South Africa were able to comfortably beat Argentina in the third-place play-off of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, but the match will do little to soothe either nation as they prepare to watch the teams that bested them last week compete for the cup tomorrow.
However, the Springboks can be proud of a solid performance, which saw them take the lead early and hold it throughout the match, after a try on the right wing from JP Pietersen was converted by Handre Pollard, putting them up 7-0 in the sixth minute.
That lead only grew wider by half time as Pollard converted three penalties to see the Springboks up 16-0 at the break.
Nicolas Sanchez captained the Pumas into the match and got their first score on the board in the 42nd minute with a drop-goal, however, the Springboks responded with their second try of the match, seen across by Eben Etzebeth, just moments later.
Pollard failed to convert that try but later made the conservative choice to sink a fourth penalty in the 48th minute, putting the Springboks out to 24-3 with what would be their last score of the game.
Argentina did the bulk of their scoring in the latter half of the match, recording a penalty of their own before scoring their first and only try of the match in the 80th minute, coming through Juan Pablo Orlandi.
Pollard converted to make the final score 24-13 in South Africa’s favour.
While the Springboks are unlikely to spend too much time in celebration, a final victory was a good way to send off a number of champion players who look to have played their last World Cup.
Brian Habana, Victor Matfield and Schalk Burger were all given standing ovations as they left the ground after being replaced in the second half of the match.
It was something of a frustrating result for Habana who was looking to get his name in the history books. A sixteenth try in this year’s World Cup would’ve been a new record but he missed three chances in the first half.
He was eventually taken off in the 67th minute but not before setting up Etzebeth’s second-half try.
“Of course we would have loved to be playing tomorrow for the World Cup. Today we knew it would be tough tonight, we have a lot of respect for Argentina and a bronze medal is better than fourth place,” said Victor Matfield after the match.
“It’s been a fantastic career and I’m just happy we won the game tonight.”
Argentina on the other hand while no doubt disappointed to have closed out an impressive World Cup effort with losses to Australia and South Africa would find some measure of happiness in what they achieved this tournament.
A young side, the highlight of their World Cup was an upset win over Ireland in the quarter-finals that saw them become the only side to make the semi-finals without finishing on top of their pool.
Still, a World Cup win over one of the big three of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa continues to elude them. That will no doubt be their goal come 2019.
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