It is seldom rare that every player jumping off the bench turns the game around but that is exactly what happened on Saturday evening when the Springboks came from behind to steal the show away from Argentina in a nail biting Rugby Championship encounter in Salta.
Trailing the Argentineans late in the game, coach Heyneke Meyer made radical changes that saw the Boks emerging 33-31 victors over the South Americans to put pressure on current holders New Zealand who had earlier drubbed Australia 51-20.
The win meant that South Africa leaped to the summit of the overall standings closely followed by the All Blacks.
On Saturday, with 20 minutes to go, the home team led 28-16 but late tries in the final quarter by right wing Cornal Hendricks and replacement flank Marcell Coetzee swung the tide in the Springboks favor. A late penalty goal by replacement fly half Morne Steyn was the difference in the end.
Trailing the Argentineans late in the game, coach Heyneke Meyer made radical changes that saw the Boks emerging 33-31 victors over the South Americans to put pressure on current holders New Zealand who had earlier drubbed Australia 51-20.
The win meant that South Africa leaped to the summit of the overall standings closely followed by the All Blacks.
On Saturday, with 20 minutes to go, the home team led 28-16 but late tries in the final quarter by right wing Cornal Hendricks and replacement flank Marcell Coetzee swung the tide in the Springboks favor. A late penalty goal by replacement fly half Morne Steyn was the difference in the end.
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“I have said it before, but I really think Argentina is a much better team than what their world ranking shows, and they showed it again today. We are happy that we could pull it through but it could have gone either way,” said Captain Jean de Villiers at the post match press conference.
Meyer was full of praise for the replacements and testified they had shown great character to pull this one through.
The Championship will now take a two weeks break before resuming with the eagerly anticipated clash between the Springboks and Australia.
Meyer was full of praise for the replacements and testified they had shown great character to pull this one through.
The Championship will now take a two weeks break before resuming with the eagerly anticipated clash between the Springboks and Australia.
By: Farai Diza
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