South Africa vs Argentina LIVE: Rugby Championship result and ...
(REUTERS)
South Africa and Argentina meet at Ellis Park on the final weekend of the Rugby Championship as preparations continue ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
New Zealand’s thumping win against Australia earlier on Saturday means the All Blacks have retained the Rugby Championship title for a third successive year, but with a major tournament around the corner, there is still plenty to play for in the final match of this year’s series.
The Springboks are looking to respond after they were brought back down to earth with a 35-20 loss to New Zealand in Auckland last time out, while Michael Cheika’s Argentina are still riding on a high after stunning Australia in Sydney two weeks ago.
While the Wallabies showed improvement defensively against New Zealand earlier, they struggled to match the pace and power of the All Blacks, who appear to be hitting formidable form ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
Follow live updates from South Africa vs Argentina in the final round of the Rugby Championship below
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs ArgentinaFULL TIME: SOUTH AFRICA 22-21 ARGENTINA
TRY! South Africa 22-21 ARGENTINA (Gonzalo Bertranou try, 83 minutes)
TRY! South Africa 22-14 ARGENTINA (Mateo Carreras try, 75 minutes)
TRY! SOUTH AFRICA 22-9 Argentina (Manie Libbok try, 69 minutes)
HALF TIME: SOUTH AFRICA 15-9 ARGENTINA
TRY! SOUTH AFRICA 15-6 Argentina (Damian de Allende try, 27 minutes)
TRY! SOUTH AFRICA 8-6 Argentina (Eben Etzebeth try, 19 minutes)
KICK OFF!
FULL TIME: SOUTH AFRICA 22-21 ARGENTINA18:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle
(Getty Images)
TRY! South Africa 22-21 ARGENTINA (Gonzalo Bertranou try, 83 minutes)18:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Too little, too late for victory - but Argentina take a losing bonus point at the death!
South Africa’s fringe defence is finally breached, Faf de Klerk left isolated and beaten comprehensively by his opposite number’s sharp sniping. Santiago Carreras’s right boot has the final word - but it’s the home crowd doing the shouting, their Springboks having just, just about held on.
South Africa 22-14 Argentina, 82 minutes18:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Santiago Carreras’s dynamite feet are on show as the fly-half flits through a hole, but South Africa manage to hold the Argentina forward carriers up. Back for a penalty, granting Argentina another chance.
South Africa 22-14 Argentina, 80 minutes18:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Faf de Klerk makes a nuisance of himself, perhaps fortunate that an early tackle of replacement number eight Facundo Isa is not picked up by the officials. But the clock is dead as Argentina feed another scrum, the siren sounding to confirm the Pumas’ defeat - but there might still be time for a consolation.
South Africa 22-14 Argentina, 79 minutes18:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The scrum is unstable, which suits South Africa fine. 50 more seconds tick off the clock, which is probably just enough to seal the Springboks’ victory.
South Africa 22-14 Argentina, 78 minutes18:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A deep restart asks Argentina to play from deep, something they are initially unwilling to do, punting upfield. South Africa kill some clock, cleverly, before Faf de Klerk hoists a box kick.
Santiago Carreras claims a mark but is soon on the move, spreading to the left...where there is space! Up over halfway...kicked ahead! Was that the right call? Cheslin Kolbe scrambles back and grounds in goal but a chance to potentially keep ball in hand goes begging for Argentina, leaving just two minutes to find the nine points they need.
It will be their scrum, though, five out.
TRY! South Africa 22-14 ARGENTINA (Mateo Carreras try, 75 minutes)18:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And Mateo Carreras delivers that speedy score!
Argentina are alive! Brilliant continuity in phase play and a clever offload off the floor from Matias Moroni allows his Newcastle teammate Carreras to push his way over on the right.
Now, can his namesake convert? Not quite, Santiago Carreras’s kick pulled to the left. Argentina need two more scores.
