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Argentina claimed a historic victory over the Springboks at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades and clung on to a 29-28 win to keep the Rugby Championship alive going into the final round of fixtures.
South Africa, knowing that a win would bring them a first title in this competition since 2019, started a barnstorming first half in the best possible way.
A penalty afforded them the chance to kick for touch before a successful lineout and fast hands from fly-half Handre Pollard swept the ball into the hands of Aphelele Fassi who sprinted into space for the easiest of tries. Pollard converted the kick and the Boks were on their way.
In hot and humid conditions there were worries in the build on how the South Africans would cope but when Jesse Kriel broke the line and dove under the sticks a few minutes later those worries eased. Pollard sent over the conversion and a penalty kick followed to give the Springboks an early 17-point lead.
It was a blistering start and you would be forgiven to think that Los Pumas had had the wind knocked out of their sails. Yet, in games such as this with high stakes and dogged competitiors small margins decide the outcome.
The first was a high tackle from Kurt-Lee Arendse which saw the right wing sent to the sin bin for 10-minutes and forced South Africa to defend with a man down.
Argentina took advantage. They were sparked into life as Santiago Chocobares skipped out of a tackle and slipped Mateo Carreras the ball on the left wing, Los Pumas using their extra player to get their first points on the board. Carreras was also involved in the next try having caught an offload, performed a dummy and fed Pablo Matera in from the left to move the hosts within three points.
A wonderful third try, and the fifth of the first half, came from driving maul. Argentina kept the ball alive on the right touchline, looped it over a cluster of players and saw Joel Sclavi touch down to put them ahead.
However, the best of the bunch went to fly-half Tomas Albornoz who had a wonderful match. Indifferent with the boot, he missed as many as he converted, with the ball in hand he perfected a dummy in the 35th minute and Argentina’s resurgence saw them open up a 26-17 lead.
With Arendse finally restored just a few minutes before the break, South Africa’s Cobus Reinach sprinted in for a try and made it a four-point game heading into the second half.
A more tactical 40 minutes followed with the lead switching hands due to penalty kicks and no tries being scored. South Africa tokk off Pollard and replaced him with fly-half Manie Libbok in what would be another crucial moment.
Putting pressure on the Pumas, now ahead by one, through their powerful scrum and driving runs the Springboks won a penalty with 60 seconds on the clock. Libbok chose to kick at an acute angle from the right. He struck it well but the accuracy wasn’t there.
Los Pumas then turned the ball over as the clock went red to clinch a fully deserved victory. The teams meet again in a week’s time, with this match played in South Africa. That’s where the Rugby Championship will be decided.
