The Springboks shrugged off an early injury blow to Grant Williams to battle to a win against Argentina in the Rugby Championship finale in Johannesburg on Saturday.
A second-half breakaway first Test try from Manie Libbok was the difference as the Springboks finished the Rugby Championship with a hard-fought 22-21 victory at Ellis Park.
While the Boks claimed a win in the final home Test of the year, there will be real concern over the status of Williams, who had his first Test start ended after just a handful of seconds.
Despite the clearly head-high dangerous challenge on Williams, referee Andrew Brace controversially ruled it to be accidental and instead awarded Argentina a breakdown penalty, from which the visitors took an early lead.
💥 El arranque tranquilo que tuvieron Springboks y Pumas.
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An excellently-worked try from Eben Etzebeth in the corner, assisted by Willie le Roux, sparked the Springboks into life and Damian de Allende soon after forced his way over from a massive driving maul.
However, the Springboks will be disappointed that they did not make more of their pack’s dominance, with some sloppy errors and inconsistent kicking costing the home side in promising positions.
Argentina went into the break 15-9 down, but make the Springboks sweat in the second half. It took a massive defensive effort from the hosts to repel Los Pumas, with Faf de Klerk making some crucial tackles, while Steven Kitshoff secured a couple of key turnover penalties.
The Springboks defence 💪
Steven Kitshoff’s work rate 🔥
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It was the home side’s defence that created the winning try, with De Klerk pouncing on a loose ball and giving it to Libbok to run in from the South Africa’s 22.
To their credit, Argentina kept fighting, scoring two tries in the last five minutes, but that would be a consolation for the visitors, who ran out of time.
Photo: @Springboks/Twitter