South Africa 22-9 Argentina, 74 minutes18:05 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Two converrted scores would be enough for Argentina to engineer an unlikely turnaround, but they need to strike quickly.
YELLOW CARD! Damian de Allende is sent to the sin bin (South Africa 22-9 Argentina, 73 minutes)18:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Damian de Allende won’t see this game out - he sticks out a mitt to block an Argentina pass with the South African defensive line broken, and once his touch is ruled to have travelled forward, Andrew Brace has no option but to go to his pocket.
Hope for Argentina?
South Africa 22-9 Argentina, 71 minutes18:03 , Harry Latham-Coyle
South Africa fancy another adventure up the right, but Pieter-Steph du Toit is driven into touch before he can find Jesse Kriel after Cheslin Kolbe had lit the kindling.
TRY! SOUTH AFRICA 22-9 Argentina (Manie Libbok try, 69 minutes)17:59 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A breakaway South Africa score!
Oh, Argentina. There are spaces starting to appear as they work quick hands to the left, but Tomas Lavanini and Joel Sclavi aren’t the men the Pumas want in the line to try and exploit it. A flicked pass flies between the front five pair, with Faf de Klerk sharp as ever to collect the loose change. De Klerk pops for his half-back partner, granting Manie Libbok a clear canter for the corner and his first international try.
Libbok adds two more from the tee.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 67 minutes17:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Kwagga Smith rolls into Gonzalo Bertranou, prompting an official warning from Andrew Brace to South Africa. The next misdeed will result in a card.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 66 minutes17:57 , Harry Latham-Coyle
This bitty period of play continues. South Africa peculiarly turn down a chance to maul on the right, a decision that backfires as Faf de Klerk fumbles a horrible transfer to him from the front of the lineout.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 64 minutes17:56 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentian are starting to put more consistent stress and strain on the edges of the South Africa defence, but a couple of untimely handling errors let them down, Juan Imhoff diving off his feet to protect possession.
South Africa flip the field, eschewing a kick for touch and instead turning Argentina with a long kick into the visitors’ 22. Santiago Carreras, who has covered superbly all evening, is first man back, showing his rugby smarts again. Argentina thump a clearance up to the halfway line.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 63 minutes17:54 , Harry Latham-Coyle
One more penalty might see a South African sent to the bin, and it looks like a Springbok might be in trouble as they bring a maul to floor. Andrew Brace has his arm out initiall, but is over-ruled by his assistant, Argentina deemed the cause of the collapse. A confused Julian Montoya asks for an explanation, which Brace duly provides - good work from the officiating team, it would appear, with only blue and white shirts off their feet as it came down.
Still Argentina’s ball, though, as Montoya hits double tops with a dart 35 metres out.
Missed penalty! South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 61 minutes17:52 , Harry Latham-Coyle
No dice. A miss to the left earlier in the half and now one to the right, Santiago Carreras not quite curling it back far enough.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 60 minutes17:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Joel Sclavi has been introduced to try and counter that South African scrummaging bench strength, the tighthead anchoring effectively. Duane Vermeulen picks up from the back and creates enough room for Faf de Klerk to clear to touch.
More South African limbs stray where they shouldn’t be at the lineout. Argentina point to the posts to try and break the second half scoring duck.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 59 minutes17:49 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A little bit unlucky for Argentina, a clear rip from Kwagga Smith not spotted by Andrew Brace as Juan Martin Gonzalez carries, the Irish referee ruling a knock-on to grant those new South African front rowers an immediate scrum skirmish.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 58 minutes17:48 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Gonzalo Bertranou, on at scrum-half for Lautaro Bazan Velez, is grasped by Faf de Klerk as he tries to pass, the South Africa nine’s hand pushing the ball forward as he makes the tackle. That permits Argentina to fling the ball about a bit more, spreading it to the right and turning that knock-on advantage into a penalty as South Africa are warned again, this time for their overall discipline.
