By Johnathan Paoli
The Springboks survived a bruising performance from Argentina to claim a 17-10 victory, with the Pumas showing throughout just how difficult they can be to beat on home soil.
Playing at the Estadio José Amalfitani in Buenos Aires on Saturday, the one-off test was expected as an opportunity to give returning Springboks players valuable game time ahead of their four-Test series against the All Blacks.
Instead, they were forced into a full-blooded contest in which Argentina repeatedly disrupted the world champions, rushed them into mistakes and dominated large periods of possession and territory.
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In the starting minutes, both the Boks and the Pumas were awarded penalties, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Santiago Carreras respectively, leaving both teams with 3-3
From a lineout, Argentina moved the ball into the backline before Lucio Cinti and his teammates created an opening.
Canan Moodie did well to hold up an attacker, but a quick pop pass opened a hole in the Springbok defence and Benjamin Grondona went through to score the first try.
Carreras converted to put Argentina 10-3 ahead.
The Boks were also dealt an early blow when captain Siya Kolisi was forced from the field after taking a knock, with Marco van Staden coming on in his place.
Kolisi had been making his first Test appearance of the year after recovering from injury.
The Boks struggled to impose themselves for much of the opening half, although their scrum provided a reliable source of pressure and they won several penalties at the breakdown.
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Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu also struck the post with a long-range drop-goal attempt as South Africa searched for a way through.
Just when Argentina appeared to be heading into the break with an advantage, the Boks produced a superb attacking passage.
Andre Esterhuizen, Moodie and Edwill van der Merwe combined with slick handling and accurate passing before Van der Merwe crossed for a much-needed try.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted, leaving the teams level at 10-10 at half-time.
The scoreline, however, did little to reflect Argentina’s impact on the match.
The Pumas had consistently rushed the Springboks, denying them the time and space they normally enjoy in attack.
Neither side had established clear dominance at the set piece or breakdown, with the contests largely going 50-50.
South Africa began the second half under pressure again, with Argentina launching wave after wave of attacks.
The Pumas even appeared to have an opportunity to regain the lead from a penalty, but Carreras struck the post.
South Africa gradually found more energy as their replacements entered the contest.
Zachary Porthen, Gerhard Steenekamp, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Cobus Wiese helped lift the intensity, while Handre Pollard and Morne van den Berg later added experience and control.
The Boks thought they had taken the lead when Johan Grobbelaar crossed the line, but the TMO review went back several minutes to identify an earlier incident involving Van Staden, ruling that he had been in touch.
The try was disallowed.
South Africa eventually found their breakthrough through Cameron Hanekom.
After sustained pressure, the Springboks won a powerful scrum and Hanekom forced his way over from close range, Pollard converting to put South Africa 17-10 ahead.
But, Argentina refused to surrender.
The Pumas continued attacking deep into the closing stages, while South Africa had to defend desperately.
A late 50-22 kick gave Argentina another opportunity before they earned a penalty in front of the posts.
Rather than taking the points, they tapped and went.
Argentina then launched 15 phases, probing for the try that would have brought them within two points, but the Springbok defence held firm and a knock-on finally ended the threat.
South Africa had survived.
The 17-10 victory was important preparation ahead of the All Blacks series, but the hard won victory remained a reminder that Argentina may have lost, but they gave the world champions a serious fight.
The Boks now turn their attention to New Zealand, with the first Test scheduled for 22 August at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.
