Week 2 of the 2017 Rugby Championship and the Springboks are in Salta to face Argentina in the reverse fixture of last week’s opening round in Port Elizabeth, where the Boks won by 22 points.
This week though, I suspect a victory will come by a narrower margin as the Argentinian crowds always lift the home team. The Boks have faced the Pumas twice in Salta in recent times, firstly coming from behind in a narrow victory in 2014 while 2016 saw the Boks come undone, losing 26 – 24.
Only a single change from the team that won rather convincingly last weekend means there is sure to be some consistency and even improvement from the Springboks. Francois Hougaard comes into the scrumhalf position, which could go either way – he does tend to be quick off the mark but we lose the working combination of Cronje feeding Jantjies. This will be interesting to see.
The tight forwards were good last week, even though the backline never fully took advantage of the front foot ball. Things to hope for in this game – for the forwards to again show some dominance but ultimately we want to see an improved performance from the backs on attack. They will have to be on their toes as the Argentinian backline is sure to run at them all night.
Last week in this preview I asked for the Springboks to not underestimate Argentina, which they duly did not. That will have to be the case again this week as it is sure to be a much tougher proposition. The Pumas came close 3 years and managed to beat the Boks last year. They know how to win in Salta and will put everythng into this game as it will be a must win game in their minds.
Last week I predicted a close game and was quite wrong. I will stick my neck out again stating that this game will be tighter than last week but still predicting a Bok victory.
Argentina: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matías Orlando, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 7 Tomás Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Matías Alemanno, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (captain), 1 Lucas Noguera.
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Martín Landajo, 22 Nicolás Sánchez, 23 Matías Moroni.
South Africa: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Zaire Cassiem, 7 Jaco Kriel, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain), 3 Coenraad Oosthuizen, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Damian de Allende.
Date: Saturday, 26 August 2017
Venue: Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta
Kick-off: 16.40 (21.40 SA time; 19.40 GMT)
Expected weather: Partly cloudy and warm. It will be 24°C at kick-off.
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Nic Berry (Australia)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)
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Hopefully hougie doesnt screw jantjies around with his wayward passing
@Dunx (Comment 1) : Hopefully there is no negative play from the argies, if the boks get quick ball, this should be a cakewalk
@jdolivier (Comment 2) : No negative play from argintinia? Only when they have a bye week…
@coolfusion (Comment 3) : Tongue in cheek bud, remember we can’t mention the official panel
Guess there is no such thing as an offside line in the rugby championship this season
Jantjies back his old useless self. where is the one that plays for the Lions??
Argies are getting away with murder in the maul defence
@Dunx (Comment 1) : Hougie is fucking useless
Great try!
Smaller field makes for less linebreaks, we need to stay patient and clinical
Lovely try by Argentina, courtesy of the Percy Montgomery school of fullback play, let it bounce what could go wrong
@jdolivier (Comment 11) : Amateur error
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 12) : The boks look amateur tonight across the entire park, pressure game and wow what a surprise we crawl into our shells and kick everything
Some pretty kak rugby from both sides
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 14) : Pretty kak rugby would be an improvement…….
@jdolivier (Comment 15) : Scratch the pretty…
Nobody saw that inside pass to Rhule coming. Except the Argie backline…
If this is really the best the Bokke are capable of on tour, we are getting smashed by both Aus and NZ
@jdolivier (Comment 18) : Hard to argue against that statement
Well I’m switching off. I’ve reached my limit of crap games per day. No use wat in more of my life on it. I’ll just catch the results.
@coolfusion (Comment 20) : Yes. Thanks to AB’s and Aussies for making the weekend bearable
Yellow on Coetzee fair, but no tmo for the punch by 12???
@jdolivier (Comment 22) : very poor refereeing
@byron (Comment 23) : Ref has definitely not been in control of the match
Bring on the boxing
Shit ugly bonus point win is better than losing pretty, congratulations Bokke
@jdolivier (Comment 26) : No BP, rules are same as SR, have to have 3 more tries than your opponents,
@sharks_lover (Comment 27) : Kolisi x2, jantjes, penalty try, Jean luc du preez
Argentina : moyoano and moroni
@sharks_lover (Comment 28) : 5 tries to 2 …. we got a penalty try too
Wouldn’t mind us buying Kollisi from province instead of that winger. Also wouldn’t mind if we shopped for another prop. Maybe Jacobie Adriaanse but I think his contract is still fresh.
@coolfusion (Comment 31) : Or try to get Vincent Koch. He was born in kzn wasn’t he?
