Pumas turn the tables
Argentina beat South Africa in coach Mario Ledesma’s first home test in charge as the Pumas produced a rampaging first-half performance in a 32-19 victory in the Rugby Championship yesterday.
Ledesma’s team scored three of its four tries in eight minutes in the opening half, wresting control with a double by right wing Bautista Delguy and a try from flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez.
After conceding an early try, Argentina led the Springboks by a commanding 25 points at one stage in a scintillating response of
29 unanswered points in just over
30 minutes.
Sanchez collected 17 points to lead Argentina to their third win over South Africa, all coming in the last three years.
It was also Argentina’s biggest margin of victory over the Springboks, surpassing by a point the 37-25 win in South Africa in
2015. And it was a first triumph this year for the Pumas, who lost three straight home games in June, a run that saw the end of former coach Daniel Hourcade and gave the former Argentina international Ledesma his chance.
Ledesma started with a loss in South Africa last weekend but turned it around in Mendoza, with Argentina much stronger than the Boks up front, more physical at the breakdown, and far more incisive with its attacks.
The Pumas’ performance reflected Ledesma’s progress in Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus
his former job with the Jaguares in Super Rugby, when he led the Argentine team to the playoffs this year for the first time and to a series of victories over South African opposition in Argentina.
On Saturday, Argentina led 27-7 at halftime and 32-7 early in the second half, despite South Africa captain Siya Kolisi having claimed the game’s first try.
In an early glitch for the Pumas, Kolisi scored by taking advantage of a missed tackle by Sanchez.
Sanchez and Argentina replied convincingly.
Delguy grabbed the home side’s first try in the 19th minute after a break by fullback Emiliano Boffelli. He then picked up his second four minutes later when the Pumas gained momentum with a powerful scrum.
Sanchez darted through a shambolic South Africa defence soon after lock Eben Etzebeth was sent to the sin bin for a ruck infringement on the Boks’ line.
The Argentina flyhalf then kicked a drop goal before halftime
‘‘We played like a team that’s playing club rugby. I must point a finger at myself when we perform like this.’’