All change in the front row for South Africa as they steel themselves for a five metre lineout - Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane and Vincent Koch on.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 55 minutes17:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And Am runs out of room on the left wing, treading on the touchline as he tries to combine with a teammate on his right. Duane Vermeulen is warned that too many of his players are in the referee’s ear, Andrew Brace unhappy by the home side’s incessant protesting.
Another Springboks change. Kwagga Smith steps in for Marco van Staden.
Pieter-Steph du Toit makes contact in the air with the lifted Argentine lineout catcher. This is turning into a bright spell for the visitors.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 54 minutes17:43 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That was comfortably the closest Argentina have come since the first few minutes of the game, this brilliantly talented backline finally showing what they are capable of as South Africa’s blitz defence faltered for the first time. Lukhanyo Am is on for South Africa, replacing Kurt-Lee Arendse.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 53 minutes17:42 , Harry Latham-Coyle
But South Africa hold firm! Steven Kitshoff! A timely, top-notch jackal from the loosehead, forcing replacement prop Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro to seal off as Argentina crawled towards the line.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 52 minutes17:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Here come Argentina! It’s the best we’ve seen from the visitors in possession, fabulous handling freeing Lucio Cinti on the left, the outside centre stepping free from a tackler. Pablo Matera is inches away...
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 50 minutes17:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Carreras’s next kick has the opposite problem, an attempted Garryowen sliced into touch on the full.
The fly-half makes a better job of his backfield duties, claiming neatly under pressure from Kurt-Lee Arendse. He takes a mark, and a friendly flick off South African fingers means it’ll be Argentina’s lineout to throw up near halfway.
Missed penalty! South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 48 minutes17:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Tugged to the left. Carreras had the distance, but perhaps just over-kicked it slightly, pulling it off the straight having struck from a central position. HIs first miss of the evening.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 47 minutes17:35 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Steven Kitshoff crawls towards Pablo Matera, the prop clearly off his feet and denying the flanker a chance to contest. Penalty, Argentina - and Santiago Carreras sets his sights on three more points from just beyond halfway.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 46 minutes17:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
An excellent exit from Argentina, a couple of forthright forward carries and then a hooked clearance up to the ten-metre.
Speaking of hooked - Orie won’t get an opportunity to atone for his error, replaced by RG Snyman before Malcolm Marx throws the lineout.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 44 minutes17:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina get their scrum set-up wrong, and Faf de Klerk taps and goes, chopped at the ankles as he leaps for the line. South Africa’s forwards form their punchy pods but Marvin Orie splatters a pass into the Argentina tackler wrapping the arms in front of him as the Pumas survive again.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 42 minutes17:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Staunch maul defence! That’s more like it from Argentina, Santiago Grondona and co. fighting through the massed South African shirts on to the ball, ensuring a turnover when it collapses under its own weight.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 41 minutes17:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Andrew Brace stops South Africa in their tracks with a blast on his whistle, the referee mishearing the call from his assistant - the penalty is against Julian Montoya, sporting a protective headband after being busted open early on, but Brace’s arm initially points in Argentina’s favour. He soon corrects the error, allowing Manie Libbok to find the corner.
Second half!17:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Manie Libbok gets things back underway in Johannesburg...and South Africa win the restart back!
HT: South Africa 15-9 Argentina17:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina, to their credit, have fronted up typically well against the physical challenge - a few silly penalties have undermined an otherwise solid enough defensive performance. They are firmly in the contest, though, but probably need their backline to click after the interval in a way that it didn’t in that first 40 minutes.
It’s all over in Edinburgh, with Scotland getting their World Cup preparations up and running with a win over Italy. A bit scratchy for both sides at Murrayfield, but Ben Healy went well at fly-half for the hosts to further press his case for inclusion in Gregor Townsend’s travelling party.
