Ken Borland

Argentina bore the brunt of the Springbok game-plan at close to its clinical best at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, as South Africa comfortably dispatched them 29-10 in their second Rugby Championship Test.

The Springboks led 15-3 at halftime thanks to flyhalf Handre Pollard’s faultless goalkicking that saw him convert five penalties. With Argentina softened up for the kill in the second half, South Africa duly hammered home their advantage with two tries.

The home side exerted consistent pressure on the Pumas, their maul being particularly effective, and the visitors’ discipline was terrible under the strain as they conceded 13 penalties in the first half alone. Five of those were within the range of Pollard, who made sure Argentina were suitably punished.

The Springboks did some good things on attack, but their efforts were often stymied by the opposition’s negative tactics that killed the momentum. It took until the 32^nd minute for referee Karl Dickson, who was overall accomplished with the whistle, to hand out a yellow card, eighthman Rodrigo Bruni being temporarily sent off after being offsdes and then blatantly slowing down the ball on the ground.

The Springboks opened the scoring in the second half with a superb try. They were fortunate to win the lineout, but wing Cheslin Kolbe had been at the front of the set-piece and it was the wing who took the inside pass and made the initial break. There were also good carries by scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and centre Damian de Allende, before fullback Willie le Roux popped up in the backline to keep the move going and then sprinted around to make the final pass to wing Makazole Mapimpi to score the try.

Six minutes later, Pollard produced an excellent penalty kick into the corner, back ball was won at the lineout, a powerful maul rumbled forward and impressive hooker Malcolm Marx dotted down for the try.

The Springboks were 29-3 up going into the final quarter and they will be disappointed that they did not score again, failing to get the bonus point. They tried their best after the final whistle to get the third try, but instead conceded penalties and it was Argentina who had the final say as flank Pablo Matera bashed and then spun over the line to score, after replacement lock Marco Kremer’s strong carry had been stopped short.

One could pardon the Springboks for some of their scrappiness as numerous changes in personnel were made, outstanding lock Lood de Jager, the man of the match, came off with cramp and Bongi Mbonambi, coming on for Marx, struggled with his lineout throwing. Jaden Hendrikse, replacing Reinach, also had to leave the field after twisting an ankle when he was tackled, forcing Kolbe to play scrumhalf and depriving the home side of attacking fluency.

Scorers

South Africa: Tries – Makazole Mapimpi, Malcolm Marx. Conversions – Handre Pollard (2). Penalties – Pollard (5).

Argentina: Try – Pablo Matera. Conversion – Nicolas Sanchez. Penalty – Domingo Miotti.

The Springboks were understandably a bit over-boisterous, rusty and inaccurate for the opening half-hour of their first Test in 20 months, but they then settled into their work and dispatched a tough Georgia team 40-9 at Loftus Versfeld on Friday night.

The opening quarter saw the Springboks perhaps trying too hard, leading to ill-discipline, and several penalties not only allowed Georgia flyhalf Tedo Abzhandadza to slot all three of his kicks at goal but also robbed the home team of any momentum.

Georgia led 9-5 until the 35^th minute as the Springboks were just generally inaccurate, especially in their kicking game.

Their one bright moment had been a try on debut with his first touch by wing Aphelele Fassi, who galloped down the touchline for a fine finish after a lovely double-line attack that saw fullback Willie le Roux join the line and flank Pieter-Steph du Toit looping round to provide the scoring pass.

Without fans, Fassi’s marvellous run was not greeted with the acclaim it deserved, but the bench were noisy. The 23-year-old enjoyed an outstanding debut.

The Springboks seized control of the game with two tries in the last five minutes of the first half. Hooker Bongi Mbonambi scored from a maul and then Le Roux, outside centre Jesse Kriel and Fassi counter-attacked well from their own territory before Fassi put a good chip-kick infield, the ball bouncing wickedly for scrumhalf Cobus Reinach to gather and race away for the try.

Leading 19-9 at halftime, the Springboks were in complete control in the second half. Such was their dominance that at times it seemed like the tries could be dished out by a tombola lucky draw.

The replacement front row of Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx and Frans Malherbe scrummed superbly and set up a first Test try for eighthman Kwagga Smith, the deft boot of flyhalf Handre Pollard led to a try for replacement scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies and Marx scored from a powerful lineout drive.

The Springbok forwards, led by ubiquitous lock Franco Mostert, just kept battering away and the backs tried a lot, some of it was very good.

Du Toit would also have been a contender for the man of the match prize if there had been one.

In the end It was a good run-out for the Springboks, but, with the British and Irish Lions coming up, they will need to show further progress next week in the second Test against Georgia.

Scorers

South Africa: Tries – Aphelele Fassi, Bongi Mbonambi, Cobus Reinach, Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies, Malcolm Marx. Conversions – Handre Polllard (4), Elton Jantjies.

Georgia: Penalties – Tedo Abzhandadze (3).