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The second match of the Rugby Championship is nearly underway and following this morning's 12-12 arm-wrestle in Sydney, this promises to be a more open affair. Both teams are forced into late changes with Juan Martin Hernandez ruled out and Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias replacing him at inside centre for the Pumas while Marcell Coetzee comes in for Willem Alberts for the Springboks.
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| 1 |
5 - 0 |
Torrential rain in Pretoria - hopefully it won't be a game littered by errors
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| 2 |
7 - 0 |
Well that did not take long. 70 seconds in and South Africa have their first try with Ruan Pienaar darting down the blindside to score. Pollard adds the extras
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| 5 |
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Argentina are awarded a penalty about 60 metres out and that means it is Marcelo Bosch time.It's a good strike from the Saracens man but it sails just to the right of the posts
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| 6 |
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Argentina have reacted well since the penalty and a strong scrum draws a penalty from in front of the posts
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| 7 |
7 - 3 |
No mistake from Sanchez and in a further bonus for the Pumas, Pollard's restart goes out on the full
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| 11 |
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All very stop-start in Pretoria. Argentina getting the edge in most areas of the game but both teams are struggling with handling. It could come down to tactical kicking and attempting to force errors
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| 13 |
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Bit of a stoppage as both teams attend to their walking wounded. Springboks have a scrum in their half on their put in.
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| 14 |
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The ball is spending plenty of time in the air with the teams hoping for knock ons
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| 16 |
10 - 3 |
Ayerza is whistled for illegal scrummaging and the Springboks have a chance to get a seven-point lead. Pollard slots the penalty with ease
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| 18 |
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Half chance there for Argentina as Sanchez puts Montero in to space but he fails to hold on to the ball. It must be like a bar of soap now
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| 19 |
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Seems to be a good tactic of trying to kick in behind the defence and leaving it to a foot race. The Boks try it but it is Bryan Habana who loses out to Sanchez.
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| 21 |
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A valiant effort from Willie le Roux to stretch South Africa's lead as he chips the Pumas' defence and attempts to catch it and dot it down in the process but Lobbe's try-saving tackle prevents it. Scrum to the Pumas on their own 5-metre line
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| 25 |
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Argentina need to get a foothold in this match and fast. South Africa are starting to find some space in the Pumas' ranks. You feel they have to get supremacy at the set piece if they are to have any hope
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| 26 |
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And just after I type that, Pumas get whistled for an illegal formation at the lineout.
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| 28 |
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Pumas enjoy some time in South Africa's 22 but they, inevitably, knock it on
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| 31 |
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Even one of the world's best players Le Roux is struggling. His kicking game hasn't been at its best today. Most of the game so far has focused around the middle quarters of the field with the ball occasionally being kicked into both 22s
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| 34 |
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That looked to be a chance for South Africa as their driving maul set up a good attacking platform but Pollard knocked the ball on as he attempted to force his way through the Pumas' defence
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| 35 |
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Neat kick through from Le Roux puts Argentina under pressure as they have a lineout on their own 5-metre line
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| 38 |
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Another half chance for the Boks as Jean de Villiers has Habana outside him with clear field in front of him but the pass finds touch instead of the winger's out-stretched hands
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| 40 |
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And that's the end of the first-half. A few handbags break out as Sanchez takes umbrage to De Allende's late hit but it comes to nothing.
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Second-half is underway - this game would be perfect for the controlled boot of Morne Steyn
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| 42 |
10 - 6 |
Good start to the second-half for Argentina as they draw a penalty and Sanchez slots from just to the left of the uprights
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| 43 |
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Argentina are doing their best to push the pace of the game but the sodden turf is proving difficult to spring off
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| 45 |
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All getting a little bit heated in Pretoria as Etzebeth and Cubelli get to know each other. And South Africa swap their fly-half with Morne Steyn on for Handre Pollard
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| 48 |
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Argentina are their own worst enemy here as poor kicking from hand and subsequent scrambles on the floor gift South Africa a penalty right in front of the sticks
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| 50 |
13 - 6 |
First kick of the match is an easy one for Steyn as he slots three points from in front of the posts
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| 52 |
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| 54 |
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The possession is switching between the two teams and eventually results in a penalty to Argentina and they hoof it into touch
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| 59 |
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More kick tennis between the two sides. It really is very edgy in Pretoria with the referee's interpretation of the breakdown going some way to breaking it up.
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| 62 |
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This game really is a battle of the midfield with the odd kick over the top. Neither side can get any creativity going
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| 64 |
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Great work from the Boks at the breakdown forces Argentina to hold on to the ball and South Africa have a big opportunity here. Strauss has the lineout five metres out
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| 66 |
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Good work from the resilient Argentina defence as they force the rolling maul into touch. They need a solid lineout here
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| 67 |
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Well that kick barely made Argentina's 22 - South Africa lineout in a good position once again
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| 70 |
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After more exchanges in possession we have yet more knock ons and scrums... which then get reset
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| 72 |
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Tendai Mtawarira is whistled for illegal scrummaging and Argentina put the resulting penalty into touch
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| 74 |
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Argentina have their best chance of the match to get a try but South Africa eventually turn the Pumas over, on their own try line and Steyn clears
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| 77 |
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It is all Pumas now as they attempt to hammer their way into South Africa's 22 but that wall of green stands firm
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| 78 |
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Big chance for the Pumas there as Steyn's kick is charged down but Pienaar gets there first to dot it down for a 22-metre drop out
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| 80 |
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Despite a valiant attempt from the Pumas to give them a shot at the posts for a draw, Argentina's last play ends, predictably in a knock-on and the Boks have their first win of the Rugby championship
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