South Africa claimed third place in the Rugby World Cup with a convincing win over Argentina, defeating the Pumas 24-13 on the eve of the Rugby World Cup final.
The Springboks were in control on the scoreboard for most of the match and it was only in the last play of the game that Argentina managed to score a try and convert, avoiding what would’ve been an 18-point defeat.
The Boks made the first score in the sixth minute with a try through JP Pietersen – converted by Handre Pollard – and went on to lead throughout the match, picking up three penalties to lead 16-0 at half time.
The Pumas found a drop goal in the 42nd minute, but a try from Eben Etzebeth for the Boks just moments later widened South Africa’s lead.
South Africa were out to a 24-3 advantage in the 48th minute after another penalty but didn’t score for the rest of the match as a penalty and a last-minute try through Juan Pablo Orlandi and conversion from Nicolas Sanchez saw them bring the final margin in to 11 points.
Final scores
Argentina 13
South Africa 24
An exhilarating spectacle is sure to ensue when the South Africa and Argentina face-off for the bronze at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Join The Roar from 7:00am (AEDT) for live scores and coverage.
Even though the Wallabies and All-Blacks will be fighting for ‘Bill’, there is no doubt that the Springboks and Pumas were unlucky not to find themselves in the same position.
Both teams pushed hard in the respective semi-final matchups, but will have to settle for a third-place playoff and pride to cap off what has been a wonderful World Cup.
Argentina will head into the game with coach Daniel Hourcade making nine changes to the team that suffered a 29-15 loss to Australia only a week earlier.
Having repeatedly shown their ability to spread the ball, along with their renowned scrimmaging skills, the Pumas will no doubt struggle to beat an in-form South African side without numerous key players.
Centres Juan Martin Hernandez and Marcelo Bosch, captain Augustin Creevy, Juan Imhoff and Joaquin Tuculet will all be missing.
On the plus side, Horacio Agulla and Juan Manuel Leguizamon return in time to steady the ship and provide some much needed experience to the team.
For the South Africans, Heyneke Meyer has only made two changes to the side that lost a tight affair against New Zealand in the semi-finals.
Victor Matfield re-enters the side as captain for his final international game, replacing Lodewyke de Jager who drops back to the bench, whilst Ruan Pienaar takes over from Fourie du Preez at scrumhalf.
In the Rugby Championship earlier this year, victories were one apiece. Argentina won a high-scoring affair 37-25 in Durban, and then the result was flipped in Buenos Aires with the Springboks triumphing 26-12.
This match has the possibility to go down to the wire. Both teams will play with pride, but it may be too much to overcome for the Argentineans thanks to a string of injuries.
Prediction
South Africa by 20
richardislip
Guest
PLEASE SOMEONE........get rid of Heyneke Meyer at the same time as the geriatrics he persisted with. Now he is on about the Boks " could become invincible". The only things invincible have been his utterings, most have which have made no sense since 2012, and nothing for the past year or so. He has gone from being disingenuous to an outright fib teller. Again last night, he missed yet another golden chance to give deserving players a chance....and the Boks played their usual year 2002 Meyer rugby. I do not know this guy at all, but just cannot stand him.
Perry Bridge
Guest
Ah - glad to see that - I gave it a go, was up to feed the cat and watched and was massively underwhelmed. I'm not a rusted on fan by any means and I guess a 3rd place play off is a come down after the hope and potential of a cut throat semi final - but gee, that really was rubbish.
PB
Guest
yup 10-2 at one stage.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
Thank you Rugby Tragic, now all that hysteria from Clarke makes sense
tsuru
Guest
Yes, "ambled" is perhaps complimentary. I was watching from the US with American commentators. And even they commented on how slow paced the game was.
PeterK
Roar Guru
year with a swag of penalties at the end to argentina as an even up once they had lost
Andy
Guest
That was Rubbish, absolute rubbish.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Wallabies, defeatng Wales
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Ha!..I take you point but even then he, at least to me, has not been as dominant as he was before his injuries. Maybe a bit like Read, he too has not come back to be as dominant as he was before his concussion issues ??
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Mick, the reason about Habana speculated retirement though is that I doubt if he will be still playing when the next RWC is decided in Japan 2019. Therefore is he was to break Lomu's try scoring exploits at RWC, it had to be this morning.
Andy
Guest
Ah, I'll be up at 2am to watch the cricket next week...all good...breaky early...dog loves it.
thefirsteven
Guest
What twaddle! the penalty count was 10 - 15, hardly a big discrepancy.
baldy @ Manly
Guest
The Argies were the only team to do any wrong in the playoff. Why do we continually use these Northern referees in big games. Either of the Kiwi assistant refs would of done a far better job. Lets hope N. OWENS referees both sides tonight.
Fiddlesticks
Guest
Who came third at the last WC?
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
May well be my mistake Charging Rhino. The commentators had him out on the field for the sole purpose of stalking Jonah Lomu's record all night, which I took to be the end of his own career. I do get confused with Greg Clarke's unending obsession with records and the accompanying hyperbole ... "George Gregan has tonight played the most games of anyone playing anything, ever, breaking the record set by his very own self just last week" went on for about five or twenty five years and caused irreparable damage to my ears. ;)
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
BB you're lucky!! I could only wish for a 10pm kick-off. Only since moving to Australia have I realised how hard it is watching rugby played in SA or the UK. 1am, 2am or 3am kick-offs just destroys the body! And Sunday. Ha ha.Sleep 4/5 hours, watch for 2 hours then try go back to bed after a tense match is just brutal, I only end up falling asleep again at about 4:30am/5am... and then baby wakes up at 5:30am/6am! Fun :-)
Charging Rhino
Roar Guru
So Schalk basically me ;-) Ha ha I didn't think Habana was retiring though? He'll still be around.
Agree Mick, but there comes a time where instead of saying "we will miss them " we get to "hell can we miss them already?"
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
I enjoyed the game because there was no disappointment - these teams played as one could reasonably anticipate they would play it. I know the caravan must move on but it is sad to see off the extraordinary Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana. I am blessed to have seen every moment of their exceptional careers. Why fans, especially the local fans who don't bother watching much rugby, rank so many other breakaways as superior to Burger is beyond me. He is big, vigorous, combative, bruising and ever present in defence and like a charging rhino in attack.
Well, he has been defending since his return from injury. Nothing else to do