South Africa too strong for Argentina
Related coverage
There was no fairytale debut for Argentina in the Rugby Championship on Saturday as they fell 27-6 to South Africa at Newlands.
An often scrappy game was won and lost in the first 20 minutes of the second half when the Pumas missed three penalty kicks after trailing 20-6 at halftime before right wing Bryan Habana snatched an opportunist try.
South Africa will be disappointed at failing to secure a bonus-point fourth try from late pressure in what will probably be the easiest of six fixtures in the former Tri-Nations.
Five-eighth Morne Steyn was back to his place-kicking best for the Springboks after a poor mid-year series against England, landing three conversions and two penalties for a perfect record.
Argentina could have done with him as outside centre Marcelo Bosch failed from an early second-half penalty attempt and then fly-half Juan Martin Hernandez fluffed two closer-range kicks at goal.
The Pumas pack recovered from a poor start in which they conceded free kicks at the first two scrums for early engagements to hold their own in the set pieces and won some crucial turn-overs.
But the backs never looked like scoring a try and this will be an area of concern for coach Santiago Phelan ahead of the return match in Mendoza next Saturday.
Fullback Zane Kirchner and flank Marcell Coetzee crossed the tryline in the first half for South Africa with Steyn converting both and kicking two penalties.
Hernandez, back in the blue and white of the Pumas after a three-year injuries-induced absence, succeeded with both his first-half penalty attempts for the South Americans.
© AFP 2013
Passionate about your union? Then sign up to The Roar's brand new daily union email, delivering Roaring articles directly to you day-in, day-out. You'll love it!
Click here to join now!
Looking to join The Roar team? We're searching for an experienced Group Sales Manager to lead our team in Sydney. Yes, this does mean you get to work with the site all day long! If you're a digital media sales star, we want to hear from you. Apply now.
- Explore:
- Argentina, Rugby Union, South Africa, Springboks
August 19th 2012 @ 3:50am
Johnno said | August 19th 2012 @ 3:50am | Report comment
-But as Alan Nicolea pointed out, Argentina did deny the Boks a bonus point. Aussies didn’t deny the AB’S a bonus point.
-Argentina at home are mighty tough like playing the bulls at lofts or books at home, not as tough as winning in NZ but just as hard to win in Argentina as it is in South africa eg newlines,loftus.
-Think of how much Sth American soccer teams become form rubbish away form home often eg Uruguay have terrible away record, and also terrible away record in sth america, to becoming a different beast at home.
EG Urugay soccer team again almost neve rlose at home havnt lost to brazil almost never at home in 50 years, dusted the soccer’s up 2 twice and beat us strongly even with Hiddink’s prescence.
-Short turnaround 10hr flight from South africa to Argentina, 5 hour time zone difference eg NZ is only 2 and perth is 2-3 hours.
-Only 5-6 days to acclimatise in a country you have hardly played in and not familiar with. Hostile crowd, short preparation, i bak books next week.
-Wallabies pla argentina on 2nd leg of away tour of Africa/ STH America. I don’t back this wallabies side knocking off Argeninta with having to have a 10 hour flight , 5hour time zone difference, against argentine who play the AB’s the week before at home and wont have to travel for the aussy leg at home.
-And i give this wallabies team almost zero chance winning in NZ at eden park next week. Almost impossible they might be at records odds for a win like paying $10 per dollar for a win or even more.
-They have as much chance next week the wallabies of winning , as the soccer’s have a chance of ever beating Brazil,Argentina, uruguay in soccer at home.
-And i’d back the books and the argentina pumas any day at home over the wallabies. AB’s can beat the pumas in argentina but not the other 2 the books or the wallabies both teams not up to it at present.
-And NZ will win the RC and will have 100% win record a home will win all 3 games.
-Last night in realit yin my view was the 2012 wallabies grand final. We now need a miracle to win the title have to win 2 away from home and hope NZ drop the next 2 away wins, not just 1 but 2. Tough draw now facing the wallabies in the RC.
-And argentina stopped a vital bonus point they might beat us on the table this year we may get the wooden spoon. maybe bye bye deans and wobblies are struggling. havnt advanced much since the world cup in my view. Palu a big loss last night, as was dan palmer, and greg holes should be tried we are desperate now going forward to eden park and rest of RC.
August 19th 2012 @ 3:50am
biltongbek said | August 19th 2012 @ 3:50am | Report comment
I would like to know how Habana’s try is opportunist?
Our problem today was twice Jean de Villiers chose to run at the defesive line, not looking to feed Mvovo on his outside. Mvovo was unmarked on both occasions, and both times Jean de Villiers got penalised for holding on after he was isolated in the tackle.