HT: South Africa 15-9 Argentina17:18 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A half rather marred, I’m afraid, by two serious injuries that bookended it, Grant Williams and Lucas Paulos both taken off on a stretcher having appeared to have been knocked out. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for both men.
In between, it’s been physical and a little bit frantic, both teams short of the accuracy they might have liked - the home forwards have shown their strength, with Damian de Allende capitalising on his pack’s hard graft at the back of a maul. The centre added a second South African score after Eben Etzebeth had fulfilled the backs’ brief with a finish in the corner, the Springboks doing a bit of job swapping to take a narrow, but useful, lead back into the sheds.
HALF TIME: SOUTH AFRICA 15-9 ARGENTINA17:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
(Getty Images)
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 41 minutes17:11 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A magnificent try-saving tackle! Santiago Carreras was run over by Eben Etzebeth earlier but this is simply superb, the fly-half cornerflagging to perfection to deny Kurt-Lee Arendse what looked a certain score after South Africa had torched a trail up the touchline. Arendse’s feet are in touch before he leaps for the line.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 40 minutes17:07 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina’s lock depth has been eroded in recent weeks, Guido Petti still absent and Matias Alemanno not involved today, while Marcos Kremer, who would usually offering cover from the back row, is still suspended. Pedro Rubiolo will be Paulos’s replacement, but is more usually sighted on the flank, trotting out as his teammate is carefully lifted on to the cart.
Two serious head injuries in the first 40 minutes. It’s not been an easy watch in Johannesburg. Best wishes to Paulos and Grant Williams.
South Africa 15-9 Argentina, 40 minutes17:04 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Oh no! Another player lies prone apparently out cold, Lucas Paulos’s head in the wrong place as he tries to halt Duane Vermeulen. Fair play to Faf de Klerk for immediately signalling to Andrew Brace that he should stop just as another South Africa began a charge towards the stricken lock - we’ll have a pause while Paulos is attended to.
PENALTY! South Africa 15-9 ARGENTINA (Santiago Carreras penalty, 39 minutes)17:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Santiago Carreras is back with us having been cleared of a concussion in an HIA earlier, his foot also having healed sufficiently to allow the fly-half to knock over his third penalty.
South Africa 15-6 Argentina, 37 minutes17:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Ruiz hits his lineout jumper but Argentina lose control soon after, the ball ending up, somehow, in Duane Vermeulen’s hands. South Africa try to run out of danger, Faf de Klerk nearly streaking clear but hauled back by the shorts elastic.
A midfield muddle sees the ball hit the floor again, an Argentina hand deemed to have knocked it backwards. South Africa are then penalised, but protest it had gone forward - they are probably right, but Andrew Brace is not for turning.
South Africa 15-6 Argentina, 35 minutes16:58 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Vermeulen gets himself in a tangle with Cheslin Kolbe as the two men wait for another firework to fall, their intertwined arms combining to knock it on. South Africa are then pinged at the breakdown.
Julian Montoya’s wound from the first five minutes has never quite healed - the claret is now positively gushing out of the Argentina captain’s eyebrow, meaning replacement Ignacio Ruiz will have to step in to the breach while some stitches are sourced.
South Africa 15-6 Argentina, 33 minutes16:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina need something before half-time, you feel, with South Africa starting to surge. Jesse Kriel is found in space by a delicate Manie Libbok dab, Kriel finding Kurt-Lee Arendse with an infield fling.
Libbok again drops ball to toe, Duane Vermeulen stomping up the right touchline to take, but brushing his boot on the chalk just as he tries to combine with a teammate.
South Africa 15-6 Argentina, 31 minutes16:53 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A handful of crunching close-in hits and Steven Kitshoff jackals superbly! Heavens, this South African defence packs a punch, Tomas Lavanini and Lucas Paulos ended by back-to-back tackles, two large locks levelled in quick succession. Kitshoff simply pecks at the carrion - another turnover penalty the home side’s way.
