CAPE TOWN, August (ANA) – South Africa's Springboks opened their 2018 Rugby Championship campaign with a 34-21 win over Argentina after a strong second-half performance which allowed them to overturn a 14-10 halftime deficit at Kings Park, Durban on Saturday evening.
The Boks eventually ran in six tries to three in what was an impressive performance ahead of next week's return leg n Argentina.
The first eight minutes was played in Argentina's half and whatever possession came their way they tried to run up from deep options. With that ploy, they were playing into the hands of the Boks and their rather shallow clearance kicks didn't offer much relief either.
The early Bok pressure was hard to contain and two half-chances emerged for leftwing Aphiwe Dyantyi. However, it was outside centre Lukhanyo Am who made the early breakthrough with a strong leg drive across the whitewash with two opponents hanging on.
Flyhalf Handré Pollard pushed his conversion attempt wide (5-0).
A huge up-and-under into the Bok 22m area by Argentina flyhalf Nicolás Sánchez provided the platform to strike back. Bok fullback Willie le Roux was beaten to the catch and once Argentina recycled the ball, Sánchez was on hand to round off and he tip-toed way over as the central defence sprung a yawning gap in front of the posts.
Sánchez added the conversion to give the visitors a 7-5 lead in the 15th minute.
By this time the Boks were enjoying the major share of possession and midway through the first half they produced a strong surge down the left channel. However, they lost possession inside the opposition half and a telling counter-attack found the Bok defence napping and flanker Pablo Matera ran in for his side's second try.
Sánchez made no mistake with the conversion to push the lead out to 14-5 after 25 minutes, much against the run of play.
Undaunted by the setback, the Boks staged yet another upfield surge and this time they exploited their good fortunes. Le Roux who had joined the backline sent in a diagonal crossfield kick which Dyantyi gathered and dived over for the side's second try, which also went unconverted in the 32nd minute.
Pollard had a chance to reduce the deficit three minutes ahead of the break but his penalty attempt was fractionally wide and the visitors enjoyed a 14-10 lead, going into the second half.
The Boks needed just two minutes of second-half play to collar the lead. An excellent kick over the scrum by scrumhalf Faf de Klerk landed deep into the Argentina half and Dyantyi outsprinted the defence before stretching far enough to grab his second try.
This time Pollard was on target from the touchline to give the Boks the lead for the second time in the match (17-14).
The Springbok power upfront came to the fore in ensuing play and after a strong scrum which earned them a penalty, De Klerk reeled out a long pass into the grateful hands of rightwing Makazole Mapimpi who dotted down for yet another unconverted try (22-14).
Four minutes later, Mapimpi again across for an unconverted try after the Bok pack continued to impose themselves on the opposition and with a 27-14 lead, they were well on the way to victory.
Argentina responded with a few strong surges which the Boks did well to contain but a long skip pass thrown out by substitute fullback Damian Willemse was intercepted by centre Matias Moroni and he sprinted away unchallenged for a gift try which Sanchez goaled to reduce the deficit in the 66th minute (27-21).
The Boks bounced back with the forwards leading the charge and this time De Klerk finished by sniping around the fringe of a loose scrum to score under the posts. Pollard couldn't miss this time (34-21).
In the remaining play, the Boks looked after their lead to run out convincing winners.
Scorers: South Africa 34 (10): Tries: Lukhanyo Am, Aphiwe Dyantyi (2), Makazole Mapimpi (2), Faf de Klerk. Conversions: Handré Pollard.Argentina 21 (14): Tries: Nicolas Sanchez, Pablo Matera, Matías Moroni. Conversions: Sanchez (3).
– African News Agency (ANA)
Pic: SA Rugby - Twitter
