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Hello and welcome to ESPN's live text commentary as the Springboks take on Argentina - what a sight for the home crowd, who applaud as Jean de Villiers leads South Africa out onto the field at Kings Park. It was December last year when he suffered a horrific knee injury against Wales in Cardiff - some thought he would not play again.
Here we go - South Africa's national anthem is over. The Springboks ditch their cricket-style tracksuit bottoms and we're about to get underway...
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| 1 |
0 - 5 |
Handre Pollard starts us off. Early chance for Argentina, who make hay down the left with some neat handling. Willie le Roux clears up and we'll have an Argentina line out.
TRY ARGENTINA! Lovely move from the lineout. It's worked back inside, before Juan Imhoff offloads for Marcelo Bosch to dive across.
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| 2 |
0 - 7 |
Juan Martin Hernandez converts.
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| 7 |
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Free kick South Africa, quickly taken by Pienaar, who offloads to Schalk Burger - he runs straight into a high challenge from Pablo Matera. Looks like the Pumas No.6 caught Burger's with his shoulder. Springboks scrum.
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| 8 |
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And the Pumas pack is penalised - penalty Springboks.
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| 9 |
3 - 7 |
Easily put away by Pollard.
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| 10 |
3 - 7 |
Excellent turnover by the Pumas from the restart - the ball eventually falls to Hernandez, who sends his drop goal attempt well wide of the posts.
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| 13 |
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Pollard thinks he's through - but it's been brought back for obstruction. De Villiers looks like the culprit - Pumas lineout.
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| 15 |
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Nervy clash so far - both these teams are still searching a win in the Rugby Championship, having both lost to Australia and New Zealand.
However, the Pumas will be buoyed by the All Blacks losing earlier today - they're in the same World Cup Pool...
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| 17 |
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Good movement from the Pumas, but it lacks penetration. Eventually a knock-on costs them and the Springboks are awarded the scrum. However, Vincent Koch is penalised - penalty Pumas, within range, at 40m. Hernandez to take...
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| 18 |
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Distance is good, but it's the wrong side of the post. Pumas still lead 7-3 in Durban.
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| 20 |
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Another scrum, this time on the far side of the pitch - South Africa penalised again...
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| 21 |
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But once again, Hernandez puts it wide of the posts. Pumas should really be further clear here.
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| 22 |
3 - 12 |
Brilliant dummy from Hernandez and he's away, making about 20 yards into the Springboks half...
TRY ARGENTINA! The Pumas had the penalty advantage for a high challenge from Burger - but they didn't need it. Tomas Cubelli pivots brilliantly through the Springboks defence and offloads perfectly for Juan Imhoff, who turns on the afterburners and sprints clear before diving over the line.
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| 23 |
3 - 14 |
Hernandez adds the extras to give the visitors a healthy lead.
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| 27 |
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Six phases down for the Springboks, who cannot seem to break the Argentina line. Phase seven and South Africa have a penalty - Chaparro pulled up for diving on the ground...
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| 28 |
6 - 14 |
Pollard lands his second penalty of the night - his kicking hasn't been brilliant in the field, but he cannot be faulted from the tee so far.
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| 29 |
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South Africa are clearly rattled here - Marcel Coetzee drops a bread and butter catch 30 metres or so from his own posts - scrum Pumas.
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| 30 |
6 - 19 |
Argentina have dominated the scrum for the opening 30 minutes - South Africa are really struggling to handle the pressure from the set piece.
TRY ARGENTINA! Brilliant work from the back of the scrum - Leonardo Sonetore with a classy offload to Cubelli, who easily finds Imhoff to his left to outnumber the Springboks' last line of defence. Great finish from Imhoff, for his second try of the match.
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| 32 |
6 - 21 |
Hernandez has no trouble converting from the tee - South Africa are in tatters...
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| 34 |
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What a run from de Villiers! The Springboks captain finds the gap and motors towards the line. He looks at Bryan Habana burning down the left, but opts for the fake - and is tackled yards from the tryline. Finally the Springboks are coming to life.
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| 35 |
11 - 21 |
TRY SPRINGBOKS! The pressure pays off! Powerful drive to the line by Lood de Jager and the number five touches the ball down just in time. Excellent reach.
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| 36 |
13 - 21 |
Pollard converts and the Pumas lead is reduced to 21-13.
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| 37 |
13 - 24 |
How do you let all momentum evaporate? Give away a penalty, which is what Tendai Mtawarira does directly from the restart. Hernandez converts easily to add another three points to Argentina's lead.
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| 38 |
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Pollard's in-play kicking has been shady at best. This time he fails to clear the required 10 metres from the restart.