South Africa 15-6 Argentina, 29 minutes16:51 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It’ll be exit drills first things Monday morning for both sides at this rate - South Africa this time fail to appropriately clear their lines, Willie le Roux taking his eye off the ball and shelling a slightly low pass. Argentina will feed a scrum six metres or so out from the South Africa line.
16:48 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And Damian de Allende is the unlikely beneficiary of the lineout drive!
Argentine bodies are tossed aside as the South Africa locomotive chugs out of the next station, the backs piling in to add their weight. De Allende is the end man, riding the green wave and then surfing away to bash through Lautaro Bazan Velez.
Manie Libbok succeeds from the tee - two more to South Africa’s tally as the crowd roar.
South Africa 8-6 Argentina, 26 minutes16:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
South Africa’s forwards are beginning to show their might, a massive maul drawing another whistle from Andrew Brace as Argentina infringe to halt it. The Springboks will go again from 40 metres further up the left touchline.
South Africa 8-6 Argentina, 24 minutes16:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle
But Malcolm Marx spares Libbok’s blues, the hooker’s enormous traps holding firm as two Argentina clearers fail to shift him. Holding on penalty - South Africa survive.
South Africa 8-6 Argentina, 23 minutes16:45 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Carreras is off, Tomas Albornoz called on to replace him at fly-half. The Gloucester playmaker hadn’t been moving freely for a little while before that Etzebeth score - given how he’s emerged as Michael Cheika’s first-choice pivot, the Argentina coach will be hoping his removal is precautionary rather than indicative of a more serious injury.
South Africa’s ten makes good distance with a clearing kick, but hadn’t realised the pass back to him had come from outside his 22 - Manie Libbok looks curiously at the officials as they grant Argentina a lineout deep in South Africa territory.
TRY! SOUTH AFRICA 8-6 Argentina (Eben Etzebeth try, 19 minutes)16:39 , Harry Latham-Coyle
And Etzebeth tramples over Santiago Carreras to finish it off!
Emphatic! Willie le Roux spots Carreras limping on the touchline, the Puma nursing an injured paw and thus ill equipped to handle a rampaging Etzebeth as Le Roux flings across to his second row giant.
South Africa 3-6 Argentina, 18 minutes16:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Delightfully worked at the front! Malcolm Marx picks out Eben Etzebeth, who pops back to his hooker at the lineout.
South Africa 3-6 Argentina, 17 minutes16:38 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Malherbe is then picked out for putting too much of his (considerable) weight on before the ball is in at the scrum. Argentina look to the heavens, Santiago Carreras sending up an almighty up-and-under, which tumbles forward off a chaser’s hands.
Argentina are offside again soon after; it’s probably just about kickable for Manie Libbok at altitude, but the fly-half opts for a punt up towards the visitors’ 22.
South Africa 3-6 Argentina, 15 minutes16:36 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A sloppy transfer off the top to Faf de Klerk leaves South Africa unable to launch anything from the lineout, and that’s untidy in the next movement, too, Frans Malherbe lifting his eyes ever so slightly as he picks out his target in the advancing defensive line and yelping as he drops the ball cold.
South Africa 3-6 Argentina, 13 minutes16:34 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Andrew Brace tends to set the tone with his whistle early on, regular interventions in the first quarter a feature of the Irishman’s officiating style. Tomas Lavanini gives him a rather obvious reason to peep, the often ill-disciplined lock about a yard offside and failing to heed the referee’s advice to retreat.
PENALTY! SOUTH AFRICA 3-6 Argentina (Manie Libbok penalty, 12 minutes)16:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
As easy as they come for Manie Libbok. South Africa are on the board.
South Africa 0-6 Argentina, 11 minutes16:32 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina again make a mess with their exit, Lucas Paulos forced to scramble as a hopelessly ambitious offload flies errant and then turned over.
Penalty to South Africa; Manie Libbok will narrow the gap from bang in front.
