SA
No.Name
15Willie Le Roux, FB
14Makazole Mapimpi, W
T
2
13Lukhanyo Am, C
T
12Andre Esterhuizen, C
11Aphiwe Dyantyi, W
T
2
10Handre Pollard, FH
2
9Faf de Klerk, SH
T
1Tendai Mtawarira, P
2Malcolm Marx, H
3Frans Malherbe, P
4Eben Etzebeth, L
5Pieter-Steph du Toit, L
6Francois Louw, FL
7Siya Kolisi, FL
8Warren Whiteley, N8
Replacements
16Bongi Mbonambi, R
17Steven Kitshoff, R
18Thomas du Toit, R
19Marvin Orie, R
20Marco van Staden, R
21Embrose Papier, R
22Lionel Mapoe, R
23Damian Willemse, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park
4:05 PM, August 18, 2018
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'34-21 End of second half
80'Much to admire about the Boks today. They've done many things well. As is the way, they have much to work on also before the return leg at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas in Mendoza next week. Winning start is the best start. Pumas also shaped well in parts, and they were value for their halftime advantage, but they were clearly second best in the second stanza.
80'Substitute on - Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias , Argentina
80'Player substituted - Bautista Ezcurra , Argentina
78'Eben Etzebeth will be subject of headlines tomorrow, for his excellent 80-minute effort on his first game of the season, but Pieter-Steph du Toit may even have bested him in the Boks' second row. Great effort from both locks today.
77'Pumas finishing strongly, putting phases together, but South Africa's defence staunch. Great linespeed and also awareness around the edges. Looking untroubled without the ball.
74'Substitute on - Embrose Papier , South Africa
74'Player substituted - Aphiwe Dyantyi , South Africa
73'
73'Player substituted - Lukhanyo Am , South Africa
73'Substitute on - Lionel Mapoe , South Africa
72'Player substituted - Agustin Creevy , Argentina
72'Substitute on - Diego Fortuny , Argentina
71'34-21 Conversion - Handre Pollard , South Africa
70'
70'Springboks mount a spell of consistent pressure with Steven Kitshoff just short and Faf de Klerk goes through a gap to dot down by the poles. We're back to a more realistic scoreline that reflects the Springboks' second-half dominance.
70'32-21 Try - Faf de Klerk , South Africa
67'Argentina have done well to stem the bleeding. They looked in grave danger of being overrun, but they're back within a converted try. Courageous effort.
67'27-21 Conversion - Nicolas Sanchez , Argentina
67'27-19 Try - Matias Moroni , Argentina
65'Eben Etzebeth makes a bullocking run, not for the first time, and how he's been missed, but the move comes to nothing with a wide pass from Damian Willemse missing fellow debutant Marco van Staden, Matias Moronis intercepts and crossed untouched under the posts.
65'Substitute on - Bongi Mbonambi , South Africa
65'Player substituted - Malcolm Marx , South Africa
63'Player substituted - Gonzalo Bertranou , Argentina
63'Substitute on - Martin Landajo , Argentina
63'Player substituted - Andre Esterhuizen , South Africa
63'Substitute on - Damian Willemse , South Africa
63'Player substituted - Juan Figallo , Argentina
63'Substitute on - Santiago Medrano , Argentina
62'Damian Willemse enters to field to make his Test debut as Springbok No. 110. He's in at flyhalf with Handre Pollard shifting across to the centres. South Africa's most anticipated debut for quite some while.
60'South Africa looking dangerous now every time they get the ball and put it through hands.
60'Substitute on - Marco van Staden , South Africa
60'Player substituted - Francois Louw , South Africa
58'Player substituted - Frans Malherbe , South Africa
58'Substitute on - Thomas du Toit , South Africa
55'Incredibly strong midfield defence also from the Springboks, closing down the Pumas as the Pumas did to them in the latter stages of the first half.
54'Substitute on - Tomas Lavanini , Argentina
54'Player substituted - Matias Alemanno , Argentina
53'The Springboks are running riot. They're dominating the breakdown now, and then feeding the ball quickly through hands in the backs -- Makazole Mapimpi is the beneficiary again. This could get as ugly as the Bledisloe on this showing.
53'27-14 Try - Makazole Mapimpi , South Africa
52'Substitute on - Steven Kitshoff , South Africa
52'Player substituted - Tendai Mtawarira , South Africa
51'Substitute on - Tomas Lezana , Argentina
51'Player substituted - Pablo Matera , Argentina
51'Player substituted - Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro , Argentina
51'Substitute on - Santiago Garcia Botta , Argentina
49'Apologies for the technical issues that have befallen us, preventing us covering the start of the second half. We're back now and South Africa have come out firing. Aphiwe Dyantyi and Makazole Mapimpi each have scored for the Boks, who are now firmly on the front foot.
49'22-14 Try - Makazole Mapimpi , South Africa
44'17-14 Conversion - Handre Pollard , South Africa
42'15-14 Try - Aphiwe Dyantyi , South Africa
41'10-14 End of first half
40'
40'And that's halftime. Argentina leading 14-10, and the game is evenly poised although the Boks will lament mistakes in the offensive 22 while the Pumas are looking strong on the counter. All to play for in the second 40.
40'10-14 Start of second half
39'Really aggressive defensive linespeed from the Pumas, forcing the Boks backwards behind the gainline.
36'South Africa's scrum wins a penalty in centre field, 45 metres from goal. Handre Pollard, who'se 0/2 with the boot tonight, lines up the sticks. Make that 0/3, and seven points lost.
34'Strong counter-attack from South Africa, and they are back deep in Argentina territory after winning a penalty at a ruck. Argentina defend the position well, however, and the opportunity is lost. South Africa have turned down a number of kickable opportunities, and one wonders how that may play out after 80 minutes.
