased their lead in the 34th minute when Albornoz cut through the Bok defence from a few metres out to score a try after sustained pressure inside the visitors’ 22. He also converted his own score.
However, the Springboks had the final say in a pulsating first half with Cobus Reinach racing to the corner to score a try after a quick-tap penalty inside Argentina’s 22. Pollard sent his conversion attempt wide.
At half-time, it was 26-22 to the Pumas.
The Springboks applied the early pressure in the second half and they were rewarded with three points from Pollard’s boot.
Replacement flyhalf Manie Libbok then came on to put the Boks in front with a penalty of his own in the 51st minute.
With the fresh players off the bench, the Boks seemed to be more in control of proceedings and they also stamped their authority at scrum time.
However, on the rare opportunity they made it into the Boks’ 22, Los Pumas came away with three points to regain the lead with 11 minutes left on the clock.
There was more drama at the end with Libbok pushing his penalty attempt wide in the final minute to give the home side the win.
Man of the match: Ox Nche was a colossus for the Springboks in the scrums and in open play. For Argentina, Pablo Matera was aggressive with ball in hand and he scored a great try as well. However, the award goes to flyhalf Tomas Albornoz, who was outstanding on attack. The Boks’ defence was cut to shreds on a few occasions with his sniping runs and he was also one of his team’s four try-scorers.
Moment of the match: There were a lot of crucial moments in the match, but Manie Libbok missing that penalty at the end will stay in the memory bank.
The villain of the match: For the Springboks, it will be their defensive performance, especially after they kept the All Blacks out in their previous clash.
The scorers:
For Argentina:
Tries: Carreras, Matera, Sclavi, Albornoz
Cons: Albornoz 3
Pen: Albornoz
For South Africa:
Tries: Fassi, Kriel, Reinach
Cons: Pollard 2
Pens: Pollard 2, Libbok
Yellow card: Kurt-Lee Arendse (South Africa, 18′ – foul play, high tackle)
Teams:
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21 Gonzalo Garcia, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Matias Moroni.
South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Manie Libbok.
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
Assistant referees: Matt Carley (England), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
