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Tue 18 Aug 2015 | 04:10
Springboks bounce back from defeat to win comfortably in Argentina

11
Comments

The Springboks bounced back from their loss to Argentina a week earlier with a convincing 26-12 win away from home at a packed Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires on Saturday. The visitors scored two tries, both of which you can see here below if you missed the game.

Pat Lambie, who came in for a somewhat out of form Handre Pollard, ran the show from flyhalf, kicking two conversions, three penalties and a drop goal, while Bryan Habana and Lwazi Mvovo scored well taken tries (see them below). 

Argentina were bullish in contact again, making some really good low tackles, but with changes in selection and clearly mindshift too, the Springboks looked in control throughout.

Except perhaps for the very first minute of the game, when hat-trick hero Juan Imhoff came within inches of scoring another try, but lock Eben Etzebeth galloped back to knock him out.

"This is a very harsh environment to play in and it's very tough every time you come here,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer. "They (Argentina) were on a high after beating us last weekend and we were under pressure all week, but this is the type of game we can expect at the Rugby World Cup and I'm very proud of the players.

"I thought we played tactically very well. We came close against Australia and New Zealand, when we played more rugby, but we adapted tactically very well here.

"I'm also very proud that we didn't concede a try, away from home. A lot of players put up their hands and came through today. We know our performance last week was not good enough, but today I’m very relieved and very proud.

"We will put in a couple of weeks of very hard training now and then cut back before the Rugby World Cup. With a number of top players coming back, I’m very positive and I know we will be able to pick a very strong squad."

The victory didn't improve South Africa's ranking points, where they sit in the unfamiliar position of fifth following losses to Australia, New Zealand and last week, Argentina.

Argentina vs South Africa Highlights - Buenos Aires

SA's win over Argentina in Buenos Aires

Posted by Great Rugby Videos on Monday, August 17, 2015

Posted By: Grant Constable

11 Comments

  • eddie-g
    7:31 PM 21/08/2015

    I'm not as confident about Jean. I know Meyer would love to take him, but he has full belief in Matfield's leadership, and they have to be concerned at Jean's lack of game time.

    If he doesn't make it, I actually think it makes Meyer's choices a bit easier. If he is selected, then one of Serfontein and De Allende won't be going. That I can't call.

  • katman
    8:33 AM 21/08/2015

    Yes, centre is an interesting conundrum, made even more interesting by Meyer's recent attempts to bring Jaque Fourie back into the fold. Jean de Villiers can count on his spot. De Allende, Serfontein and Frans Steyn are probably also competing for the same spot in the squad, and there will be enormous pressure on Meyer to give Mapoe game time at 13 (where Kriel has really penned his name in with some big performances). And then there's still de Jongh.

  • eddie-g
    10:35 PM 20/08/2015

    I think we've known for a while Jaco Kriel will be shortchanged. Very, very bad luck after his superb Super XV season.

    Think there are a couple of uncertainties at centre, loose forward and front-row, but right now I reckon 28 of the 31 places are nailed down.

  • katman
    2:43 PM 20/08/2015

    Yes, I think the squad is 95% picked. Between form, injuries and the new wave of pressure on Meyer to racially transform the team, there's not an awful lot of wiggle room. Which sucks for a guy like Jaco Kriel, who should at least be on the bench for every game, if not starting. But he won't, because it now looks like Coetzee, Burger, Brussow, Carr, Kolisi, Alberts, Louw and Mohoje are all ahead of him.

  • eddie-g
    7:18 PM 19/08/2015

    Outstanding. He played like a guy who's been tired of waiting for an opportunity.

    Do you think the squad now pretty much picks itself? Aside from the injury permutations, I think we know who goes... apart from with the front row. Some really, really tough calls to be made there.

  • eddie-g
    7:12 PM 19/08/2015

    For normal people, you are making a very obvious point. To people in charge of Bok merchandizing, you sound like a naive dope.

    (In fairness to the merchandizing guys - the SA change kit is popular with fans, and they can't just wait for home matches with Ireland to have the team wear it. But honestly, it's way to similar to the Argentine kit to make sense here.)

  • dancarter
    5:46 PM 19/08/2015

    Is it just me or does it seem quite stupid for South Africa to wear their away kit for this match?

  • mitch_tickler
    2:29 PM 19/08/2015

    Have to say these 'Highlights' were rubbish...

  • katman
    7:26 PM 18/08/2015

    I thought Leguizamon was Argentina's best player. Brilliant on defence around the rucks and very hard to stop with ball in hand.

  • katman
    7:26 PM 18/08/2015

    How about that finish by Lwazi Mvovo.

  • feddderico
    6:56 PM 18/08/2015

    Wonderful saving tackle by Leguizamon on Pienar!

    Would be nice if you post it Rugbydump. I will apreciated.

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