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| 39 |
13 - 27 |
Bosch - penalty goal
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| 40 |
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And what a way to end the half from Argentina - immediately after conceding the try, they've hit back with two quick-fire penalties. Bosch, with about three miles between him and the posts, kicks superbly and the flags are raised. We're on for a shock at Kings Park.
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Argentina have never beaten South Africa in a Test, let alone on their home turf - can they hold on for a famous victory? Second half is underway...
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| 41 |
13 - 32 |
TRY ARGENTINA! Hugely controversial - Jean de Villiers is fuming. The referee calls time on while medics are still on the pitch - Hernandez kicks the ball up, offloads to Imhoff who crosses the line in the corner for his hat-trick. The Springboks are livid - with good reason, too.
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| 42 |
13 - 34 |
Hernandez converts an Imhoff try for the third time this match.
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| 48 |
18 - 34 |
What a game of rugby this is. South Africa hit back through Willie le Roux. It's Le Roux who catches the high kick, before quick work from de Villiers finds Jesse Kriel. He bursts through one tackle, offloads back inside to Le Roux, who bursts clear with pace and agility to burn.
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| 49 |
20 - 34 |
Pollard adds the extras from a tight angle to reduce the gap to 14 points.
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| 53 |
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This is much better from the home side, who are now being cheered into life from a half-empty Kings Park. A Springboks lineout five metres from the Pumas tryline - but it's too high for everyone! Huge mistake from the homeside, who had a big chance to seize the momentum.
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| 55 |
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Le Roux is away again - his pace is causing the Pumas all sorts of problems now. He waits and waits and waits for support - before chucking the ball out of play. Argentina lineout.
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| 56 |
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Lood de Jager gets over the advantage line - but another chance goes begging thanks to a South African mistake. Argentina scrum.
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| 57 |
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Couple of replacements for either side - Lucas Noguera Paz and Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias both on for the Pumas, with Jeronimo de la Fuente and Marcos Ayerza making way. Adriaan Strauss and Marcel van der Merwe are both on for the Boks, having replaced Vincent Koch and Bismarck du Plessis.
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| 60 |
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A big bag of little mistakes has cost South Africa so far - this time it's a forward pass towards Bryan Habana. Cobus Reinach comes on for Pienaar.
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| 62 |
20 - 37 |
Big moment - now there is big daylight between the sides. Argentina have been significantly cleaner on the back of their rucks, but that one looks like a knock-on from Cubelli. Hernandez offloads to Bosch, who goes for the drop goal - and turns immediately knowing full well it will fly between the posts!
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| 63 |
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Boos ring around Kings Park as, once again, Pollard sends his restart out of touch.
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| 65 |
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That'll be Pollard's last contribution - he's brought off, with hometown hero Patrick Lambie brought on to rapturous applause from the Durban crowd.
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| 66 |
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Now Cubelli comes off - he's been superb this evening. Worrying scenes for South Africa, though, as Marcell Coetzee limps off heavily. Not what you want to see 41 days out from a Rugby World Cup. Lwazi Mvovo replaces the South Africa number seven.
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| 68 |
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Both sides trade equally brilliant clearance kicks - but South Africa's marginally better drive is finding them better positions deep in Pumas territory. Mistakes continue to dampen their advance, though - another forward fumble, another scrum Argentina's way.
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| 70 |
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Time is running out for South Africa - Heyneke Meyer will have some serious questions to answer about this Springboks showing.
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| 71 |
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South Africa still haven't won a Test in 2015 and may be forced to wait until they face Japan in their Rugby World Cup opener in September. However, on this outing, that is far from a foregone conclusion!
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| 72 |
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TRY?! No! Quick play by Reinach, who bursts through just metres from the tryline. He grounds under pressure - Romain Poite calls for the TMO and all looks good, but the French official pulls it back for an earlier infringement - seems Reinach took a quick penalty from the wrong position.
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| 75 |
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Late drama! Yellow card for Argentina, Pablo Matera departs after a high tackle. The Pumas are so close to a huge victory, but they'll have to see it out with 14 men.
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| 78 |
25 - 37 |
TRY SOUTH AFRICA! The ball is worked wide and Bryan Habana scores with a great finish under pressure. But it appears to be a case of too little too late for the Springboks. The grounding has to be checked by the TMO, but it is ruled good. Lambie's conversion attempt, however, is not.
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| 80 |
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South Africa work the ball - but it's dropped forward under pressure! Argentina have beaten the Springboks in a Test match for the first time in their history! And they've finished third for the first time since their inclusion into the Rugby Championship!
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