Rugby Championship: Argentina 29 South Africa 28
Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi has already guided the side to a best ever season in the Rugby Championship no matter what happens in Saturday’s title decider against South Africa in Nelspruit but is still seeking improvement from his side.
The thrilling 29-28 victory over the world champion Springboks in Santiago del Estero leaves Argentina with a chance at claiming a first southern hemisphere title, but they will need to earn five points this coming weekend and deny their hosts any to lift the trophy.
While former Leinster player and coach Contepomi revelled in the result, which adds to wins this season over New Zealand (38-30) and Australia (67-27), making it the first time they have beaten all three rivals in a single year, he admits his side had a dollop of good fortune.
Replacement Springboks outhalf Manie Libbok missed a kick from virtually in front of the posts with a minute to go that may have snatched the win for the visitors.
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“The victory could have been a defeat in the last minute. Beyond the result, which is obviously welcome, the important thing is what we were able to do at times, which is to impose our game,” Contepomi told reporters.
“At times it came out but we also shot ourselves in the foot, because we gave them an entrance to the game with penalties and unforced errors.
“South Africa is predictable, but not easy. You know what they are going to do, but they do it so well that it is very difficult to stop.”
South Africa led 17-0 early on, before Argentina took advantage of a yellow card for wing Kurt-Lee Arendse in the first half and led 26-22 at the break. The second period became an arm-wrestle.
“What made the difference was the defensive [effort]. There was real conviction in going to tackle two by two. Every centimetre counts.
“The attacking play is what is easiest to see, or the most beautiful, but I think a lot about the work on defence.”
Contepomi says minimising errors will be key in the clash in Nelspruit if his side are to lift the trophy for the first time.
“We have many areas to correct,” he said. “There are small mistakes that allowed them into the game. It’s trying to minimise the ones you can control, the unforced errors. We are going to work on that to continue growing.”
Argentina will be without injured flanker Marcos Kremer after he left the field in the second half and has not travelled to South Africa.
ARGENTINA: Juan Cruz Mallia; Bautista Delguy, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras; Tomas Albornoz, Gonzalo Bertranou; Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya (capt), Joel Sclavi; Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo; Pablo Matera, Marcos Kremer, Joaquin Oviedo.
Replacements: Gonzalo Garcia for Bertranou (48 mins); Santiago Carreras for Delguy (51); Guido Petti for Molina, Juan Martin Gonzalez for Matera (both 56); Ignacio Calles for Gallo, Pedro Delgado for Sclavi (both 60); Ignacio Ruiz for Kremer (63); Matias Moroni for Cinti (76).
SOUTH AFRICS: Aphelele Fassi; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi; Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach; Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx, Thomas du Toit; Salmaan Moerat (capt), Ruan Nortje; Marco van Staden, Ben-Jason Dixon, Jasper Wiese.
Replacements: Vincent Koch for Du Toit, Eben Etzebeth for Moerat, Elrigh Louw for Van Staden, Kwagga Smith for Dixon, Manie Libbok for Pollard (all 48 mins); Jaden Hendrikse for Reinach (55); Gerhard Steenekamp for Nche (65); Jan-Hendrik Wessels for Marx (70); Moerat for Nortje (72).
Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng).
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