PENALTY! South Africa 0-6 ARGENTINA (Santiago Carreras penalty, 10 minutes)16:30 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s a beauty - a wonderful strike from Santiago Carreras bisects the uprights.
South Africa 0-3 Argentina, 9 minutes16:29 , Harry Latham-Coyle
What can Argentina launch, then, from a good attacking platform? Santiago Chocobares pops for Lucio Cinti on his shoulder but Damian de Allende is a typically sturdy brick in the South Africa defensive wall.
Argentina work two more phases for little further progress, but Kurt-Lee Arendse’s failure to vacate a ruck sees the Springboks pinged. Santiago Carreras points at the posts - 45 metres on the angle from wide on the right...
South Africa 0-3 Argentina, 8 minutes16:27 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s Eben Etzebeth who lumbers up on a kick chase now, a flick off Tomas Lavanini’s fingers putting the South Africa lock onside. Etzebeth can’t quite clutch it, and Argentina get the better of the aerial ping-pong that ensues. The visitors will throw a lineout on the Springboks’ ten-metre line.
South Africa 0-3 Argentina, 6 minutes16:26 , Harry Latham-Coyle
South Africa show their variety with the boot, a flat crossfield kick and a higher angled hoist both well contested for by Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe, flashes of yellow on their scrumcaps glinting in the evening sun. Argentina handle it reasonably competently, though, with Santiago Carreras then covering the backfield superbly to get across to an attempted punt for territory.
South Africa 0-3 Argentina, 4 minutes16:24 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Jesse Kriel drops a certain score! This chaotic opening continues, Kriel getting his arms up to block an Argentina clearing kick, and a try his for the taking as the ball hops up in-goal. But it slips off his fingertips as he leaps to try to ground - he probably had time to watch it fall a little further with no Argentine nearby!
Kriel slaps his hands together, annoyed with himself.
PENALTY! South Africa 0-3 ARGENTINA (Santiago Carreras penalty, 3 minutes)16:23 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Straight and true from the Argentina fly-half.
Julian Montoya is in need of attention, Argentine red pouring down the hooker’s face. The captain is patched up and back in the line in time to receive the restart.
South Africa 0-0 Argentina, 2 minutes16:21 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina point at the posts this time, this penalty slightly more central. Santiago Carreras takes the tee, with no Emiliano Boffelli today.
South Africa 0-0 Argentina, 2 minutes16:20 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina tap the penalty on the floor, captain Julian Montoya taking charge of restart duties and inviting his fellow forwards to try and bash down the door. They don’t manage it, South Africa’s blitz defence driving the Pumas back - but not without conceding a penalty.
South Africa 0-0 Argentina, 1 minute16:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Faf de Klerk is on and throwing a ball around with his teammates as South Africa try to occupy idle, anxious hands as they wait for Williams to be treated. The scrum-half has a neck brace on as he is carefully shuffled on to a stretcher. An awful start to the game.
Williams is sucking in oxygen from a facemask as he’s taken off on the medical cart.
South Africa 0-0 Argentina, 1 minute16:16 , Harry Latham-Coyle
“It’s completely unavoidable,” Andrew Brace explains to Duane Vermeulen as the Springboks skipper questions whether there was any foul play in Mallia’s actions. A fair call from the referee - Mallia charged Williams’s punt down and had no time to evade the kicker, turning away to try and avoid contact.
This is so, so tough for Williams, the livewire nine’s first start at an end just 16 seconds in.
South Africa 0-0 Argentina, 1 minute16:14 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A disaster start for South Africa! Grant Williams is charged down as he tries to clear having claimed the restart, with Juan Cruz Mallia’s hip then thumping into the scrum-half’s head and appearing to have knocked him out.
Argentina have a penalty but there is real concern for Williams, starting for the first time for South Africa.
KICK OFF!16:12 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Argentina will get us underway. A blast on the whistle and off we go!
