Welcome to tiny Salta, where the Boks will have another crack at trying to actually play well against Argentina.
Kick-off is at 21h40 if you’re in South Africa.
Argentina: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Lucas González Amorosino, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Manuel Montero, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Mariano Galarza, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (captain), 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Matías Cortese, 17 Bruno Postiglioni, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Jerónimo De la Fuente, 23 Horacio Agulla.
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Bakkies Botha, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Lwazi Mvovo

Come on boys!Run the ball into gaps.Its not that difficult.You can do it!!!
Go Bokke!
Well the Match of the Day is done and dusted, wonder if anyone s watching the bokke LOL
The Springboks are playing poorly. Completely dominated by Argentina, the defence looks pna?orous, lucky to be ahead by 3 at half time.
Why do the Boks now routinely struggle in Argentina?
We have a nail biter on our hands for the 2nd half…
*porous
Oh yes, and our scrum is being marched backwards as fast as you can say wow.
de Allende is pretty overrated, isn’t he?
I’m sure Serfontein is better than De Allende… And Lambie is better than Pollard?
Don’t know which game is more painful to watch this game or the kak performance by the Sharks!!!!!!!
weak defence again and an early try to Argentina, deservedly now in the lead.
If SA don’t pull their fingers out we are facing the first EVER loss to Argentina here… not a proud record for any coach or player…
Boks can’t even blame the reason this time…
The Argentines look a far better coached team…
And their backline actually looks dangerous with ball in hand… Can’t remember when last we could say that about the Bok backline 🙁
Another try to Argentina. We are looking at a disaster here.
Hahaha HM has some chickens roosting!!! And those he ignored are gone to Europe
SA have hardly looked like scoring at all, so don’t hold your breath for a miracle.
OMW!!!
3 well constructed tries to the Boks 1 lucky break against the run of play!
One more an the Argentines will have a bonus point!
Well done Argentina!
Boks: ..I.
Catch making major panic subs at 51 minutes.
Something needed to change.
Is it too late for us to get Graham Henry in as coach before the World Cup 😉
*Coach
Ag the Springboks can’t do anything right. Body language says it all really. They look clueless and heads are dropping. Game over.
Pmas just looking better than the Boks!!!! Bokke looking as flat as the Sharks and making same kak mistakes!!!!!
Finally the fight shows itself, try in the corner to SA.
28 – 23 on 60 mins
What a try by Hendricks!!!! Must say at least the Bokke is scoring tries.
Strauss and Coetzee have made a difference since coming on.
Try SA. A lot more purpose and resolve being shown now. About time.
Macell needs to start for the Bokke!!!!!
@Feather (Comment 24) : Definitely!!
30 – 28 to SA on 70 mins.
Can’t we choose a line out if they kick out on a restart?
why don’t the Bokke take the line out????
@CS (Comment 29) : yes big mistake by the Bokke!!!!!
31 – 30 to Arg. 6 mins left.
Penalty to SA.
Kickable.
Over. 33 – 31 with 3 mins to go.
Huge error by Steyn kicking the ball out on the full. Lineout to Arg in Sa’s half. 1 min 18 s left.
Big mistake Morne Steyn! Kicking ball out on the full 🙁
How was that not a penalty for holding on?
Scrum to Arg on the 10m line. Time up. Arg penalty from the scrum???
Big risk of Argentina penalty off this scrum to win game
There have been so many penalties to Arg at the scrum, why not another?
Phew!!!
Hernandes throws the ball out. Game over.
SA win by the skin of their teeth. Arg were the better team really.
Yet again SA wins a game against Argentina that we shouldn’t have
Geez and just like the Sharks the Bokke sneak to victory.
Only a matter of time before SA get beaten by Arg…
Well done to the Bok replacements
I get the sense Arg really relish playing against SA and target us for a win.
@CS (Comment 47) : Strauss, Coetzee, Malherbe and Bakkies were very good coming on as subs. Hougaard’s service was quick too and it upped the tempo. They all changed the game.
I will trade 10 Juan Smiths for 1 Marcell Coetzee.No make it 20! 😆
@CS (Comment 47) : ja they really had a huge impact on the result! !! Marcell was huge!!!