Late in the second half SA were deep in Argentina’s 22 and had a 5 on 2 overlap on the left and chose to attack on the right.
August 19th 2012 @ 7:44am
nickoldschool said | August 19th 2012 @ 7:44am | Report comment
I think the Boks could have won by more but got a bit lazy as they were in control early. Pienaar, Habana and Hougaard had some great bursts later in the game. Bismark is out for the rest of the series though and thats a big blow.
Pumas’ did ok imo, they definitely have the basics and a good passing game that was much more accurate than the wallabies last night. They will be a different side at home.
August 19th 2012 @ 9:33am
Kuruki said | August 19th 2012 @ 9:33am | Report comment
Bismark is out?? Wow. Massive loss for the Boks. Massive.
August 20th 2012 @ 9:27am
Suzy Poison said | August 20th 2012 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Bismark will be missed in the loose, as he acts as another loose forward. However I don’t think it is such a big loss. Strauss, the Cheetahs captain is a damn fine player, in fact the Boks are well covered with Liebenberg and Burden (a former wing) still in the squad. For some reason the Boks seem to have a lot of depth at hooker.
Strauss played for 74minutes and didn’t put a foot wrong, in fact the Boks even out scrummed the famous “Bajada” when he was on the park.
August 19th 2012 @ 5:50am
matthew said | August 19th 2012 @ 5:50am | Report comment
Boks are appaling at the breakdown. Cant protect our own ball and cant create turnovers to save our lives. Without Brussouw we are dead against NZ and Australia. Btw, it was a by the numbers bore-a-thon from the Boks yet again. One half of enterprisng rugby so far since Meyer took over the rest has been absolute dross.
August 19th 2012 @ 8:13am
kingplaymaker said | August 19th 2012 @ 8:13am | Report comment
The first of decades of regular boring South Africa/Argentina matches!
August 19th 2012 @ 8:42am
Emric said | August 19th 2012 @ 8:42am | Report comment
I think Argentina will improve – imagine how good they are going to be when they get their backline working as well as Aus/NZ
August 19th 2012 @ 4:41pm
Sircoolalot said | August 19th 2012 @ 4:41pm | Report comment
Lol you really think that’s going to happen Emric?
August 19th 2012 @ 5:01pm
Emric said | August 19th 2012 @ 5:01pm | Report comment
it depends if they get a few teams into super rugby then yes they have the ability to learn
August 20th 2012 @ 5:47am
Colin N said | August 20th 2012 @ 5:47am | Report comment
Well…….South Africa have teams in Super Rugby and have never changed their style!!
August 20th 2012 @ 6:01am
kingplaymaker said | August 20th 2012 @ 6:01am | Report comment
This will be the regular painful matches to watch. Every year the two South Africa/Argentina matches will be like some bitter medicine that anyone watching the competition has to take.
August 20th 2012 @ 7:07am
biltongbek said | August 20th 2012 @ 7:07am | Report comment
Kpm, I suggest you don’t watch them then , go find a local League match to get your fix.
August 20th 2012 @ 7:21am
kingplaymaker said | August 20th 2012 @ 7:21am | Report comment
Biltong, until South Africa develop a running game and Argentina do the same this will be like watching the road tests where cars crash into brick walls for 80 minutes.
Certainly it will provide variety compared to the other matches and for those who love collisions it will provide more satisfaction than they could ever want.
August 20th 2012 @ 7:37am
biltongbek said | August 20th 2012 @ 7:37am | Report comment
So you would like all teams to be a clone of one another?
There is only one thing wrong with SA rugby, we don’t have a creative flyhalf.
As for developing a running game, would you like us to run helter skelter from within our 22?
This “running game” cost ys a try in the QF when Burger tried to run the ball from our try line.
I suggest if our game bores you, then perhaps you only value certain aspects of rugby, our strength has always been our forwards, I did a study of some tri nation stats a year ago, our ball distribution to our backline is 45% NZ and OZ was 55%, not that much difference.
There is nothing wrong with our gameplan per say, we just need a creative flyhalf, unfortunately both of them Lambie and Goosen has been injured, Goosen will play agin in September and unfortunately Lambie had little time at 10 this season due to injuries and Plumtree going for continuity with Michalack.
I would even point you in the direction of Australia, who has been playing closer to our style during this year.
August 20th 2012 @ 7:45am
kingplaymaker said | August 20th 2012 @ 7:45am | Report comment
The Cheetahs are the only team in South Africa that have a developed running game.
The national team have not developed one: It’s all very well using forward power to win, but that is different from having no running game.
