Argentina stun South Africa to keep Rugby Championship hopes alive | Rugby Championship

Fly-half Tomas Albornoz slotted a penalty with 11 minutes remaining to give Argentina a thrilling 29-28 victory over South Africa and keep their Rugby Championship hopes alive in a scorching Santiago del Estero on Saturday.

The world champions Springboks, who had a chance to win the match thanks to a late penalty from fly-half Manie Libbok that was missed, lead the standings by 19 points ahead of second-placed Argentina on 14 points ahead of a final meeting between the two teams in Nelspruit next Saturday where the title will be decided.

Argentina scored four tries through winger Mateo Carreras, flanker Pablo Matera, prop Joel Sclavi and Albornoz, capitalising on a first-half yellow card for visiting winger Kurt-Lee Arendse and turning a 17-0 deficit into a 26-22 half-time lead.

South Africa, who made 10 changes to their team after resting several regular players, scored tries through full-back Aphelele Fassi, centre Jesse Kriel and scrum-half Cobus Reinach as they lost for the first time in this year’s championship.

South Africa will have to wait another week to claim a fifth southern hemisphere crown and will need a point in the Nelspruit encounter to be sure, although Argentina showed that is far from a foregone conclusion.

“Congratulations to Argentina, they held on and didn’t give up,” said South Africa’s stand-in captain Salmaan Moerat. “They put a lot of pressure on us but we played good rugby for a good part of the game.”

“We have to keep putting the pressure on. There were moments in the game where we let go. That’s our big job for next week.”

The Springboks demolished Argentina from the first scrum and from the resulting attacking line-out a simple movement from the back line opened a gap in the home defence and Fassi was able to cross the try-line.

The Argentinians scored their second try after another excellent pass put Kriel in a gap under the posts. Fly-half Handre Pollard added three more points, but when Argentina finally got their hands on the ball they scored a superb try.

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A complex play from the backline opened up the defence on the left wing and Carreras was able to cross for a converted try. The momentum then changed and the Springboks’ cause was not helped by a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Arendse which reduced them to 14 men.

Argentina scored their second try in almost the same way as the first, opening up space on the left wing with excellent hands and Matera was able to cross.
The home side scored their third goal with Arendse still off the pitch as an attacking throw-in saw Sclavi crash over and the hosts led 19-17.

The Argentinians scored their fourth try through Albornoz who found a gap in a Springbok defence that was becoming porous. The visitors finally regained some momentum just before half-time through Reinach who quickly took a penalty and raced into the corner, but they trailed 26-22 at the break.

Pollard and substitute Libbok each scored a penalty to put the Springboks back in front 10 minutes into the second half, but when Albornoz put Argentina ahead with 11 minutes remaining, Los Pumas were able to hold on for their third win of the Championship.

Eben Etzebeth came off the bench to equal a record 127 caps for the Springboks, tying him with Victor Matfield on the all-time list.