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South Africa came out on top against Argentina on Saturday. Played at King’s Park in Durban, the Springboks were 38-21 winners; a result that sees South Africa finishing second in the Rugby Championship behind winners New Zealand.
Referee Damon Murphy yellow carded four Pumas and two Springboks. He awarded two penalty tries to the home side. Different periods of the match saw him blowing one team repeatedly. For instance, Argentina were penalized 12 times in the opening 25 minutes. In the second half South Africa were penalized on seven repeated occasions. In total there were a mind-blowing 39 penalties in the match.
The first name on the scoresheet was Marcos Kremer. It was for a 15th minute yellow card. He was joined by Juan Martin González which saw Los Pumas playing without both flankers. The advantage saw South Africa coming away with points. No8 Jasper Wiese scored a pushover try from a scrum.
Kremer returned but the balance took time to be restored. South African captain Siya Kolisi broke off from an advancing maul to score on the half-hour mark. Veteran Frans Steyn converted both tries to put the Springboks 14-0 ahead.
A penalty from Steyn eight minutes later had the home side in firm control. Argentina were clearly the second best of the teams. Ultimately, the 17 deficit would match the margin between the teams on full-time.
Argentina did find it in themselves to claw back. Before then they were forced to make changes. Guido Petti came on for the injured Pablo Matera while a tactical change saw Joel Sclavi on before half-time for Eduardo Bello.
Argentina’s opening score saw three factors coming together. First, Los Pumas won an opposition lineout throw. Second, Santiago Carreras kicked over the defense for Emiliano Boffelli to chase and gather. Third, phases from the forwards had Tomás Lavanini within inches of the try zone. Scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou went over for the score.
The 17-7 half-time scoreline flattered the South Americans. They were in the game and needed to force their way back with tries. They got the first of the second half with flanker Juan Martin González dancing his way around fullback Willie Le Roux for a wonderful try.
Emiliano Boffelli converted the try as both he and Frans Steyn kicked at 100% throughout the match. The next try did not require a conversion. South Africa were awarded a penalty try for a collapsed maul. Argentina suffered additional problems as Jerónimo de la Fuente was yellow carded for the penalty count.
Argentina overcame the 15 on 14 barrier. Kremer and Lavanini were busy in making tackles, carriers and clearing. South Africa looked to the air to gain ground. An up and under led to Eben Etzebeth being yellow carded for pushing a player into another who was in the air taking the ball.
Etzebeth was joined by Far de Klerk for five of his ten minutes on the sideline. The scrum-half was yellow carded for a side entry on an advancing rolling maul. Argentina looked to score through their forwards. After having powered ahead with the forwards the ball was spun wide for Matías Moroni to plant the ball down inside the try zone.
It was a 24-21 scoreline with 11 minutes remaining. Argentina had the means to win but were penalized at key moments in the scrum. With it South Africa got to the other end of the field for a double. First, a penalty try was awarded and Joel Sclavi was yellow carded. Second, Kurt-Lee Arendse scored with time up.
The Rugby Championship proved to be highly competitive. South Africa’s loss against Australia in Adelaide may be looked back upon as the key result. A win there would have seen the RC title for the Africans. Notwithstanding, the big picture of RWC 2023 sees both South Africa and Argentina in encouraging positions.
SCORING
SOUTH AFRICA 38
Tries – J. Wiese (19′), S. Kolisi (29′), Penalty try 2 (56′, 73′), K. Arendse (80’+1′)
Cons – F. Steyn 3/3 (20′, 30′, 80’+2′), No kick (56′, 73′)
Pens – F. Steyn 1/1 (38′)
YC – E. Etzebeth (60′), F. de Klerk (65′)
ARGENTINA 21
Tries – G. Bertranou (40′), J. González (47′), M. Moroni (68′)
Cons – E. Boffelli 3/3 (40’+1′, 48′, 69′)
YC – M. Kremer (16′), J. González (27′), J. de la Fuente (55′), J. Sclavi (73′)
TEAMS
SOUTH AFRICA
1 Steven Kitshoff (17 Ox Nché 58′), 2 Malcolm Marx (16 Bongi Mbonambi 69′), 3 Frans Malherbe (18 Vincent Koch 58′), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Lood de Jager (19 Franco Mostert 71′), 6 Siya Kolisi (capt.), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (20 Duane Vermeulen 49′), 8 Jasper Wiese (21 Kwagga Smith 49′), 9 Jaden Hendrikse (22 Faf de Klerk 62′), 10 Frans Steyn, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 12 Damian de Allende, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Canan Moodie, 15 Willie Le Roux (23 Kurt-Lee Arendse 53′)
ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (17 Mayco Vivas 56′-77′), 2 Julián Montoya (capt.) (16 Agustín Creevy 66′), 3 Eduardo Bello (18 Joel Sclavi 30′), 4 Matías Alemanno, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Juan Martín González, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Pablo Matera (19 Guido Petti 30′ {20 Pedro Rubiolo 60′}), 9 Gonzalo Bertranou (21 Tomás Cubelli 64′), 10 Santiago Carreras (22 Benjamín Urdapilleta 59′), 11 Juan Imhoff (23 Bautista Delguy 56′), 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente (3 Eduardo Bello 74′), 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Emiliano Boffelli, 15 Juan Cruz Mallía
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Damon Murphy (Australia)
Assistants: Frank Murphy (Ireland) & Andrea Piardi (Italy)
TMO: Chris Hart (New Zealand)
