u After a good start to the match the Springbok’s game fell apart at Mbombela Stadium tonight.

The Castle Lager Rugby Championship match was eventually won by the Boks. They played well for the first ten minutes and the last ten minutes. The other 60 minutes was error filled and bordered on pathetic. The Boks were poor, extremely poor.

South Africa built up a 10-3 lead and then poor defence a ludicrous decision making allowed the Argentinians back into the match. The Boks discipline lacked and they conceded too many penalties.

The visitors ran everything at the Boks and the home team’s ability to read the game was lacking.

Elton Jantjies missed a 46 -metre penalty in the fifth minute.

He made up for for it moments later when he broke through the Argentine backline and took the tackle. The second phase attack went right and right wing, Ruan Combrinck, scored a try in the right corner. Jantjies slotted the conversion from the right touch line.

Argentina’s first points came from the boot of fly half Nicolas Sanchez with a penalty kick in the 15^th minute

Shortly after the restart Jantjies slotted a 42 metre penalty to give the Boks a 10-3 lead.

Wing Manual Montero received a yellow card in the 21^st minute for a tip tackle. This seemed to spark Argentina and they attacked with venom.

Sanchez took the score to 10-6 with a long range penalty kick after the Boks went off side.

Then centre Matais Orlando scored in right corner after the Argentinians ran the ball down the line. Poor defence by South Africa cost them. Sanchez slotted a difficult conversion from the right touch line and Argentina led for the first time, 13-10.

Julian Redelinghuys came off in the 31^st minute and home boy Vincent Kock propped up the tighthead side of the scrum for the rest of the match. His first scrum was on the Argentine five-metre line, defensive ball, The Boks pushed the Argentines back and were awarded a penalty.

The Boks won the lineout and when the maul failed to go forward the ball went to the backline. Centre, Lionel Mapoe cut inwards but lost the ball in the grounding and the try was disallowed.

Jantjies’ 47-metre penalty, on 37 minutes, hit left upright and an earlier 53-metre attempt by Johan Goosen drifted left.

The half Argentinians led 13-10 at half time.

The second half mirrored the first, South Africa made far too many unforced errors, possession was kicked away with no positive results, and discipline was lacking. There was no spark.

Habana was yellow carded in 45^th minute.

In the 53rd minute Steven Kitshoff, Pieter-Stef du Toit and Jaco Kriel came on for Beast Mtwarira, Francois Louw and Lood de Jager.

A Jantjies penalty in 55^th levelled the score, 13-13.

Sanchez regained the lead for his side with a 40  metre penalty, with the Boks again transgressing by not releasing in the tackle.

Left wing, Santiago Condero, then scored under the poles. The Boks defence was at sixes and sevens. Sanchez chipped and Condero chased and regained possession to score, Sanchez added the extra two points. Argentina 23 – South Africa 13.

Then man-of-the match scrum half Faf de Klerk sparked a Springbok revival. The nuggety Nelspruiter broke from the base of the scrum. Goosen cut inside to receive the pass for a well-worked try. Jantjies converted and the Boks were just three points behind.

In the 42^nd minute Jesse Kriel replaced Damian de Allende.

A 43^rd minute Jantjies penalty levelled score at 23-23.

Playing with a lot more confidence the Boks opted to punt a kickable penalty into touch in the 78^th minute. They won the lineout and a maul formed. The ball went right to the back line and then left. Warren Whiteley found himself on the left wing and scored the match-winning try. The Mbombela Springbok faithful erupted with joy. Jantjies converted from the left touch line.

The Springboks won 30-23 but it was a game they should have won by a far bigger margin.

The played poorly and seemed rattled under pressure. It was a performance they cannot be proud of. A win is a win, but it was not pretty.

A tough game awaits them in Buenos Aires next Saturday. If they don’t show a vast improvement they will be put to the sword.

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