BOKS RUE MISSED CHANCES
SPRINGBOK coach Allister Coetzee, after the historic 26-24 Rugby Championship defeat against Argentina in Salta on Saturday night, praised the Pumas for their efforts but lamented his team’s inability to take their chances, both from the kicking tee and when they had attacking opportunities in the home side’s 22.
“I want to congratulate Argentina on their victory. They put us under pressure. As a team, we made some crucial mistakes and they took their better than what we did,” Coetzee said.
The beleaguered Springboks received more bad news after the match. Red hot right wing Ruan Combrinck has been ruled out of action for up to six weeks after he sustained a fractured fibula in the Boks’ first ever defeat against the Pumas in Argentina.
Combrinck was replaced seven minutes before halftime by Jesse Kriel after the winger had injured his leg and was taken to a nearby hospital for X-rays. Flyhalf Elton Jantjies, meanwhile, will undergo a scan to determine the extent of the groin injury, which forced him off the field soon after the start of the second half of the match.
“Although we lost Ruan and Elton because of injuries, we managed to come back in the second half. It was a big positive, but very disappointed about the many individual mistakes we made,” said the coach. “I’m not singling out any players, but at Test level, you have to take your opportunities and we didn’t do that.”
The Boks play the Wallabies in Brisbane on September 10 and then the All Blacks a week later in Christchurch.
“The defeat is hurting and the Springboks will never be satisfied with a loss. We will regroup and work hard to improve as a team so that we can be ready for the next Test against Australia in Brisbane,” Coetzee added. – ANA