South Africa vs Argentina LIVE: Rugby Championship result and reaction as Springboks hold off Pumas
South Africa 22-21 Argentina: The Springboks withstood waves of pressure from the visitors to sign off the Rugby Championship with a home win
Flyhalf Manie Libbok scored a breakaway try against the run of play to secure South Africa a bruising 22-21 victory over Argentina and earn a second-place finish in the Rugby Championship at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Springboks had to withstand heavy Argentine pressure, some of their own making through poor execution, but managed to grind out the win as they also scored tries through lock Eben Etzebeth and centre Damian de Allende.
Argentina were in the contest all the way but battled to break down the resolute home defence and got tries late on through wing Mateo Carreras and replacement Gonzalo Bertranou as the visitors pushed for what would have been a first ever win in Johannesburg.
New Zealand claimed the Rugby Championship trophy earlier on Saturday with a comprehensive 38-7 victory over Australia in Melbourne but the Boks’ victory sees them end second, with Argentina in third.
Follow live updates from South Africa vs Argentina in the final round of the Rugby Championship below
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina
That Argentina backline definitely has an attacking look, with Lucio Cinti continuing his development at centre alongside a new partner in Santiago Chocobares, good whenever called upon by Toulouse over the last couple of years. There is no guarantee that any of the men sporting jerseys eleven to fifteen today are starters come the World Cup - but a big performance on South African soil would do their chances no harm.
Team News - Argentina
With a win in Sydney representing a solid enough return from this Rugby Championship for Michael Cheika’s Pumas, the Argentina coach is prepared to rotate, welcoming back a handful of players given extra resting time after late-season exertions in France. La Rochelle’s Joel Sclavi provides tighthead back-up from the bench but the inclusion of Toulouse backs Santiago Chocobares and Juan Cruz Mallia further illustrates Argentina’s depth in the three-quarters. Racing 92’s Juan Imhoff, now 35, remains one of the game’s finest finishers and gets a first appearance of the summer, too.
There are starting chances for Lucas Paulos at lock and Lautaro Bazan Velez at scrum-half, while Ignacio Ruiz takes the place of Agustin Creevy on the bench – perhaps leaving Creevy free to become Argentina’s first centurion on home soil in Buenos Aires next weekend.
Argentina XV: Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya (capt.), Francisco Gomez Kodela; Lucas Paulos, Tomas Lavanini; Pablo Matera, Santiago Grondona, Juan Martin Gonzalez; Lautaro Bazan Velez, Santiago Carreras; Juan Imhoff, Santiago Chocobares, Lucio Cinti, Mateo Carreras; Juan Cruz Mallia.
Replacements: Ignacio Ruiz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Joel Sclavi, Pedro Rubiolo, Facundo Isa; Gonzalo Bertranou, Tomas Albornoz, Matias Moroni.
Team News - South Africa
It’s a mix and match job for South Africa, Jacques Nienaber blending together the starting side that ran all over Australia with the one that struggled to get going in Auckland. Manie Libbok takes over from Damian Willemse as he gets another opportunity to press his case as the back-up World Cup fly-half, partnering the livewire Grant Williams, while a wing combination of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe is exciting, two free electrons who should cause plenty of problems if given opportunity in the open field.
Duane Vermeulen captains the side in what is likely to be his final outing in South Africa, while Malcolm Marx starts ahead of Bongi Mbonambi with little to choose between two excellent hookers with different skills. Nienaber moves away from his preference for six forwards on the bench, naming just the five but including Trevor Nyakane for the first time this summer.
South Africa XV: Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie; Marco van Staden, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen (capt.); Grant Williams, Manie Libbok; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe; Willie le Roux.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman; Faf de Klerk, Lukhanyo Am, Damian Willemse.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina
These two have had a fortnight off since contrasting performances round two, South Africa below their best in Auckland against the All Blacks but Argentina valiant and victorious over Australia in Sydney. This could be plenty of fun this afternoon, both coaches opting to make a couple of tweaks as they tinker and test their squads ahead of more important business to come.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina
A very good afternoon and welcome to the final fixture of this year’s condensed Rugby Championship, with Argentina in Johannesburg hoping to snatch second spot away from the Springboks. New Zealand’s win over Australia this morning has secured the All Blacks a third successive competition crown, but the World Cup is looming ever larger on the horizon, with each and every minute of in-game action vital learning time for these sides ahead of the tournament in France.
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