Winger Juan Imhoff scored a hat-trick of tries as Argentina recorded a historic first win over South Africa by 37-25 in the final match of the 2015 Rugby Championship in Durban.
After 18 losses and a draw since the countries first met 22 years ago in Buenos Aires, it was the Pumas’ first victory over the Springboks in 20 attempts, and also their first away success in the competition.
Imhoff crossed the line twice in the opening half on Saturday to help underdogs Argentina to a 27-13 halftime lead and South Africa never recovered from his third try early in the second half.
The result – only Argentina’s second win in 21 tournament matches – spoilt the Test comeback of Springboks skipper and centre Jean de Villiers, leading the green and gold for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury in Wales last November.
Australia won the Rugby Championship earlier on Saturday with a 27-19 triumph over world champions New Zealand, Argentina finished third and winless South Africa last.
It took the Pumas just 100 seconds to go ahead as an inside pass caught the Springboks napping and Imhoff sent centre Marcelo Bosch over for a try that five-eighth Juan Martin Hernandez converted.
After fly-half Handre Pollard trimmed the deficit to four points via a penalty, the South Americans struck again as Imhoff gathered an aimless kick ahead and triggered a move he later finished by dotting down.
Hernandez, a veteran of the 2007 and 2011 World Cup tournaments and recalled in place of off-form Nicolas Sanchez, converted again.
Another Pollard penalty was followed by another Imhoff try with the Pumas winning a scrum and breaking on the blindside for the winger to go over before the teams traded penalty goes and Argentina took a 14-point advantage at the break.
South Africa controversially fell seven points further behind three minutes into the second half when Imhoff completed his hat-trick.
While the Springboks waited on the try-line, believing the referee had not restarted play after an injury, Hernandez took a tap penalty and passed to Imhoff, who waltzed over for Hernandez to convert.
Fullback Willie le Roux offered a glimmer of hope to the silenced 27,000 crowd by beginning and ending a move which produced a try that Pollard converted, leaving South Africa 14 points adrift with 30 minutes left.
Argentina, watched by some survivors of the first Pumas to tour South Africa 50 years ago, were next to score as Bosch dropped a goal but winger Bryan Habana claimed a late try for the hosts.
Harry Jones
Expert
The injury report from Bok doc: MARCELL COETZEE "Marcell injured his knee. He’s got a grade two medial ligament strain. The usual rehab for that is around six weeks. For him it’s a race against time and we’re doing everything we can to manage it." JEAN DE VILLIERS "We were really happy with his knee but he also took a knock to the jaw. My hat off to him, we had run out of subs at that stage and he finished the game. We took him for x-rays after and he’s got a crack in his jaw, so his jaw is fractured. It’s not a bad fracture. We’re seeing a specialist today (Monday). He’ll probably be out for four to six weeks." "We let it settle down. It’s difficult chewing on that side so he’s on a soft diet right now. But as we go on he can work on his conditioning and his knee." WILLIE LE ROUX "Willie rolled his ankle in the first minute of the game. He soldiered on but his ankle is very sore and stiff. It will effectively rule him out for this weekend. He’ll be fine for the World Cup." WILLEM ALBERTS "We’re very happy with Willem, he’s available for this weekend." VICTOR MATFIELD "Victor we’ll assess today (Monday). He’s very close to being available so it looks like he’ll be cleared to play." FOURIE DU PREEZ "We’ll make a call on him later today (Monday)." JP PIETERSEN "JP Pietersen won’t be available. He’s not as far along in terms of rehabilitation from that hamstring injury." JANNIE DU PLESSIS "Jannie du Plessis still has that medial collateral and he won’t be available either." DUANE VERMEULEN AND FRANCOIS LOUW "Duane and Francois Louw are still long term injuries. Duane we’re really happy with. He’s conditioning well, he’s started running so now we can start working on his fitness. He’s working incredibly hard in the gym and on his aerobic fitness. He’s progressing nicely but for him it’s about doing the time before he can take contact." STEVEN KITSHOFF "Steven Kitshoff was cleared last week." FRANS STEYN "With his circumstances he hasn’t been in the camp so I haven’t seen him." FRANS MALHERBE "Frans Malherbe is cleared to play. He was cleared last week." PIETER-STEPH DU TOIT "Pieter-Steph came through nicely. He needs a bit of game time." The Boks will announce their squad for Argentina on Wednesday.
44bottles
Roar Guru
I reckon Australia's was easiest based off of the previous years results/rankings. (so AB 1, SB 2, WB 3, PU 4) Australia had the 2 hardest teams with home ground advantage, and the weakest team away. South Africa had the strongest and weakest team at home, and the the 3rd team away. ABs and Arg had 2 away games, so gonna say they had the hardest draws. I think Australia's was easier.
