South AfricaMorné Steyn kicked a pressure penalty four minutes from time to secure a nailbiting 33-31 win for the Springboks over the Argentina Pumas in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship match in Salta on Saturday night.

Coach Heyneke Meyer likes character tests and his team most certainly passed this one as for the second time in four matches they came from more than a double figure score behind to win at the death.

However, Meyer will have added to the grey hairs on his head for it was a desperately tense affair and there were enough weak points in the Bok game to keep him awake at night mulling over his options ahead of the next match against Australia in Perth.

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Once again the Bok scrum got pummeled, this time by a more marked degree than in Pretoria last week, with no less than three scrums going against the feed in the first half and penalties being awarded against them.

The Pumas are a renowned scrumming unit, but the Boks also struggled in that phase against Wales, so there are issues that need to be addressed there with some urgency, particularly before the All Blacks come into view.

The problems started at the scrums for the Boks, but they definitely didn’t end there, with the defence out wide looking all over the place as the Pumas surprised the visitors with their quick tempo game, their skill levels in moving the ball through the hands and retaining possession, as well as their willingness to play a wide game.

The Pumas missed some try-scoring opportunities along the way and were unlucky to be down 16-13 at halftime after dominating the opening 40 minutes, but they looked like they were still going to score their first ever win over South Africa when they put in a powerful third-quarter performance that propelled them into a 28-16 lead.

With the noisy Salta crowd getting in behind their team, the Boks were in a deep hole at that stage, and another try to Argentina, which would have been their fourth, would surely have killed off the Bok challenge.

However it was then that the Boks found some of the composure they had lacked before, with Marcell Coetzee in particular making a massive difference to the Boks as he came on from the bench.

Coetzee cut an industrious presence and perhaps it was that presence that injected more purpose into a Bok challenge that hadn’t amounted to much for the first 60 minutes.

Juan Smith, the man that Coetzee replaced, had a quite anonymous comeback to international rugby after an absence of four years.

Not that it would be fair to single out individual Bok culprits up front, for it was the pack as a whole that struggled and was just unable to get any momentum.

Scrumming is an important part of the South African rugby psyche, and when the scrumming unit gets mauled like the Boks were in this match, it has to have a negative impact on the confidence levels.

South African scrums have struggled periodically down the years, but it is hard to remember when they came second best in quite the humiliating fashion that they did in Salta, and full marks to the Boks for somehow finding a way to get out of the deep hole they found themselves in.

 

BOK KICKERS ON TARGET

The fightback started just before the hour mark, with Willie le Roux being presented with space to work with down the left as the Boks ran from near their own line.

Ruan Pienaar carried the move on and when the ball was moved to the right there was just enough space for right wing Cornal Hendricks to wriggle through a couple of defenders and reach out for the score.

It required the TMO to okay the try, and it was a close call, but when replacement flyhalf Steyn nailed a good conversion the Boks were suddenly back in the game at 28-23.

It appeared to have an impact on the Pumas, who had played with great self-belief up to that point but seemed to lose it after that, with Nicholas Sanchez restarting by kicking the ball too long.

Bok captain Jean de Villiers was criticised last week for opting to kick for the corner rather than for posts at Loftus, but he deserves credit for his bravery in opting to do the same when he was presented with a kickable penalty with 12 minutes to play. There was enough time for the Boks to narrow the gap to two points and still come back to win.

The decision turned out to be the right one though, with a strong forward drive culminating with Coetzee swiveling over off the side to score the try that reclaimed the lead for the Boks through Steyn’s conversion.

Marcelo Bosch then kicked a penalty from halfway with seven minutes left to reclaim the lead for Argentina. Territory then became an imperative for the Boks, and sure enough the Pumas were pinged for an infringement on the ground and up stepped Steyn to kick it.

Both Bok kickers, Steyn and the starting flyhalf Handre Pollard, were on target with all their kicks, and it was a good thing they were. The Pumas missed a few kicks at posts that ultimately cost them the game.

The Pumas set the tone for the match from the outset, with the Boks struggling to get their hands on the ball in the early stages.

The Pumas forced a penalty at the first scrum when they already enjoyed a 3-0 lead after a fourth minute penalty, and it quickly became evident there were holes in the Bok defensive system, with just some desperate scrambling keeping the Pumas out.

Their first try, which came in the 25th minute, was hardly a surprise, with good mauling down the right setting up an opportunity that was completed through good running and passing across the Bok defenders to the left as wing Manuel Montero dotted down in the corner.

The Boks’ first-half try was fortuitous, with a Puma attack breaking down in the Bok 22, Pienaar kicking it through and then following up to kick through again and Bryan Habana chasing down the rolling ball.

After halftime the Pumas scored two good tries through scrumhalf Martin Landajo and fullback Joaquin Tuculet, with the latter being a constant thorn to the Boks.

In the end it was a case of the Boks showing composure when they had to and the Pumas losing their confidence when the world No 2 ranked team started their fightback.

The All Blacks or Wallabies won’t let the Boks off so easily and there are many issues to mull over as the team prepares for Australasia.