This means that when they play a similar team like Argentina it is one gigantic slugfest.
Some like this crash and bash boot the leather off the ball ‘style’ but you’re right I don’t.
August 20th 2012 @ 7:56am
biltongbek said | August 20th 2012 @ 7:56am | Report comment
And the reason why is they have Goosen.
The Sharks have the best balanced gameplan in SA because of Michalck and Lambie.
Crash and bash boot leather. Nonsense mate, we kicked the least of the SH teams in the June tests.
August 20th 2012 @ 8:16am
kingplaymaker said | August 20th 2012 @ 8:16am | Report comment
Ok the forwards bashed it up again and again: the definition of running rugby in much of South Africa.
Get a modern backline system like the Cheetahs, keep the traditional forward power, and then it would be enjoyable to watch, but that’s not the case now I’m afraid: nor is it the intention I’m sure. I doubt even Meyer would argue the style was entertaining ot designed to be. Maybe it’s thought this is the most effective style (who knows it may be!), but that doesn’t mean it’s great for the spectator.
August 20th 2012 @ 8:32am
biltongbek said | August 20th 2012 @ 8:32am | Report comment
Two things, Meyer has stated his interest in Goosen, he sees him as the x factor flyhalf, unfortunately he isn’t currently available.
What is entertaining in rugby?
Rugby Union has many facets to the game, you’ll be interested to know that SA had the least pick and drives of all six countries involved in the June tests.
We ran the most meters than all the countries, but when it comes down to entertainment value, it isn’t only the open running that is satisfactory to watch, there is a misconception that rugby union must be like rugby league, it isn’t and hopefully will never be.
We value a forward run that takes a crashball, as much as a center that takes a crashball.
But forward bashing is not the only thing we do, in fact all teams do forward bashing to draw defenders.
Currently we have little choice, Morne Steyn has little creativity, JDV is the last Senior player left, there are no replacements that Meyer is willing to chance his luck with.
So we stick to a gameplan that is executable according to him, boring it is defenitely not.
There really isn’t much more to say, if it bores you don’t watch it. Simples.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Just a last word on Argentina, they didn’t achieve much, but they showed some nice skills with their backs.
August 20th 2012 @ 9:29am
kingplaymaker said | August 20th 2012 @ 9:29am | Report comment
SA’s running is essentially forwards-based and all the wonders of a more integrated, modern game are closed to the likes of Meyer (when I say South Africa I mean the current national team, not all teams in South Africa). That doesn’t mean it’s not possible and I’m sure the Cheetahs coaching team would be taking the Boks in a far more expansive and engaging direction.
But if after De Villiers, then Meyer, which conservative coach will come next?
As for Argentina, until they have the familiarity with the intensity and speed of southern hemisphere rugby through having Super rugby teams, I think they will find it tough to get from competitive to winning.
August 20th 2012 @ 7:33pm
Charging Rhino said | August 20th 2012 @ 7:33pm | Report comment
KPM you need to take your blinkers off and get over yourself mate. Or otherwise go and watch rugby league to get your fix of people running all over the field with a ball in hand at each other for 6 movements and then possession changes (which in my opinion gets very boring… the same way as I find soccer boring), because entire rugby playing nations aren’t going to change the way they want to play rugby because you and others think it’s boring to watch. Or you think more people will come to stadiums because the players are running around more with flashy backline moves. The English don’t have a problem with crowds and spectators…. neither does South Africa. The apparently 2 “boring” rugby nations.
And the Cheetahs???? Yes they scored some great tries this year but why would the national couch want to emulate a team which finished 10th out of 15 on the log, won 5, lost 11 out of 16 games and had big scores put past them because their defense is lacking?? Makes no sense in my mind.
The Bulls scored 50 tries, the most in the entire competition in the league phase.
2nd were the Sharks, Chiefs and Crusaders all on 47 tries.
Cheetahs scored 35 tries…..
The Sharks seem like the most well rounded side who Meyer would want to emulate in all honesty. Like the Chiefs for NZ this year and alas they contested the final.
So your theory doesn’t add up if spectators supposedly want to see more tries or running rugby to emulate the Cheetahs???
Anyway maybe I’m biased. I do however know that the best way to win a rugby game, (which in my view is all that counts), is to score more points than the opposition. Whether that be by tries, penalties, drop goals whatever. A combination of the 3 is the best and most entertaining. A drop goal is far far rarer than a try these days and so is a joy to watch.
