It was a workforce effort from Rassie Erasmus’ males, with the Springbok pack dominating the collisions and set-pieces, whereas Manie Libbok – free of the kicking duties – seemed spectacular as he marshalled the backline, serving to the likes of Aphelele Fassi and Cheslin Kolbe to seek out house out vast and exploit gaps within the defence.
The Boks weren’t fairly as spectacular within the second half, however after the Pumas copped two playing cards, the South Africans ran riot within the closing phases to make it an evening to recollect for record-breaker Etzebeth and the Boks’ legion of followers.
Match Report
The Springboks began with intent, attacking with energy and tempo and successful a sequence of penalties because the guests desperately tried to defend.
After choosing a scrum, the Boks confirmed their energy as they drove the Pumas again. The penalty attempt wasn’t awarded, however the Boks stored coming, ultimately calling for an additional scrum, and this time it was a fast flat ball out vast to Aphelele Fassi that lastly noticed them open the scores.
The Pumas had barely gotten their arms on the ball when the gang was quickly on its ft once more as Cheslin Kolbe gained the ball through an intercept, juggling the ball earlier than regathering and charging down the sphere. That led to a different assault on the Pumas’ line, which ended with Pieter-Steph du Toit acrobatically diving excessive and ruck and touching down for the attempt. Jaden Hendrikse, assuming the kicking duties as an alternative of Manie Libbok, nailed a troublesome conversion from the touchline to make it 14-0.
Argentina quickly hit again, nonetheless, exhibiting some very good abilities as they acquired the higher of the Bok rush defence through a scything line-break and a few skillful arms to attain their opening attempt through flyhalf Tomas Albornoz.
A foolish mistake from the restart noticed the Boks win a gentle penalty, nonetheless, and Hendrikse took the factors on provide to place the hosts again in entrance by 10.
The Boks in all probability ought to have had their third attempt moments later after a swift counter-attack created numbers, however a move from Jesse Kriel to Du Toit couldn’t go handy and the possibility went begging. Not lengthy after, the Boks seemed to have created one other overlap however play needed to be stopped as a result of an harm in opposition to an Argentine participant.
With 10 minutes to go in what was a helter-skelter first half, Mateo Carreras took out Fassi within the air and acquired a yellow card for his troubles. The Boks didn’t want a second invitation to go on the assault, and regardless of some valiant Argentine defence, the hole ultimately opened up after some nice work close to the touchline from Kolbe, although it was Fassi who acquired over the road for his second attempt. Hendrikse hit the upright from the touchline because the Boks took a 22-7 lead.
The Pumas had been beneath all kinds of strain now, and the Boks weren’t giving them a second to calm down. Wanting just about unstoppable as they moved the ball from finish to finish, it was two lovely passes from Libbok and Fassi that created a one-on-one for Kolbe, who stepped inside and scored the house aspect’s fourth attempt.
The second half began very like the primary, with the Boks wanting harmful as they made their manner into Argentine territory, although just a little knock-on let the under-fire Pumas off the hook.
Argentina had been nearly surviving, helped by a number of dealing with errors from the Boks, however once they had been handed a uncommon alternative to go on the assault through a kick for the nook, the Springboks’ defence stood agency, exhibiting some severe chew as they drove the Pumas again and gained the penalty.
To make issues worse, the TMO noticed an off-the-ball excessive shot from Pablo Matera throughout that passage of play, which led to Argentina’s second yellow card, a disastrous end result contemplating it got here from a uncommon foray into the Boks’ 22. The decision would quickly come from the TMO that the cardboard was being upgraded to a pink as nicely.
It acquired even worse for the under-fire Argentines as they copped one other yellow for a failed intercept try, and that mistake would result in the Boks’ fifth attempt as they kicked for the nook and powered over the road through their rolling maul, Malcolm Marx getting the rating from behind the pack.
The South Africans had been again on the assault from the restart after substitute Lukhanyo Am offered a dummy and charged down the sphere, however Kurt-Lee Arendse couldn’t fairly attain Fassi’s crossfield kick within the nook.
However the Boks had been working riot now with a two-man benefit they usually had been quickly in for attempt quantity six after shifting the ball out vast at tempo the place Du Toit drew in a few defenders earlier than releasing Arendse, with the massive flanker additionally making use of the ending touches to get his second attempt.
Solely the ultimate whistle might save the Pumas now, however there was nonetheless time for the Boks to attain attempt quantity seven as Jesse Kriel was rewarded for an awesome day on the workplace following a break from Elrigh Louw.
Argentina got one ultimate likelihood to complete with a flourish however the Springboks gained the turnover as a memorable evening in Mbombela got here to an in depth.