@coolfusion (Comment 31) : Adriaanse is only on loan to the Lions for the Currie Cup as afar as I know.
Anyway, a good win for the Boks even if it wasn’t a pretty game.
The Boks are now on the longest current winning streak by Tier 1 nations 🙂
Biggest win in argentina in 5 or 6 years
@byron (Comment 23) : Apologies mate, it was 5 tries with the penalty try, it does give us a BP.
2012 … 16-16
2013 … 22-17
2014 … 33-31
2015 … 26-12
2016 … 24-26
Best away win against argies in a long time
Happy with the win.
Though I suspect this might be our last win this championship.
Would love to know what is said during the coaches’ analysis of Rhule. Apart from getting of the bus safely and getting changed unassisted (though I have no evidence of the latter) he doesn’t appear to be doing much else.
Reckon I completed as many tackles as he did. And that without leaving my couch. 🙄
And World Rugby should really do an audit of the French referee school, or wherever they are trained. At least make sure that they have the most up to date law book and have all read and understood what’s in it.
I suspect they only have one copy and it’s in braille. A few things probably got lost in translation.
@Baylion (Comment 33) : Ja but getting long in the tooth as well. Which probably why lions didn’t sign him too long
@McLovin (Comment 37) : Kollisi fast becoming an mvp
I wonder how the money thing works out buying a player who can play cc and SR vs having to pay an extra salary for guys who only play SR? Would it not make more sense and add continuity to pay a little more for one guy who can do both?
@coolfusion (Comment 41) : He’s doing well. Good to see. So are a few others. Like Coenraad and his 2 mates in the front row. 😎
@McLovin (Comment 43) : Ja but sia has been a revelation he was very medium under AC he has stepped up. If you guys are having a yard sale because of money troubles I would say other unions should be gunning for him. He has a great combo of power defense and great running lines. Also no slouch on the breakdown. I never liked him much but I am changing my mind rapidly.
@coolfusion (Comment 42) : No. Because such a player would be average. No chance of getting anywhere in SR with that quality. Look at the Cheetahs.
@coolfusion (Comment 44) : WIll probably end up overseas after WP.
I imagine a front row of coenie (lh and th) with tank as backup and koch with Kollisi and Jean luc flanking and Keegan Daniel at 8 Akker and Marais or chilli at hooker. Ruan and player to be named at lock. Schreuder at scrumhalf bosch and Rob jnr for flyhalf. Am and Ward at centres with Louw as backup. Van wyk and Nkosi at wings smith at fullback.
@McLovin (Comment 46) : Yup. Sadly.
On another note lambie nearing full fitness again. Might we still see him this year?
Another thing. The Argies need to sort out their broadcasting standards. Was like the eighties. With the penalty try the ref kept asking for a replay of the deliberate knock-on but they kept showing PsdT ruffling the Argies’ hair.
And where was the TMO? Sounded like he was in a hut somewhere in the Andes. 🙄
@Baylion (Comment 33) :
SA is a tier 1 nation?
@coolfusion (Comment 49) : But now the reports are that he may want out of his bok and sharks contract to start over in europe.
If it works out like that I hope we use the additional funds to sure up the squad.
Everyone would love to win the cc but your resources available after boks call ups, jap contracts, players leaving and of course injury affect your ability to do that (and for the cheetahs pro14 affects there ability to make the semis or get a home semi or final, provided they choose to play full strength squad in the knock out phase)
I still love the cc though and want my team to give it their all.
Lions on a skid but will likely still make the semis, they are finding their feet again after disruption on different levels.
SA will at least beat Oz in sa, what happens in the other three games depends on is ross can play and how good everyone else can play against better opposition.
Disappointed to have seen mike instead of cam on the bench yesterday but it did work out, mike was very composed when he came on.
Observation after seeing the team in person: tyler paul may not be very tall like hyron, ruan, lewies but his a big fellow, as wide as a barn. Droste filled out a bit more since I saw him a year ago, could still bulk up some more.
that wp fh is actually a really promising player.
@fyndraai (Comment 51) : 😀 Hasn’t looked like that for a while but we’re back to #3 believe it or not
Saw Akkers and Ruan Botha at the Baby show in durban yesterday. Flip Botha is tall. Akkers is also tall. When you see them on tv they dont come across as big as that
@Dunx (Comment 54) : At 1.78m (5′ 10″) Akker isn’t really short I suppose but it’s like people saying Brussouw is short when he’s 1.81m (5′ 11″)
@McLovin (Comment 39) : Moaning about a ref, any ref, is rich, priceless and a little bit hypocritical, coming from you. Keep it up. 😈