Vic
Guest
That's potentially tragic. Seeing as it's unlikely the Boks will perform, my loyalty lies with Aus. Surely one of the SH teams will take the trophy. What odds Aus v AB final PK ?
Gee but you can turn things just to engage an argument. Having New Zealand and South Africa at home helped Australis, if you can't see that then I suggest you discuss it with people that now the records of these three nations against each other. You completely ignored my follow up senetence where I complimented Australia, but then that part can't start an argument for you, eh?
Tigranes
Guest
Pumas are a much better team than their results against Australia and NZ indicate - to be fair they were awful against the Wallabies. I don't see this result as much a surprise as to the way the Pumas played (i.e. tearing the Boks backline apart in the first half) They have come mighty close to beating the Wallabies in Perth and Gold Coast, and finally beat us last year in Argentina. They have yet to defeat the All Blacks ever, but they have a chance at the World Cup...will the Pumas accept that this is a game they cant win and rest their strongest side and focus on beating Tonga, Georgia and Namibia?
Mark Fredericks
Guest
I was thinking that exact same thing when I watched them last night. They've beaten two of the RC teams. What are the odds of them unsettling my beloved All Blacks? Great passion and drive. They really wanted the win. NOTE TO ALL: If rugby is the game, improvement is on everybody's agenda.
Harry Jones
Expert
Well, even good coaches (which, obviously, Meyer is, at least at a SR level) can have a trajectory/apex, often reached at the 2-3 season, when he loses the cloakroom, loses the team's "love." It's happened to Jake. And many others in many sports. I don't know if Meyer still has the heart of the team?
PeterK, I don't think the media or public as a whole reinforce that sentiment, it is firstly about honesty from the national coach rather than the lip service we always hear. Every player is always fantastic, they will always learn. The fact is every player is not fantastic, they do not learn. But above all, an honest coach will get leeway. If Meyer took over in 2012 and said he is going to clean house and losses will happen until he has found the right combinations I would support him, if he admits our thinking is antiquated and he is going to experiment I would support him. Instrad it is the same BS every time
PeterK
Roar Guru
Well they are convinced the traditional south african way is the best way for the Boks. It is reinforced by media, and the public. Especially if they try a different way, different selections and they start losing. They lack confidence in other styles, if the pressure comes on they revert to what they have known their entire lives. BTW Credit and congrats to Argentina. That said I never expected this result especially in SA. I never thought to see SA come last in the rugby championship, Australia yes , SA no. So commiserations I know how hard it must hurt.
PeterK
Roar Guru
agree, Poite is a very poor ref, he should not be in the RWC. It is tragic he gets the England - Australia game which is probably the most vital in all the pool games.
Exactly, one trick ponies the lot of them, it tells me while other nation's coaches observe, learn and adapt their playing styles south african coaches don't
PeterK
Roar Guru
because they do not adapt
Now tell me why?
And the joke is, go to Nick Mallett, then Jake White, then Pieter de Villiers and now Heyneke Meyer, each of those coaches follow the exact same pattern
Harry, you have to ask yourself how do you go from winning 10/12 in 2013 to 4/11 in such a short space of time?
Danile G. Castro Viera
Guest
You do not include Ayerza in the top list of props? Herrera and Figallo are both very good,but you may be sure that el Toro (the Bull) Ayerza is not considered a replacement but is very much a first choice
Danile G. Castro Viera
Guest
Argentina has silently suffered from refereeing from the anglo/irish/southernpowers world from many years back being thrown back with penalties, etc. each time they posed a threat, suffering from opponents permanently offside, etc.. Perhaps you are no used to impartial refereeing when an "inferior" team is involved. On the other hand, you may recognize the great job done by a lighter scrum, which prevailed over a much heavier one and accept that you should not put a rookie prop against one of the best and more experienced in the world. Miracles do not happen in scrums.
Harry Jones
Expert
Out of the top 45 players, I think Meyer can name 31 who can do the job. But then they have to do they job.
Redsfan1
Guest
".The Wallabies had the best draw " Really? South Africa had the All Blacks and Pumas at home for the last two and 6th ranked Wallabies first up, with a warm up game that the Wallabies didn't. It's more a case of the Springboks being too old, too predictable and too focused on size over skills. I wonder what Harry Jones is going to write- he did predict it the RC was a two horse race between NZ and SA!
Bakkies
Guest
De Villiers out for four to six weeks with a fractured jaw and Coetzee six weeks with a medial