Bomb squad saves the day for Boks against Argentina in Buenos Aires

This was an old-fashioned Test match that required – and demanded – mounds of grit and character for the Boks to eke out victory against a courageous Argentina.

The Boks just about deserved to win after the Bomb Squad put them on the front foot in the second half, following a first half where the Pumas should have been ahead.

Ultimately though, the introduction of lock Cobus Wiese, hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels and prop Zach Porthen, among others, gave the Boks the grunt to start winning the gainline battle.

Handrè Pollard used his experience to steer the Boks into the right areas of the field on the back of renewed impetus from the pack, and the result was a 12th straight Test win for the world champions.

Warning shot

But it was also a warning shot and a perfect battle, two weeks out from the first of four Tests against the All Blacks. In many ways, coach Rassie Erasmus could not have asked for a better challenge.

The Pumas tore into the Bok ball carriers when on defence, and with the ball they stretched South Africa’s (SA’s) defence with their up-tempo game. These are traits they can expect to encounter against New Zealand.

Despite being edged in the second half, when the Boks’ set pieces started to dominate, the Pumas still had the chance to force a draw with the last move of the game.

But wing Matías Moroni knocked the ball on trying to hold the final pass of the match with the tryline tantalisingly within reach. He was immediately, understandably, crestfallen.

For the Boks, there was only relief that they could carry winning momentum into the All Blacks series. The sight of flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s emotional reaction after the final whistle, underlined what the performance took out of them.

Hard-fought

This was a hard-fought victory. It was a match of thunderous defence, even the rare sight of penalty kicks to goal and an attempted drop-goal from Feinberg-Mngomezulu, which struck the Pumas crossbar and ricocheted back into play.

A strong wind that blew the length of the field upset the Boks’ aerial kicking game, as Cobus Reinach, Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Morné van den Berg all battled to find their range.

Conversely, Pumas flyhalf Santiago Carreras showed them how it was done, with a masterclass in game management.

The Bok pack, though, had a slight edge, which proved the difference in the end. No 8 Cameron Hanekom was excellent in the carry and monstrous on defence.

Lock Eben Etzebeth, playing his first game in months, was titanic. He was omnipresent and soldiered on through the entire 80 minutes, while Wiese was like a sledgehammer when he came on.

Hanekom scored what was the winning try off the back of a five-metre scrum midway through the second half.

That scrum was the result of a fine, probing kick from Pollard, which put the Pumas defence in a tight corner. Centre Canan Moodie and wing Edwill van der Merwe swarmed in and forced a scrum for the Boks.

Hanekom’s score edged the Boks ahead for the first time in the game, and they used their increasing physical dominance to win the territorial battle, which was decisive.

Pumas’ dominant half

The Springboks went into the break on level terms on the scoreboard, but they were second best in just about every facet of the game in the opening stanza.

The Pumas played with intensity and a tempo that rattled the Boks – probably a good dress rehearsal for what’s to come against the All Blacks over the coming month.

Argentina attacked with width and pace while they were also manic in defence, rattling the Boks with their physicality.

They took the Boks to the gutter and for the first half at least, it worked a treat.

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Captain Pablo Matera was at his snarling best, while fellow back-rower Benjamín Grondona looks a real prospect on both sides of the ball.

His defence was intense and on attack he looked like a back. Unsurprisingly he scored the opening try of the match after receiving a clever pass from prop Boris Wenger deep inside the Boks’ 22-metre area.

The move started from a lineout, which was courtesy of a Pumas scrum penalty that allowed flyhalf Santiago Carreras to stab the ball into the corner.

SA’s contestable kicking game was off target; playing with the wind at their backs in the first half, virtually every Bok attempt went well long of the intended target.

That gave the Pumas easy possession and with their commitment to attack, they countered at every opportunity.

It was evident that they were going to target Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s channel, and the Bok playmaker was forced into making multiple tackles, which he did with courage and class, but it was not his preferred game.

Hamstring injury

It didn’t help that captain Siya Kolisi, who made a bright start to the game with some strong runs and robust tackling, hobbled off with a hamstring injury midway through the half.

It came at a moment the Boks were starting to gain a foothold in the match after Carreras and Feinberg-Mngomezulu had swapped penalties and Grondona had scored.

The Boks were on the back foot for almost the entire way through the half. Their lineout maul was stopped, they couldn’t find a way through some tight defence, and the tactical kicking game faltered.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s performance was hit and miss, but he will be better for the run-out. The same can be said for lock Lood de Jager, while wing Edwill van der Merwe did his chances of featuring against the All Blacks no harm.

On the stroke of half-time, he finished off a good attacking move that involved slick passing from centres André Esterhuizen and Moodie to score. That try levelled the scores at the break and gave the Boks the boost they needed before the second half.

Erasmus can now turn his full attention to the All Blacks, knowing that the Boks are not as polished as they could be, but that they still possess that belligerent, uncompromising ability to win tight games.

Considering what lies ahead in the coming month, this match against the Pumas might prove to be a pivotal moment towards the goal of winning the Greatest Rivalry series. DM 

Scorers:

Argentina – Try: Benjamín Grondona, Conversion: Santiago Carreras, Penalty: Carreras.

South Africa – Tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Cameron Hanekom. Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Handrè Pollard. Penalty: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.