South Africa vs Argentina16:10 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A long pause after the Himno Nacional Argentino as a few dignitaries amble out for some handshakes with the players and officials, an ill-timed interruption, the crowd growing restless waiting for the South African anthem. Soon the Ellis Park faithful are permitted to perform, joining the youth choir in their rendition. Francois Pienaar, John Smit and Siya Kolisi - winning skippers in 1995, 2007 and 2019 - stand in front of Duane Vermeulen, looking proudly up towards the heavens as they sing.
South Africa vs Argentina: Match officials16:02 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
ARs: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Chris Busby (Ire)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Aus)
South Africa vs Argentina16:00 , Harry Latham-Coyle
The Ndlovu Youth Choir treat the Ellis Park crowd, someway below capacity, to a rather charming rendition of “World in Union”, the Rugby World Anthem sung as some of South Africa’s winning squad members in 1995 and 2007 make their way around the pitch. Plenty of the 2019 vintage in the Springboks side today, looking for another statement of intent ahead of their defence later in the year.
South Africa vs Argentina15:55 , Harry Latham-Coyle
One more Rugby Championship ding-dong, then, before we call this year’s competition to a close and accelerate towards the World Cup. Second spot on the ladder is up for grabs to today’s winner - and it’s a gorgeous evening in Johannesburg, the temperature due to drop significantly tomorrow but the dipping sun shining bright at Ellis Park.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina15:46 , Harry Latham-Coyle
You fancy South Africa will be fast out of the blocks today having failed to really fire a shot in the first 20 in Auckland a fortnight ago. The Springboks found joy playing with ambition against Australia, and there might well be spaces wider against an Argentina backline without a couple of key defensive lieutenants. That Willie le Roux has started all three of South Africa’s games in this competition is illustrative of his importance to this side as a second distributor - Le Roux really took control with Damian Willemse struggling in that defeat to New Zealand, engineering a second half rally, and I’m excited to see him go to work with Manie Libbok again after they painted pretty pictures in partnership against the Wallabies.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina15:33 , Harry Latham-Coyle
South Africa’s players are out and about on the Ellis Park surface and beginning to ramp up their preparations. This is a farewell fixture for the side, their last on home soil before they head off to France to defend their World Cup crown. Duane Vermeulen is taking it all in, this his swansong in South Africa, with the number eight all but certain to retire whenever the Springboks’ French adventure ends.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina15:28 , Harry Latham-Coyle
Still a little while until kick-off in Jo’burg, but today also sees the start of the Summer Nations Series, or the World Cup warm-ups as they might more commmonly be called. The rest of Europe gets into the swing of things next weekend but for now Scotland and Italy are the lone performers on the bill, their encounter up and running at a rather miserable looking Murrayfield. Plenty of experimentation in both starting line-ups, and a relatively clunky start - an obstinate seagull has been the highlight of the first ten minutes.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina15:19 , Harry Latham-Coyle
I thought Marco van Staden was excellent against Australia in the first game of this year’s Rugby Championship, filling in for the injured Siya Kolisi on the openside and offering a similar blend of breakdown acumen and carrying threat. It is understandable that Jacques Nienaber has returned to the back row trio that started in Pretoria today, Van Staden, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen a nicely balanced unit.
The latest news on the absent Springboks skipper is good, by the way, with Kolisi reportedly ahead of schedule in his recovery and able to have some involvement in yesterday’s captain’s run at Ellis Park. Handre Pollard is on the mend, too - Jacques Nienaber has suggested that both might be back to face Wales in Cardiff on Saturday 19 August.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina15:06 , Harry Latham-Coyle
South Africa, meanwhile, are bracing for the physical challenge this Pumas pack might pose, Argentina shorn of a couple of back five regulars but still with real bite in the second and back rows.
“It’s going to be a tough game. Argentina are physical in the scrums, mauls and lineouts, so we have to man up,” Trevor Nyakane said earlier this week.
