Rugby Championship History – South Africa vs Argentina

The 2017 Rugby Championship kicks-off on Saturday. As has occurred in all prior editions, South Africa play host to Argentina in the opening round. The upcoming fixture is to be the sixth Rugby Championship match for Argentina in South Africa. Los Pumas enter with a 1-4 record.

August 18 2012: South Africa 27-6 Argentina, Cape Town
Argentina’s historic entrance into the Rugby Championship was not memorable. Santiago Phelan selected a defensive side and played accordingly. In unable to break the Springboks’ defense the only points came from goal-kicking. The defeat gave the team plenty to think about ahead of the return match in Mendoza the following Saturday.

SCORERS
SOUTH AFRICA
Try: Kirchner (16), Coetzee (27), Habana (56)
Conversion: M Steyn (17, 28, 57)
Penalty: M Steyn (3, 24)

ARGENTINA
Penalty: Hernández (13, 30)

SOUTH AFRICA
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (Capt.), 12 François Steyn, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Jacques Potgieter, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Patrick Lambie, 22 JJ Engelbrecht

ARGENTINA
15 Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernández, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Nicolás Vergallo, 8 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (Capt.), 7 Alvaro Galindo, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guiñazú, 1 Rodrigo Roncero

Replacements: 16 Bruno Postiglioni, 17 Marcos Ayerza, 18 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19 Tomás Leonardí, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Martín Rodríguez Gurruchaga

August 17 2013: South Africa 73-13 Argentina, Soweto
The 2013 campaign opened in the most disastrous of manners for Argentina. Despite having a competitive team on paper Los Pumas were humiliated, crashing to a 73-13 hammering at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto. Nine different South African players crossed for tries. Argentina had no answer on defense and was also exposed at both the scrum and lineout. With Argentina playing well below their usual standards the team was also hampered by ill discipline as two forwards were yellow carded.

SCORERS
SOUTH AFRICA
Try: Penalty try (29), Engelbrecht (32), Strauss (45), Alberts (52), de Villiers (55), du Preez (62), Habana (65), Vermeulen (69), BW du Plessis (75)
Conversion: Steyn (30, 33, 47, 55, 63, 67, 70, 76)
Penalty: Steyn (5, 9, 18, 37)

ARGENTINA
Try: Contepomi (79)
Conversion: Contepomi (80)
Penalty: Contepomi (16, 22)
Yellow Card: Guiñazú (29), Senatore (50)

SOUTH AFRICA
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Jean de Villiers (Capt.) 11 Bryan Habana 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 François Louw, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Gurthro Steenkamp, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Fourie du Preez, 22 Patrick Lambie 23 Jan Serfontein

ARGENTINA
15 Juan Martín Hernández, 14 Goznalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Felipe Contepomi (Capt.), 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Matías Díaz, 2 Eusebio Guiñazú, 1 Juan Figallo

Replacements: 16 Agustín Creevy, 17 Nahuel Lobo, 18 Juan Pablo Orlandi, 19 Mariano Galarza, 20 Julio Farias Cabello, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Santiago Fernández, 23 Horacio Agulla

August 16 2014: South Africa 13-6 Argentina, Pretoria
Santiago Phelan resigned after the 2013 Rugby Championship. His replacement, Daniel Hourcade, had under two weeks to prepare for the November Internationals in Europe. When the 2014 Rugby Championship got underway he had quickly left his foot print for all to see. Many veterans were replaced with planning for the future being the declared vision. His first Rugby Championship fixture was Argentina’s best from the initial years. Despite being tryless, Argentina’s 13-6 loss was a sign of progress and would be followed by a win later in the tournament.

SOUTH AFRICA
15 Willie Le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Jean de Villiers (capt.), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 François Louw, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Janie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Oupa Mohoje, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Jan Serfontein

ARGENTINA
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago González Iglesias, 11 Manuel Montero, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Mariano Galarza, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (Capt.), 1 Marcos Ayerza

Replacements: 16 Matias Cortese, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 23 Lucas González Amorosino

SCORERS
SOUTH AFRICA
Try: Pienaar (1)
Conversion: Pollard (2)
Penalty: Pollard (16), Steyn (50)

ARGENTINA
Penalty: Sánchez (7, 42)

August 08 2015: South Africa 25-37 Argentina, Durban
Argentina’s home matches against South Africa from 2012-2014 had all been close. Two of the three fixtures saw Los Pumas being extremely unfortunate not to have won. On one of them the teams competed to a draw. History, though, would be made prior to Rugby World Cup 2015with Argentina blitzing the Springboks to win cleanly in Durban. Juan Imhoff became the first man to score a hat-trick against South Africa in the process. Marcos Ayerza had a tremendous match in the scrum.

SCORERS
SOUTH AFRICA
Try: de Jager (35), Le Roux (48), Habana (78)
Conversion: Pollard (36, 49)
Penalty: Pollard (9, 28)

ARGENTINA
Try: Bosch (1), Imhoff (22, 30, 41)
Conversion: Hernández (2, 23, 32, 42)
Penalty: Hernández (37), Bosch (39)
Drop Goal: Bosch (62)

SOUTH AFRICA
15 Willie Le Roux, 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 Jean de Villiers (capt.), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Patrick Lambie, 23 Lwazi Mvovo

ARGENTINA
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Juan Imhoff, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 1 Marcos Ayerza

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Matías Díaz, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Lucas González Amorosino

August 20 2016: South Africa 30-23 Argentina, Nelspruit
A year on from winning in Durban Argentina were eager to repeat it by winning in Nelspruit. The South Americans played, appearing to be on course for victory. Two late tries from South Africa, though, saw the home team coming out on top. The loss would be put to rest seven days later when Argentina won the rematch at home in Salta.

SCORERS
SOUTH AFRICA
Try: Combrinck (6), Goosen (70), Whiteley (78)
Conversion: Jantjies (8, 71, 79)
Penalty: Jantjies (17, 55, 73)

ARGENTINA
Try: Orlando (24), Cordero (66)
Conversion: Sánchez (26, 67)
Penalty: Sánchez (15, 23, 64)

SOUTH AFRICA
15 Johan Goosen, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Teboho Mohoje, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Adriaan Strauss (Capt.) , Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Jaco Kriel, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Juan de Jongh, 23 Jesse Kriel

ARGENTINA
15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Manuel Montero, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Facundo Isa, 7 Juan Manuel Leguizamon, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matías Alemanno, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (Capt.), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro

Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Felipe Arregui, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Ramiro Moyano