Argentina
20
Match Complete
South Africa
36
| 81 |  | F. Steyn | ||
| 79 |  | M. Marx | ||
| 75 | | F. Steyn | ||
| 74 | | D. D. Allende | ||
| E. Boffelli | | 68 | ||
| M. Moroni | | 68 | ||
| 65 | |||
| 32 | | M. Marx | ||
| 28 | | D. Willemse | ||
| 27 | | J. Hendrikse | ||
| E. Boffelli |  | 23 | ||
| 20 | | |||
| 11 | | D. Willemse | ||
| E. Boffelli | | 8 |
| 2 | Tries | 5 | ||
| 1 | Conversions | 3 | ||
| 2 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
South Africa are out to end their stop-start Rugby Championship form as they head to Buenos Aires to take on Argentina in an all-South American showdown Join The Roar for live scores from 5:10am (AEST).
Jacques Nienaber has backed in the XV that crushed the Wallabies in Sydney once again, though Faf de Klerk has been recalled on the bench after being dropped following their loss in Adelaide.
With a series of injuries affecting key players, most notably Lukhanyo Am and Handre Pollard, it’s a below-strength but still imposing Springboks outfit that will battle a Pumas outfit arguably in its best-ever form.
Wins over Australia and the All Blacks – the latter their first ever against the rugby powerhouse – hasn’t stopped Michael Cheika from ringing the changes following their disastrous capitulation in their second Test in New Zealand.
There are seven new inclusions in all across the field, with the backs in particular looking extremely different.
The Pumas have been formidable at home in recent times, pipping Scotland in a thrilling series before putting the Wallabies to the sword in the second Test. Taking down the world champions would be yet another scalp for their burgeoning pelt.
Game Information
Venue: Estadio Libertadores de America, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Kick-off: 5:10am (AEST)
Live stream/TV: Stan Sport
Betting: Argentina $3.40, South Africa $1.33 – odds via PlayUp
Argentina
1. Nahuel Tetaz, 2. Julian Montoya (c), 3. Eduardo Bello, 4. Matias Alemanno, 5. Tomas Lavanini, 6. Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7. Marcos Kremer, 8. Pablo Matera, 9. Gonzalo Bertranou, 10. Santiago Carreras, 11. Lucio Cinti, 12. Jeronimo de la Fuenta, 13. Matias Orlando, 14. Emiliano Boffelli, 15. Juan Cruz Mallia
Reserves: 16. Agustin Creevy, 17. Thomas Gallo, 18. Joel Sclavi, 19. Guido Petti, 20. Rodrigo Bruni, 21. Tomas Cubelli, 22. Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23. Matias Moroni
Springboks
1. Stephen Kitshoff, 2. Malcolm Marx, 3. Frans Malherbe, 4. Eben Etzebeth, 5. Lood de Jager, 6. Siya Kolisi (c), 7. Franco Mostert, 8. Jasper Wiese, 9. Jaden Hendrikse, 10. Damian Willemse, 11. Makazole Mapimpi, 12. Damian de Allende, 13. Jesse Kriel, 14. Canan Moodie, 15. Willie le Roux
Reserves: 16. Deon Fourie, 17. Ox Nche, 18. Trevor Nyakane, 19. Elrigh Louw, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Faf de Klerk, 22. Andre Esterhuizen, 23. Frans Steyn
Rusty
Roar Guru
Similar to you on these boards then
Flyman
Roar Rookie
Players will play to what the ref allows, yes they will get pinged on occasion but will work out what the ref will allow.
Flyman
Roar Rookie
You play to the whistle- don’t know how they can actually do what you’re saying when there are another three officials policing the game.
Flyman
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: that is classic!
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Yep but also had to credit the Wallabies.. they were incredible
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Absolutely. I think the last penalty in the AB/Wallaby game was won that way too. If that’s ruled properly, one of the other stuff happens. They seemed to crack down on it in the SRP games but have backed off it now. That and sealing off really annoy the crap out of me.
Pilferer
Roar Rookie
Argentina are due there 1 in 4 big game too. With Ardie and Frizzell back and a proper back linefor the whole game at eden park . SA will know what the need to do before the kick off , hopefully it's win big with a bonus point
Alex
Roar Rookie
Yeah it was nerve wracking for a while! It’s a tough ask. One thing that could help is more accuracy on turnovers… many occur with hands on the ground first, take Kwagga’s today…
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Really seemed like a Los Pumas could come back into it. But that last 10mins was tough. Don’t really know what the answer is to getting a good flowing game. Especially if a dominant team wants a stop start affair like the Boks.
Alex
Roar Rookie
Yeah look I’m not saying that the penalties weren’t valid (my objections to one or two don’t really matter). I just think letting things that are technical but don’t really matter go, is a better approach. Also I would love more decisiveness, for instance with Argentina’s second try, just let it go, and with the penalty tries award it on one replay and get on with the match. Anyway… there were some great tries (and Los Pumas really opened the Boks up later in the match), great scrums and an awesome atmosphere!
Decoy
Roar Rookie
The plot has indeed thickened Ken, but remains unchanged in content. It has become more complex, as rules/laws evolved, but essentially I think refereeing has actually improved over the 50-odd years I've been following rugby. I recall a story from a match between the ABs and Western Transvaal when Fitzy noted the ref was wearing the same socks as the WT players. When he asked the ref at the first scrum 'Whose ball is it?' the reply from the ref was 'Ours'.
Machpants
Roar Guru
Nah last game was our losing game, just the ref mucked up our pattern. Eden Park will be another great ABs game, they’ll smash them. They better, I’m going ????
BackInBlack
Guest
The Boks just can’t help themselves. Whenever a ref just slightly takes his eye away from the off side line or ruck, they creep and inject cheap shots. Paris can’t come quickly enough for mine
Paulo
Roar Rookie
Exactly. It’s not like he didn’t give them a chance.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ has always been like this and will always be.” Perhaps, but now there’s four of them to still only 30 players. That’s a quadrupling of opinions with whistles. Referees have spread like lantana and local government by-laws.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ curious as to why World Rugby mixes the refs the way they do?” Keeping the targets moving?
BlouBul
Roar Rookie
Perhaps the players should learn to play within the rules.
Rongowhakaata
Roar Rookie
Only caught the last 20 minutes. I have always liked the Springbok trait of knuckling down in the opposition 22 and doing the business. It is like the whole team become a single organism with one focus. Score that try. The single minded focus is so fascinating to watch. It doesn’t happen all the time. But when it does watch out defending team. The green machine is coming for your line. The inevitability is so enthralling, It should be bottled.
Decoy
Roar Rookie
35 comments so far, and 14 of them about the ref. Brilliant game of rugby, though. I’ll say it again; the ref is just another confounding variable in rugby, just like the shape of the ball, can bounce anywhere, anytime. No use getting obsessed about it, has always been like this and will always be.
Decoy
Roar Rookie
Yeah agree Harry, you guys have the edge going into the final games. I suspect the Wobblies will show up with some intent next week, and we're going to struggle to get a bonus point out of it. Not sure where we stand with the points differential. But, what a RC, closest by my recollection, even from Tri-Nations days.