Springboks too strong for Pumas in Port Elizabeth

Argentina lost their first match of the Rugby Championship by 32-12 to South Africa in Port Elizabeth on Saturday afternoon. It was a comprehensive victory for the Springboks who were too strong for the Pumas in a game dominated by stingy defense and tactical kicking.

Elton Jantjies opened the scoring with a penalty in the third minute, and the first try would also go to the home side. A loose pass from Felipe Ezcurra was snapped up by Cobus Reinach and the Springbok scrumhalf had the pace to sprint clear from will inside his own half.

Nicolás Sánchez responded with a penalty goal but the score was immediately erased with interest by South Africa. Jantjies found Aphelele Fassi with a perfectly weighted cross-kick for the second try. The conversion was missed but Jantjies knocked over another three points soon after.

François Steyn missed a long-range effort before three successful kicks wrapped up the half, two from Argentina. Sánchez landed first, followed by Jantjies, and one more to Sánchez on the stroke of halftime to make it 21-9 to South Africa.

The second half opened with a fourth Sanchez penalty, but again Jantjies had his measure to maintain the 12-point gap. A speculative drop goal attempt from Sánchez went wide and then Steyn was again off target on another long-range attempt.

Jantjies again punished poor discipline from the Pumas with his fifth penalty goal just ahead of the hour mark. Argentina got a break when what looked like a second try for Fassi after several phases of pressure was called back on a technicality by the TMO.

There would be no such luck in the final score. A huge clearance from François Steyn earned field position and a throw-in to the Boks. Marco van Staden crashed ahead and then Jaden Hendrikse finished in the corner for a try on debut.

One last opportunity for a try was squandered by the Pumas forwards with a knock-on over the goal line. The two teams will square off in a rematch at the same venue next weekend.

 

SCORING

SOUTH AFRICA 32
Tries – C. Reinach (14’), A. Fassi 2 (19’), J. Hendrikse (78′)
Cons – E. Jantjies 1/2 (15’), M. Steyn 0/1
Pens – E. Jantjies 5/5 (3’, 24’, 38’, 47’, 59′), F. Steyn 0/2

ARGENTINA 12
Pens – N. Sánchez 4/4 (17’, 35’, 40’, 43’)
DGs – N. Sánchez 0/1

 

TEAMS

SOUTH AFRICA
1 Ox Nché (17 Trevor Nyakane 52′), 2 Joseph Dweba (16 Malcolm Marx 44’), 3 Wilco Louw (18 Vincent Koch 44’), 4 Eben Etzebeth (19 Marvin Orie 67′), 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Siya Kolisi (capt.) (20 Marco van Staden 54′), 7 Kwagga Smith, 8 Jasper Wiese (21 Daniel du Preez 62′), 9 Cobus Reinach (22 Jaden Hendrikse 72′), 10 Elton Jantjies (23 Morné Steyn 72′), 11 Aphelele Fassi, 12 François Steyn, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 15 Damian Willemse

ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (17 Carlos Muzzio 59′), 2 Julián Montoya (capt.) (16 Facundo Bosch 72′), 3 Francisco Gómez Kodela (18 Santiago Medrano 59′), 4 Guido Petti, 5 Marcos Kremer (19 Tomás Lavanini 51′), 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Facundo Isa (20 Matías Alemanno 59′), 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 9 Felipe Ezcurra (21 Gonzalo Bertranou 54′), 10 Nicolás Sánchez (22 Domingo Miotti 66′), 11 Matías Moroni, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (23 Sebastián Cancelliere 54′), 13 Santiago Chocobares, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Santiago Carreras

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistants: Karl Dickson (England) & AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
TMO: Tom Foley (England)