I aged 27 years watching that game.
Am I the only one who doesn’t QUITE see how Meyer can have such confidence in Pollard to be starting him at this level?
HM better call either Kockott or McLoed before going to NZ.
@Feather (Comment 48) : yes it seems as if they think that they could beat the Bokke rather than OZ or NZ and sorry to say I think they could be close to being correct.
@David12246 (Comment 52) : boet the Sharks game was even worse! !!!!
Oh and a lock as well. Lood is fruckn lazy…
@JD (Comment 56) : yip not to be celebrated as well
The sharks need to buy a Kriel or 2
@David12246 (Comment 53) : no you’re not. Another HM premature orgasm but he is too stubborn to admit this and change…
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 59) : Sharks needs to buy an attacking/backline coach as currently they have all the tallent but it seems as if they have no idea how to use them!!!!
Lucky for the Boks Marcell wanted to play some rugby. Rest of the team had a good view at least. Imagine what he could do to them if was given two halves? #ARGvsMarcellCoetzee
@vanmartin (Comment 62) : ja Rambo and Chuck Norris se moer just give me Marcell!!!!
Jislaaik but Smith was invisible when he was on the field today. So sad to see a once great player like him being brought back and providing next to nothing to help the Boks.
Poor:
– Juan Smith (legend is past tense and I hope this doesn’t tarnish his reputation)
– Bismarck
– Jannie
– Gurthro
– De Allende
– Pollard
– Lood (1st poor performance since debut)
Average:
– Etzebeth
– Pienaar
– De Villiers
– Habs
– Cornal
– Hougaard
– Malherbe
Good:
– Flo
– Duane
– Willie
– Morne (sad to say far better than Pollard despite a kicking error)
– Beast
Excellent:
– Strauss
– Bakkies (massive)
– Marcell (massive)
If I missed someone they probably weren’t up to much.
Again the biggest problem lies in the tactics. Kicking the ball away from first phase builds no momentum and provides NO pressure. It gifts possession and allows them to play.
Kicking errors are one thing, but incessant kicks from first phase (all of them deep) has to be a tactical thing, since it doesn’t matter if it is Morne, Pollard, Pienaar, Du Preez,etc…they all do it.
Same as next to no tries are scored from first phase (would need 100% execution and some doubt in defence), next to no benefit from kicking deep from first phase. The Argies have big boots on them and this is simply idiotic to kick straight to them.
Today was same old Bok rugby – just over emphasised by poor execution.
And I was given much shit for my comments on Bismarck earlier in the week and he proved exactly what I said today. A hard, strong, powerful player…No linking, no skills, no decision making. He would never have hit that line at that angle like Strauss did late in the game when we were chasing the game.
Commentators in the AB’s game illustrated, perhaps the most overlooked stat of all, that the AB’s tight five pass more than any other tight five in world rugby. – And yet I don’t see anyone accusing them of lacking physicality!!!
BALANCE, INTELLIGENCE, DECISION MAKING.
People made fun of me when I said if Pollard can’t do it at Loftes he won’t do it in Argentina. Juan Smith is a legand but currently Marcell Coetzee is playing better than him and our front row is seriously overplayed and desperatly needs a break. Meyer’s stubborness is going to cost us BIG time
SA has a serious problem at 9. It tells you a lot when Hougaard comes on and the play actually improves.
The All Blacks will enjoy our defence (or rather lack of) out wide.
@Bokhoring (Comment 69) : Again it is because of Meyer’s stubbornes and faliure to admit when he is wrong. Rory Kockett and Jano Vermaak are clearly better options than Pienaar and Hougaard but het just does not want to see
@Bokhoring (Comment 69) : Boks have serious problem at 9 and 10,how does Huge Mistake in his arrogant stupidity think he is going to win the WC with this
@JD (Comment 55) : @Feather (Comment 43) :next year they will
@Dancing Bear (Comment 64) : I agree,this is classic example of bullshit hype over reality,he would not last two games in Super Rugby,this once great legend should walk and not do a John Smit
@Mutley (Comment 71) : I don’t think Rory Kockett wants to play for the Boks… I think he has his eyes set on France?
