Springboks come back in second half to down Los Pumas in Argentina

A mostly second-string Springboks did the double on Los Pumas when they cruised to a deserved 24-13 win in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aries on Saturday.

The one concern for the Springboks will be the injury Lukhanyo Am picked up in the first half. The star outside centre didn’t come out in the second half and was replaced by Jesse Kriel.

The Springboks took to the field in Buenos Aries looking like cans of crème soda, but and they had the fizz to match in an opening quarter in which they kept the ball in hand and attacked with menace.

The long, loping stride of right wing Canan Moodie took the Springboks into the Pumas’ 22 and the forwards pounded away at the tryline until they won a penalty, but Manie Libbok nervously pushed a straight-forward kick wide of the upright.

Marvin Orie then charged down a Pumas clearance from the 22, but lost the race to ground it over the line. All the pressure was coming from the South Africans and Moodie almost scored in the corner in the 15th minute.

At last, the Boks got their first points when Libbok nudged home his second penalty attempt but that seemed to galvanise the home team and they surged onto their first meaningful attack and promptly scored. It came via scrumhalf Gonzalo Bertranou who took a quick tap penalty near the Bok line after thirst consecutive infringement by the Boks.

Libbok fluffed another shot at goal on the half-hour mark and that hurt all the more when a few minutes later Boffelli kicked his team into 10-3 lead. That penalty arose when Franco Mostert was yellow-carded for a late tackle.

The Boks burst out of the blocks in the second half with a two-try blitz from the wingers. First Jesse Kriel did well to free Makazole Mapimpi for a sprint to the corner, and then Libbok nudged a kick-pass out to Moodie and he cruised to the line.

Libbok was successful with one of the two conversion attempts while home winger Emanfilio Offelli’s boots made it 15-13. Libokk’s accuracy was becoming a big worry when he missed another shot at goal but then kicked a beauty from his own half and two minutes later he repeated the dose.

The Boks were deserved winners and did not turn their attention to Wales in Cardiff in two weeks.

Scorers

Springboks — Tries: Makazola Mapimpi, Canan Moodie. Conversions: Manie Libbok. Penalties: Libbok 4.

Pumas — Tries: Gonzalo Bertranou. Conversions: Emiliano Boffelli. Penalty: Boffelli.