“They’ve come a long way from being a team that just wants to be physical. They are big on their lineouts and scrums, and if you are not alert, they can put you under pressure.
“No matter how much you dominate, they never go away. They like to go to dark places where other teams don’t necessarily go.”
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina15:01 , Harry Latham-Coyle
That Argentina backline definitely has an attacking look, with Lucio Cinti continuing his development at centre alongside a new partner in Santiago Chocobares, good whenever called upon by Toulouse over the last couple of years. There is no guarantee that any of the men sporting jerseys eleven to fifteen today are starters come the World Cup - but a big performance on South African soil would do their chances no harm.
Team News - Argentina14:50 , Harry Latham-Coyle
With a win in Sydney representing a solid enough return from this Rugby Championship for Michael Cheika’s Pumas, the Argentina coach is prepared to rotate, welcoming back a handful of players given extra resting time after late-season exertions in France. La Rochelle’s Joel Sclavi provides tighthead back-up from the bench but the inclusion of Toulouse backs Santiago Chocobares and Juan Cruz Mallia further illustrates Argentina’s depth in the three-quarters. Racing 92’s Juan Imhoff, now 35, remains one of the game’s finest finishers and gets a first appearance of the summer, too.
There are starting chances for Lucas Paulos at lock and Lautaro Bazan Velez at scrum-half, while Ignacio Ruiz takes the place of Agustin Creevy on the bench – perhaps leaving Creevy free to become Argentina’s first centurion on home soil in Buenos Aires next weekend.
Argentina XV: Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya (capt.), Francisco Gomez Kodela; Lucas Paulos, Tomas Lavanini; Pablo Matera, Santiago Grondona, Juan Martin Gonzalez; Lautaro Bazan Velez, Santiago Carreras; Juan Imhoff, Santiago Chocobares, Lucio Cinti, Mateo Carreras; Juan Cruz Mallia.
Replacements: Ignacio Ruiz, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Joel Sclavi, Pedro Rubiolo, Facundo Isa; Gonzalo Bertranou, Tomas Albornoz, Matias Moroni.
Team News - South Africa14:47 , Harry Latham-Coyle
It’s a mix and match job for South Africa, Jacques Nienaber blending together the starting side that ran all over Australia with the one that struggled to get going in Auckland. Manie Libbok takes over from Damian Willemse as he gets another opportunity to press his case as the back-up World Cup fly-half, partnering the livewire Grant Williams, while a wing combination of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe is exciting, two free electrons who should cause plenty of problems if given opportunity in the open field.
Duane Vermeulen captains the side in what is likely to be his final outing in South Africa, while Malcolm Marx starts ahead of Bongi Mbonambi with little to choose between two excellent hookers with different skills. Nienaber moves away from his preference for six forwards on the bench, naming just the five but including Trevor Nyakane for the first time this summer.
South Africa XV: Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie; Marco van Staden, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen (capt.); Grant Williams, Manie Libbok; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe; Willie le Roux.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman; Faf de Klerk, Lukhanyo Am, Damian Willemse.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina14:40 , Harry Latham-Coyle
These two have had a fortnight off since contrasting performances round two, South Africa below their best in Auckland against the All Blacks but Argentina valiant and victorious over Australia in Sydney. This could be plenty of fun this afternoon, both coaches opting to make a couple of tweaks as they tinker and test their squads ahead of more important business to come.
Rugby Championship LIVE - South Africa vs Argentina14:37 , Harry Latham-Coyle
A very good afternoon and welcome to the final fixture of this year’s condensed Rugby Championship, with Argentina in Johannesburg hoping to snatch second spot away from the Springboks. New Zealand’s win over Australia this morning has secured the All Blacks a third successive competition crown, but the World Cup is looming ever larger on the horizon, with each and every minute of in-game action vital learning time for these sides ahead of the tournament in France.