@Mutley (Comment 68) : I could not agree more that’s why how can stupid blind patriotism hide this Bok rubbish,some clown villified all of us on this site for putting Sharks before Boks,I repeat this is why,cause of you I watched this rubbish and eish,
@JD (Comment 61) : I agree on the backline coach but TALENT? Seriously?
The team looks terrible, disjointed, bereft of ideas (other than hoofing 1st phase and any other phase ball away) and hardly convincing when they play, but they have won 18 of their last 20 games. If nothing else Meyer has instilled a fighting “never say die” attitude which has seen us win close games against England, Wales and Argentina which other Bok teams of the late 90s/early 2000s may have lost.
Who is our scrum coach? Jorrie Muller?
@benji (Comment 77) : yes there is some serious talent in the Sharks back line. Sithole, Jordaan, Mvovo etc is extremely talented but wasted by poor tactics or picking them in the wrong positions.
@JD (Comment 80) : Apologies,misread,thought you refer to Boks
@benji (Comment 81) : ja was referring to the Sharks but even the Bokke has some talented backs in LeRoux, Hendricks etc.
@David12246 (Comment 53) :
Pollard starting, was experimental and a chance to gain experience against lesser teams. He won’t be starting against NZ or Aus. Fortunately Morne Steyn made quite an impact.
@fyndraai (Comment 83) : Hope they also start with Hougie and Marcell,I am impressed with the type of kicking from the Argies not airborne just on the ground with pace and into [email protected]JD (Comment 80) : They just have to swap SS&PJ and Swap SP&ON and instruct SP not to [email protected]
@Chippa (Comment 84) : but SP isn’t fast enough to be a threat with ball in hand either.
Is it just me but I have watched the test and highlights about 3 times now and the Argie loose head seemed to be scrumming at 45 degrees every single scrum. Maybe its time for an eye test because no one else seemed to notice not even my favourite referee.
@Mutley (Comment 71) : I have been saying it for a while, Rocket has got to be very close to the best srummie in the world at the moment. But I suppose he would have to have played for the Bulls to be noticed, preferably a while back when Heyneke was coaching them.
@markp (Comment 86) : If the ref is awarding him penalties then why would he stop? And why didnt our tighthead do the same then? Fact is we were bullied in the scrums and rucks
@markp (Comment 86) :
You are correct. They were at an angle even before the engage, but were pinged only once. the referee must have been looking at other things in his rullings.
@markp (Comment 87) :
There is a SARU policy that only already “capped” overseas players may be selected for the Boks.
@pienaar111 (Comment 65) : I agree with your assessment – de Allende is nowhere near international standard – all he has going for him is size. Pollard is overhyped and overrated.(or perhaps he is HM’s secret lovechild? :grin:) There is a huge difference between the U20 WC and senior international rugby and Pollard has hardly even set the world alight at senior provincial or Superrugby level so quite what he’s done to warrant his elevation is beyond me.
Bissie is currently a shadow of the player he can be.
Marcel was simply outstanding when he came on!
@markp (Comment 87) : he now qualifies to play for France so where do you think he will choose?
@steve (Comment 90) : Still think de Allende is a talent but have to agree with a lot of folks questioning how you can start the guy in such a crucial defensive position when he last played there in his school days. This may be my Sharks bias but overlooking Sbu who at least has some SR experience under his belt seems crazy. Coach probably has his reasons but it’s a missed opportunity.
@vanmartin (Comment 92) : He may well have talent but he didn’t look up to standard last week which I put down to the atrocious conditions. Unfortunately, IMO at any rate, he wasn’t much better on Saturday.
@vanmartin (Comment 92) : I’ve given up trying to fathom HM’s rationale for some of his selections 😀
@Chippa (Comment 84) : ja it could work but I would like 12 Heimar, 13 Sithole, 11 Chivanga, 14 Jordaan and 15 Odwa.
@markp (Comment 86) : jip he did it for most of them game and got away with it. Would be interesting to see if he gets away with it against NZ.
@markp (Comment 87) : don’t think he wants to play for the Bokke (as a gap filler) as he could play for France next year (as the first choice).
@vanmartin (Comment 92) : ja bit unfair to blame a player coming back from injury and playing out of position and ja Sithole should have been there.