32'10-14 Try - Aphiwe Dyantyi , South Africa
31'Makazole Mapimpi makes another strong break on the Boks right wing sets up a strong attacking position, and Will Le Roux at second receiver makes a brilliant chip pass and Aphiwe Dyantyi ices the move after taking the ball in space just 5 metres from the line. Great try, coming after a spell in which the Boks had looked to be running out of ideas.
30'Argentina really getting the better of South Africa at the breakdown. Really strong to the ball, while the Boks seem to be struggling to think what to do.
29'5-14 Conversion - Nicolas Sanchez , Argentina
27'Pablo Matera silences the home crowd, touching down untouched in the corner after Siya Kolisi had run too far away from support in clearing away from danger down the flank. Argentina effected the turnover, and the backrower made his Boks counterpart pay.
27'5-12 Try - Pablo Matera , Argentina
25'Willie Le Roux makes a lovely half-break but the chance is lost without a support runner. Argentina break the other way through Bautista Delguy and the game is beginning to ebb and flo nicely.
24'Argentina putting incredible defensive work into the ruck and maul to prevent the quick ball the Boks are seeking.
22'Makazole Mapimpi shows jet heels to get into space after a static attack, and South Africa are able to pen Argentina back the other side of the pitch through strong defensive work from Aphiwe Dyantyi. Gonzalo Bertranou eventually clears the lines, and we're back on the 10 metres with a Springboks lineout.
20'The attack comes to zero with strong Argentine defence, and Nicolas Sanchez clears the lines from a penalty.
18'South Africa back on the front foot after Tendai Mtawarira charges strongly in midfield. Lukhanyo Am shows tremendous hands to rescue the move after a poor pass, and three phases later Malcolm Marx has effected another turnover penalty to lead to an attacking lineout close the the Pumas's line.
16'South Africa trying to shift the ball wide, but perhaps doing so without having earned the right to do so. Putting themselves under pressure.
16'5-7 Conversion - Nicolas Sanchez , Argentina
15'5-5 Try - Nicolas Sanchez , Argentina
14'Argentina putting together their first phases, and Nicolas Sanchez crosses untouched under the posts after Willie le Roux had spilled a high ball. Too easy there for Argentina.
11'Game has fallen into a lull, with a couple of scrum resets and the forwards then being involved in handbags with the ball out of play. Referee warning both teams that any replays will result in cards.
8'Excvellent interplay between the Springboks' backs and forwards, with Frans Malherbe involved before Faf de Klerk fires a quick pass to Lukhanyo Am and the Sharks centre touches down under pressure. Excellent try to cap a good opening spell.
8'5-0 Try - Lukhanyo Am , South Africa
6'Faf de Klerk kicks behind the defence from a ruck ball, and momentarily Aphiwe Dyantyi look set to score but the ball evades both the winger and the defence in Argentina's in goal. Good vision and awareness from the scrum-half.
5'Tendai Mtawarira notably involved in the early phases.
3'Excellent defence from Argentina, stopping phases before Emiliano Boffelli gets across to collect a chip from Aphiwe Dyantyi. Perhaps not the best decision to kick, but plenty variety in the Boks' early attacks.
2'Welcome back to Test rugby, Malcolm Marx. The Boks hooker over the top of the ruck ball to effect his first turnover of the game. Likely not the last.
1'We're underway with Handre Pollard kicking deep. Nicolas Sanchez misses touch, and South Africa look to go wide with second phase but the Pumas are awake to the threat.
1'So we've had the anthems -- passionate renditions of both -- and we're about underway. South Africa's rugby authorities might be concerned by the crowd, however. Plenty empty seats in the stands.
1'Certainly interesting to see how the Boks start today. Memories of slow starts against England still fresh, while the Lions, the best of South Africa's Super Rugby sides, too often were slow out the blocks. Good start is key if not imperative.
1'
1'Hello and welcome to our live blog coverage of the second Test of the 2018 Rugby Championship, between South Africa and Argentina in Durban.

New Zealand opened the tournament with another comfortable bonus-point victory over Australia in Sydney, and South Africa are expected by many pundits to follow suit given the way they defeated England in the June Test Window.

Here's our preview to the opening round of games, in which John Goliath says: The Springboks are growing as a team and they have prepared really well for this Test. They are always tough to be beat home, but Argentina will be a different kettle of fish under Ledesma. Still, the Boks will win by 10 or more.

The key inclusions for the Springboks are of Malcolm Marx and Eben Etzebeth, the latter named for his first competitive rugby action since the end-of-season season of Europe last year. Etzebeth Etzebeth is hoping to play the full 80 minutes vs. Argentina.

Siya Kolisi will also be hoping to play the full 80 minutes, after struggling for full fitness against England in his first series as captain. John Goliath believes he's looking a lot sharper now, and will be better now there is less of the media circus around his selection as the Springboks' first black captain.

As for Argentina, the Pumas coach, Mario Ledesma, says "good defending wins games". Ledesma, who will be in charge for the first time, has named six uncapped players in his squad and says his immediate goal is to improve their scrummaging and defence, two areas of traditional Argentine strength. "We need to get back to the fundamentals of our game," he said.
1'0-0 Start of first half

Rugby Championship 2018 News