Argentina fall to South Africa in Durban

Argentina fell 34-21 to South Africa in Durban this afternoon. The loss marked the beginning for Los Pumas in the 2018 Rugby Championship. Game two will be in seven days time against the same opposition, this time though in Mendoza.

In all South Africa crossed for six tries while Argentina scored three. An out-of-sorts performance from Handré Pollard saw five shots at goal off target.

South Africa’s win, though, was the result of a strong second half, one in which the Springboks out performed Argentina notably. Superior attack and organized defense combined to produce a clinical second 40 minutes.

In contrast Argentina were leading by four points at half time. This was on the back of tries to Nicolás Sánchez and Pablo Matera. The first being the result of good work from the forwards and the second a well taken opportunity from Ramiro Moyano to put over the flanker.

The game’s opening try, however, was from South Africa. Touching down was center Lukhanyo Am. He caught his opposite, Matías Moroni, out of position and got down low with the CUBA center unable to adjust. The early 5-0 lead would not last as Sánchez put Argentina ahead.

Following Matera’s try South Africa would hit-back. Left winger Aphiwe Dyantyi scored the first of what was a double for the match.

Right winger Makazole Mapimpi also had a fine match, bagging two tries. His double were both in the second half. Scrum-half Faf de Klerk, the best player of the match, also touched down for the Springboks.

Argentina managed to score once in the second half. Moroni made-up for his defensive frailties against Am to go over for an intercept try. It was reminiscent of Federico Todeschini’s famous intercept of a Toby Flood pass as Los Pumas defeated England in 2006.

Moroni’s try made it a 27-21 scoreline and Argentina were not done yet. South Africa, though, weathered the storm with de Klerk’s try ensuring a 13 point lead in the final ten minutes of play.

Argentina have a lot to work on for Mendoza. Signs from Durban are that the team is much improved from the June Internationals and from the Daniel Hourcade era as a whole. Getting beyond Durban to win a game will require adjustments and, likely, further involvement from Europe.

Attendance: 26,836

SCORERS

SOUTH AFRICA
Try: Am, Dyantyi (2), Mapimpi (2), de Klerk
Conversion: Pollard

ARGENTINA
Try: Sánchez, Matera, Moroni
Conversion: Sánchez (3)

TEAMS

SOUTH AFRICA
15 Willie Le Roux, 14 Makazole Mapimpi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Siya Kolisi (capt.), 6 Francois Louw, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Lionel Mapoe, 23 Damian Willemse

ARGENTINA
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matías Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti Pagadizábal, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustín Creevy (capt.), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro

Replacements: 16 Diego Fortuny, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Tomás Lavanini, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Juan Cruz Mallía