I agree that many games have been spoiled with endless penalties and shots at goal however for reasons unknown that only the ref seems to see and thus the game deteriorates into a negative kicking fest. And pointless scrum penalty’s resulting in 3 points against your team feel like a dagger because it almost unwarranted. Yes that becomes negative, but you’re team is only allowed to play as good as the defense of the opposition.
But hey…. this is my view. You’re entitled to yours. If for one think it’d be hellava boring if every rugby nation tried to copy NZ’s way of playing rugby. And with a 5-6 win/loss against the Boks over the past 5 years there’s not much in it….. and there never has been since the very first NZ-SA rugby Test back in 1921, (bar a period between 2000- until Boks Tri-Nations victory in 2004.)
August 20th 2012 @ 8:02pm
kingplaymaker said | August 20th 2012 @ 8:02pm | Report comment
The Cheetahs don’t have the players to win, it’s nothing to do with their style. That’s because the good players in South Africa are hogged by the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers.
August 19th 2012 @ 11:25am
Rusty said | August 19th 2012 @ 11:25am | Report comment
The first of what will no doubt be regular boring comments
August 19th 2012 @ 2:33pm
biltongbek said | August 19th 2012 @ 2:33pm | Report comment
Never took you for one that spouts cliche’s, but then original thoughts are scarce these days.
SA played with intent, even though they looked as rusty as the AB’s and Wallabies (remember tye errors in that match?) but their execution failed them, too many dropped passes, still some option taking that goes wrong especially by Jde Villiers who doesn’t beleve in distribution.
SA chose to go for lineout quite a number of times rather than kicking at goal and did go wide at times, problem still is Morne is nothing special at 10, yesterday he did everything well, but nothing special, Frans Steyn had little effet on the ball, de Villiers still doesn’t pass, and the back three did what they could with the ball they got.
Losing Bismarck made a big impact on our ability to domiante the breakdown, so just one more forward out for the series, our best players keep dropping like flies and it seems unlikely that the youngsters will be able to pull it through.
Losing Bismarck, Schalk, JP, Juan Smith et all doesn’t make for pretty reading.
August 19th 2012 @ 3:39pm
steve.h said | August 19th 2012 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
Having three teams in the Super Play offs is taking its toll on the Boks however what I was looking at was the key areas that the Pumas would challenge the Boks and we did pretty well in all of them except the breakdown.
Argentina sent countless bombs on the springbok back three which they passed with flying colours.
The much hailed Argentine scrum didn’t get an upper hand and was pushed around on one or two occasions.
The Boks mauled well and disrupted many of the Argentine mauls.
Our defence was powerful stopping them from getting over the advantage line.
These are all areas which the Argentina build their game around and were made pretty redundant, which is a positive. The one area that the Boks were pretty ineffectual was at the break down and I’m not to sure it was such a bad thing for this game ( It will be critical against NZ and Aus). Arg’s backline lack both power and flair which means they can seldomly break defences on a one on one situation thus they rely heavily on turnovers and drawing players into the point of contact so that when the turn over does happen they have over laps from which to score. In the Bok game with so few players committed to the break down, even though they turned over the ball they were never going to do much with it. On the flip side by not committing players we didn’t get any quick ball which meant that we weren’t able to get the bonus point.
Still this isn’t a bad Argentine team and I don’t think anyone should expect a four try bonus point, you might just come unstuck with that attitude.
August 19th 2012 @ 4:55pm
Nicksa said | August 19th 2012 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
At home the boks should have gotten the bonus point, all blacks will get bonus point for sure against argies…
August 20th 2012 @ 9:46am
Suzy Poison said | August 20th 2012 @ 9:46am | Report comment
Bit of kick-fest, true, but people that live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones KPM. Did you see how much quick ball the Boks got as opposed to the Wallabies? At least the Boks don’t drop the ball, cold all the time? Argentina’s forward pack will really worry the Wallabies, especially in Argentina. Argentina played with a lot more structure than the Wallabies. The Wallabies only have one game plan, run the ball. When the AB’s slowed their ball, it was very easy to defend against.
The Wallabies could easily lose in Argebntina, based on their forwad performance this weekend. Deans Wallaby forward pack peaked last year. The Wallaby forwards are now well past their use by date, and the problem is, for Deans, their is no real new talent coming thru the ranks. The AB’s are blooding new players and so are the Boks with Coetzee and Etzebeth. The Wallabies are relying on 36year veterans like Radike Samo and Nathan Sharpe.
August 19th 2012 @ 9:08am
moaman said | August 19th 2012 @ 9:08am | Report comment
Only the one score in the final 50 minutes must have been a tad disappointing.Both teams looked solid without being anything to get the pulses racing.