 

SCORERS:

Argentina:

  • Tries: Manuel Montero (1), Tomas Cubelli (1), Joaquin Tuculet (1)
  • Conversions: Nicolas Sanchez (2)
  • Penalties: Nicolas Sanchez (2), Marcelo Bosch (1)
  • Drop Goal: Juan Martin Hernandez (1)

South Africa:

  • Tries: Bryan Habana (1), Cornal Hendricks (1), Marcell Coetzee (1)
  • Conversions: Handré Pollard (1), Morné Steyn (2)
  • Penalties: Handré Pollard (3), Morné Steyn (1)

7 Responses to The Rugby Championship: Late surge saves Bok blushes

  • 1

    Did not see the game but well done to the Springboks even if they were a tad bit lucky, from memory they usually struggle quite badly in Argentina.

  • 2

    oohhhh-kay…

    well i can’t honestly say…”well played boks…” so will have to stick with… “at least you got the win…”

    heaps of work to do going forwards… good thing’s there’s a couple of weeks to work on stuff before our next match…
    can’t remember when last our scrums were man-handled like that… and if games are on and lost upfront… that is where we so very nearly lost it… and the effect of seeing our scrum “turbo-reverse” (™ G10) must have scared the beejeezuzz outta the backs…

    never been a huge fan of marcelle… but have to compliment him on the urgency he brought to the game and the impact he made…!

    however… well played to the argies… they deserved to win this match…
    let’s hope they can replicate this form against auz and nz…

  • 3

    Hi all,

    Back from a long break..
    Was looking forward to a great game but witnessed an uninspiring attempt.
    We need 10 more front row mishaps and maybe HM will see that he has the wrong players, over the hill props.
    Anyone noticed Juan Smith seemed disinterested when (not) signing the anthem?? That attitude he took into the game as well.
    Marcell was 3 times the player when he came on.
    Handre must go back and get more experience, he is not up to it yet at this level.
    Even Willie’s magic was a primary school act last night.

    Chaps needs to step it up, this was not Springbok rugby

  • 4

    Boks looked very tired and uninspiring. Terrible body language. Marcell Coetzee looked to be the only player with a heart beat.

    And please tell me Damian Dearlinda isn’t our best hope at 13! Useless.

  • 5

    Gurthro has never been a strong scrummaging prop. We have plenty of good no 1s around. We need to pick them.

    Jannie Kan-nog-nie-scrum nie and it’s a mystery why he keeps getting selected.

    These 2 changes will be a good start.

    It’s clear that we need someone at 5 with line out calling experience. Our 2 guys are both ‘s and new to the game.

    Ruan is still crap behind a ruck and I fail to see his value

    Morne must still start, with Handre coming on during the game, he needs to grow under Morne, not in his place.

    Damian needs to play at 12 between Morne and JDV. He’ll be a different player there.

    We need to have the courage to make those changes or we will be onto a hiding with the Australasians.

  • 6

    5 @ Stormersboy:
    Got your Skype Message about your Mail Account Password.

    Will attend to it in a little while… hang in there!

  • 7

    OK, my take on the game… as I watched it from Lookout Lodge, near Groblersdal:

    Firstly, thanks you to Nortie for keeping the fort for us, whilst I was relaxing in the bush… a much needed rest and relaxation!!

    OK, where do we start to tear the Springbok performance, or lack thereof to pieces…

    1. Our scrums were absolute shyte!! As far as I’m concerned Heyneke can retire the whole Sharks front row… Beat, Bissie and Doc Jannie! They were uber, uber shit… useless! One has to remember though that the locks have a huge say in the scrumming of the front row too… so I’ll get to them just now as well.

    2. Bismarck du Plessis’ lineout throwing was also shit, and he added nothing special in general play either. There was a marked improvement when Adriaan Strauss subbed Bissie. Time to start with Strauss, I feel.

    3. As much as we’ve lauded new young locks for the Bokke, it is clear that a few older steady hands are needed, both from a lineout and scrumming perspective. Eben Etzebeth is not in form and simply not up to it at present. I would bring Victor Matfield back for the Wallabies game.. and even Bakkies, with Lood de Jager on the bench.

    4. Juan Smith made no positive impact whatsoever, his time is past, way past! Marcell Coetzee (even though he is actually and opensider) made a massive impact and was in my opinion the talisman for the Bokke comeback… well done Marcell. I still see Marcell as an opensider though, so I hope Willem Alberts will be raring to go at blindside against the Wallabies, with Marcell on the bench. Flo Louw and Duane Vermeulen should stay on.

    5. Scrumhalf – well what can one say about the diabollically inept performance of Ruan Pienaar… how he still makes the Bokke training group is beyond me! Hougie was muuuuuuch better than Ruan when he came on as sub and he had a large part to play in the turn-around too. I would start with Hougie and have Cobus Reinach on the bench and toss Ruan Pienaar all the way back to freegin Ulster!

    6. Flyhalf – Well, Handré Pollard did not make it at this level… or at least against these Argies, hey! That leaves us with Morné Steyn and the Shampoo Poodle (Lambie) I suppose.

    7. Centres – Damian de Allende had another shocker at No 13… I expected so much from him! So, bring back Jan Serfontein at No 12 and move Jean de Villiers (who had a shocking game as well) to no 13.

    8. Back 3 – Apart from pearlers with finishing by both Bryan Habana and Cornal Hendricks, the Argies found far too much space out wide and we certainly cannot leave all the work to be done by Willie le Roux!

    In summation, I have never seen the Bok scrum that bad, ever! Defence was very average to woeful too… will have to buck up considerably before the next Test in 2 weeks time! I thought the Argies played a very positive game this weekend, they wanted the win and badly so!

    The only positive is the Bokke squeeked another win!

    But, we can expect a totally different game by the Ozzmob…

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