In a friendly rugby match, the South African Springboks played against Argentina at the José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus predicted that the game would be a tense battle, and his prediction proved correct.
Despite the Springboks team appearing unbalanced, they ultimately won with a score of 17-10, managing to succeed only after having to fight for every ball in the final minutes.
However, this match, which exposed the vulnerability of the world champions, proved to be valuable experience ahead of the series against Albacore, as it served as a serious reminder that the Springboks can make mistakes when not in top form. The main goal of the game was to bring several injured players back into the squad, but serious concern arose when captain Siya Kolisi left the field after 15 minutes because, apparently, the hamstring injury that previously kept him out of the World Cup recurred.
International Rugby
The start of the match was unsuccessful for the Springboks, especially for Cameron Hanekom. Immediately after the starting whistle, Hanekom received a warning for grabbing a Puma player by the neck; he managed to avoid a yellow card, but Santiago Carreras punished this error by scoring three points within the first two minutes.
In the sixth minute, Pablo Mater was caught offside, and Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu equalized, but the recent clumsiness of the Springboks continued to show. A short while later, Argentine flanker Benjamin Grondon managed to break through after an out-of-side play deep in the South African defense zone and scored, allowing the Pumas to take the lead with a score of 10-3 just 13 minutes in.
The last thing the Springboks needed was to allow the motivated home team to gain momentum in front of a passionate crowd in Buenos Aires. In the 15th minute, the Springboks won a penalty kick, and the visitors held possession in the Pumas' zone for a long time, but then lost possession due to an error during the out-of-side play.
The situation was worsened by Kolisi leaving the field, head down. Frankly, the Springboks' performance in the first half was sluggish—at times almost uninteresting due to a string of errors.
Nevertheless, they are world champions for a reason. At the end of the first half, Edwill van der Merwe found space on the right wing and, using almost the first contact with the ball, ran towards the goal, scoring a very important try. The goal was secured by a well-executed play, during which Kanaane Mudie freed Afelele FASSI at the right moment, allowing the fullback to send Van der Merwe forward. Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted the try, bringing the score to 10-10 at halftime.
Hanekom, who made errors at the beginning of the match, became the best player for the Springboks by this point. The start of the second half did not bring significant improvement in terms of composure, and the Springboks were able to hold their position because Carreras' penalty kick hit the post and bounced back into play, which ultimately allowed the visitors to stay in the game.
After this, the Springboks increased the tempo, and sustained pressure led to two potential tries that were sent for review by the TMO, although neither was awarded. When there were three quarters left in the match, the teams continued to hold at 10-10.
The game changed after the entry of Andre Pollard. This experienced wing-half immediately stabilized the Springboks, restoring structure and control that were lacking. Feinberg-Mngomezulu struggled to dominate the game. Then came the decisive moment. Pollard made an accurate pass into the Argentine defense zone, and from the subsequent out-of-side play, the Springboks passed the ball to Hanekom, who broke through and scored the decisive try. Pollard converted it, giving the Springboks a 17-10 lead.
The Pumas threw all their strength at the guests in the final minutes, but the Springboks' defense held up under immense pressure, securing a deserved victory. Although it was not a performance of highlight reels for the national team, perhaps that is why it was so valuable. The Springboks were not in form, prone to errors, and sometimes looked uncomfortable, but they found a way to win in a hostile environment. Considering the upcoming meeting with Albacore, they understand that they will have to perform significantly better.
