RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: Argentina v South Africa

18.08.2012
Argentina v South Africa in Capetown

Venue: Newlands Rugby Ground

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Preview
Argentina enters a new and exciting era in its rugby history. The Tri-Nations has been expanded to allow Argentina to enter a top level test tournament. It has been a long wait for Argentina to receive the recognition they deserve. Although unplaced in the 2011 Rugby World Cup, Argentina stunned the rugby world in 2007 when they defeated home nation France to take 3rd place.

Argentina enters this test match with a strong team. Under their new captain Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe they will be formidable up front as always, especially in the front row. The backline, especially the back three, can be reliable if not explosive. Nearly all the squad ply their rugby trade in France or England.

South Africa were very inconsistent in the test series against England.New coach Heyneke Meyer will be looking for a top performance for eighty minutes. Criticism has been levelled at their inside back combination with Morne Steyn being out of sorts both in his play and his goal kicking.

This will certainly be a most interesting game of test rugby. Can’t wait!

Last Five Encounters
09.08.2008 South Africa 63-7 in Johannesburg
14.10.2007 South Africa 37-13 in Paris (World Cup, Semi-Final)
05.11.2005 South Africa 34-23 in Buenos Aires
04.12.2004 South Africa 39-7 in Buenos Aires
28.06.2003 South Africa 26-25 in Port Elizabeth

The first official test between these two nations was in 1993. South Africa won 29-26 in a close game in Buenos Aires. This was the first of a two-test series in Buenos Aires. In 1980 a South American side toured South Africa during the apartheid period. This side played tests against South Africa in which all the players were from Argentina. In 1932 South Africa sent a Junior side to Argentina in the first of a number of similar exchanges. The most famous being a win by Argentina against the South Africa Gazelles in 1965. This win firmly placed Argentina on the world rugby map.

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-South Africa 4th, Argentina 8th

IRB Ranking Points
South Africa 84.87, Argentina 79.25

Prediction: Argentina has not been able to put their top side together this season. I expect them to be rusty. South Africa by 16

TEAMS

South Africa

15		Zane Kirchner	Blue Bulls
14		Bryan Habana	Western Province Stormers
13		Jean de Villiers (capt.)	Western Province Stormers
12		Frans Steyn	Natal Sharks
11		Lwazi Mvovo	Natal Sharks
10		Morné Steyn	Blue Bulls
9		Francois Hougaard	Blue Bulls
8		Keegan Daniel	Natal Sharks
7		Willem Alberts	Natal Sharks
6		Marcell Coetzee	Natal Sharks
5		Andreas Bekker	Western Province Stormers
4		Eben Etzebeth	Western Province Stormers
3		Jannie du Plessis	Natal Sharks
2		Bismarck du Plessis	Natal Sharks
1		Tendai Mtawarira	Natal Sharks
16		Adriaan Strauss	Cheetahs
17		Patrick Cilliers (New Cap)	Golden Lions
18		Flip van der Merwe	Blue Bulls
19		Jacques Poitgieter	Blue Bulls
20		Ruan Pienaar	Ulster, Ireland
21		Patrick Lambie	Natal Sharks
22		JJ Engelbrecht	Blue Bulls
		HEAD COACH: Heyneke Meyer

Argentina

15		Lucas González Amorosino	Montpellier, France
14		Gonzalo Camacho	Exeter Chiefs, England
13		Marcelo Bosch	Biarritz, France
12		Santiago Fernández	Montpellier, France
11		Horacio Agulla	Bath Rugby, England
10		Juan Martín Hernández	Racing Metro, France
9		Nicolás Vergallo	Stade Français, France
8		Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (Capt.)	Toulon, France
7		Alvaro Galindo	Racing Metro, France
6		Julio Farías Cabello	Tucuman Rugby
5		Patricio Albacete	Toulouse, France
4		Manuel Carizza	Biarritz, France
3		Juan Figallo	Montpellier, France
2		Eusebio Guinazu	Biarritz, France
1		Rodrigo Roncero	Stade Français, France
16		Bruno Postiglioni	La Plata
17		Marcos Ayerza	Leicester Tigers, England
18		Juan Pablo Orlandi	Racing Metro, France
19		Thomas Leonardi	Los Pampas XV
20		Leonardo Senatore	Los Pampas XV
21		Martin Landajo	Los Pampas XV
22		Martín Rodríguez	Stade Français, France
		HEAD COACH: Santiago Phelan