RUGBY/INTERNATIONAL MATCH/South Africa 63 Argentina 9: SOUTH AFRICA'S rout of Argentina in the Mandela Tribute Test in Johannesburg on Saturday was a confidence booster for the Tri-Nations clash with the All Blacks next weekend, coach Peter de Villiers said.
De Villiers said the win, which featured nine tries without reply, was useful, but facing New Zealand in Cape Town next Saturday would be a different matter.
"The win helps to build our confidence, which is a great thing and we will enjoy the win," De Villiers said.
"But we know what a step up next week against the All Blacks will be and we have the ability to make that step.
"We know the first half was not good, but it is always good to see a team go out again, do it right and use their opportunities."
Springboks captain Victor Matfield felt the victory had its foundations in the set-pieces.
"Argentina were very physical at the breakdown points, but we were happy with the way we went in the lineouts and scrums.
"Argentina use a lot of lineout drives but with the sacking rule coming in with the ELVs (experimental law variations), it made it very difficult for them," he said.
Sacking refers to the ELV allowing teams collapse a rolling maul, which was a key element of the Pumas' game at the World Cup where they finished third.
Argentina, with only three other matches since the World Cup, had not played the ELVs.
The Springboks were in early trouble, trailing 9-0 to three Felipe Contepomi penalties until the 36th minute, when Jean de Villiers burst clear from halfway and set up his centre partner Adrian Jacobs for the first try.
That score opened the floodgates as the pace and imagination of the Springboks laid bare the Pumas defence.
Wing JP Pietersen scored twice, slicing through a gap in the 50th minute and chasing down his own grubber kick in injury time.
Replacement flanker Joe van Niekerk celebrated his 50th Test with two tries in two minutes immediately after coming on to the field in the 62nd minute.
It took most of the first half for the Springboks to find some continuity but once they did, their pace was too much for the Pumas, less fit with their European-based players in their off-season.
Hooker Bismarck du Plessis and Pietersen sealed the hammering with tries in the closing stages.
Outhalf Butch James converted all nine tries.
Scorers: South Africa: Tries: Jacobs, Nokwe, Spies, Pietersen (2), du Preez, van Niekerk (2), du Plessis. Cons: James (9). Argentina: Pens: Contepomi (3).
SOUTH AFRICA: C Jantjes; JP Pietersen, A Jacobs, J de Villiers, J Nokwe; B James, E Januarie; T Mtawarira, B du Plessis, CJ van der Linde; B Botha, V Matfield; L Watson, J Smith, P Spies. Replacements: A Bekker for Botha (34 mins), P Montgomery for Nokwe, F du Preez for Januarie (both 52 mins), Jaque Fourie for de Villiers (53 mins), J van Niekerk for Smith (62 mins), Brian Mujati for van der Linde (69 mins).
ARGENTINA: B Stortoni; JM Nunez Piossek, M Avramovic, FM Aramburu, H Agulla; F Contepomi, N Vergallo; R Roncero, M Ledesma, P Ledesma; R Alvarez, P Albacete; M Durand, JM Fernandez Lobbe, JM Leguizamon. Replacements: M Ayerza for Ledezma (10 mins), A Galindo for Fernandez Lobbe (46 mins) R Carballo for Aramburu, E Lozada for Alvarez (both 59 mins), A Vernet Basualdo for Roncero (72 mins), B Urdapilleta for Nunez Piossek (76 mins), A Lalanne for Vergallo (79 mins).
Referee: W Barnes (England).