All in all a very,very lack-lustre opening to the new competition by all 4 teams. If this is the best competition in world rugby then the marketers will be earning their bucks to promote the game well.
August 19th 2012 @ 11:28am
Rusty said | August 19th 2012 @ 11:28am | Report comment
agreed – there was no single team that really stood out this weekend. Every single one of them looked rusty, lots of handling errors and bad option taking.
From a Bok point of view – some good patches but the protection of the ball will be a major concern. A better team than the Pumas would have punished the Boks severely
August 19th 2012 @ 12:20pm
Cantab said | August 19th 2012 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
Not too bad a result for the Argies, playing in sth Africa and NZ will be there two hardest games. Was impressed with how well they could maintain possession plus there set piece functioned really well, especially there line out. Just struggled to get over the gain line.
The “4 nations” is looking good for NZ, they need to drop a game at home to not take the crown.
August 19th 2012 @ 1:36pm
Matthew Skellett said | August 19th 2012 @ 1:36pm | Report comment
I actually thought for their first hit-out Argentina did themselves proud -South Africa were only able to score 1 TRY /CONVERSION in the second half-a whole 40 MINUTES of great defense by the Argies -good for them
August 19th 2012 @ 1:59pm
klippies101 said | August 19th 2012 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
at least we didnt do chip and chase all night long
August 19th 2012 @ 9:07pm
IvanN said | August 19th 2012 @ 9:07pm | Report comment
A rusty performance, but the intent is what we were looking for at this part of the season.
Boks did look more keen to run, and to go wide.
When Coenie and Duane are brought into the Bok setup – i imagine we will have more go forward.
I would play siya kolisi against aus, their game is faster than ours and he adds a bit of pace.
As someone said earlier, the exclusion of Brussow is massive – Marcel makes allot of tackles and is everywhere, but
Heinrich can pinch your socks without taking your shoes off.
Lets also not get ahead of ourselves, in true Saffa tradition we are already expecting to take hte series,
We wont. We have some building to do first,
This team will start to look good next year. This is a rebuilding phase in prep for 2015.
All we can do is support them, and hope they dont take beatings from nz.
August 19th 2012 @ 10:08pm
biltongbek said | August 19th 2012 @ 10:08pm | Report comment
Ivan , I doubt there are many South Africans that expect us to beat the All Blacks with so many match winners injured
August 20th 2012 @ 11:24pm
IvanN said | August 20th 2012 @ 11:24pm | Report comment
The team to beat NZ – injuries aside.
Beast,Biz,Coenie,Eben,Andries,Heinrich,Willem,Duane,Francois,Goosen,Bryan,Frans,JP,Jean,Patrick
Id play JP 13, Jean 14.
Jean doesnt pass or ditrribute well. But is good defensively. He needs to play wing
a front row with Coenie and Biz – prime ball stealers with Brussow behind them.
Two of the biggest locks around to secure lineouts and add grunt.
And a loose trio of Willem and Duane – thats just pure mongrel.
Id back that team to beat nz.
August 21st 2012 @ 3:07am
biltongbek said | August 21st 2012 @ 3:07am | Report comment
That’s a very good team there mate.
August 19th 2012 @ 9:23pm
Johnno said | August 19th 2012 @ 9:23pm | Report comment
The argues were far more impressive than the wallabies. They lost but at least when they played they had more momentum, and had structure to there game. Wallabies were all over the place and there set pieces were all disjointed. Argentina at least knew at least what they were doing just were not good enough. At this present stage i would back argentina any day over the current wallabies in matches in Argentina. Argentina i back to beat the books next weeks some nasty injureis for the books Bismarc out for the season, and no burger and JP peterson and juan smith hurt,. henrich brussow may have to come back.
-But argentina at home would beat this current wallabies side 8 times out of 10 in Argentina. i back them to beat current aussie team this year in argentina for sure.
August 19th 2012 @ 10:07pm
biltongbek said | August 19th 2012 @ 10:07pm | Report comment
Brussow is also injured Johnno
I would at least bring Jean Deysel or Vermeulen in, Deysel had a stormer for the Sharks yesterday
August 20th 2012 @ 12:40am
Face the Facts said | August 20th 2012 @ 12:40am | Report comment
Johnno I watched the Pumas/Boks game live over lunch at a restaurant in Buenos Aires where there was a reasonable turnout of Argentine rugby followers. A good number had seen the WB’s/AB’s game in the morning and the consensus was that Argentina at home are a strong chance against the WB’s. If the Pumas put in a solid performance against the Boks next weekend in Mendoza, they’ll have their tails up when it comes time to play Australia in Argentina.