Saturday, August 25, 2012

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: South Africa v Argentina

25.08.2012
South Africa v Argentina in Mendoza

Venue: Malvinas Argentinas Stadium

Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)

Preview

File:Mendoza Ciudad.jpg
Images of Mendoza City. Thanks to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mendoza_Ciudad.jpg

On thing we can be sure of Mendoza is an ideal place as a base for an Argentinean team. This is a beautiful city near the foot of the Andes Mountains, the backbone of South America. It is not your usual place for test rugby but it most certainly will do.

Estadio Malvinas Argentinas.JPG
Malvinas Argentinas Stadium. Capacity 45,000 but not, according to Wikipedia, with seating for all. Image thanks to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estadio_Malvinas_Argentinas

Back to the rugby. So where are we up to with Argentina? What has last week’s 6-27 loss to South Africa meant to ‘Los Pumas’? That result may not be a disaster after all. Argentina will have picked the bones of that match clean, done their homework, changed their team, though about their approach and will most certainly be a formidable foe on some home turf.

South Africa on the other hand have plenty to think about. So dominant were they a score double the 27 last week was what should have been. It wasn’t and so they also had homework to do, team changes to make and thinking to do.

Both teams have done the thinking and made the changes. Argentina will need to play out of their skins, dominate up front and score tries. Even on a poor day I’d expect South Africa to win. Argentina’s time is not yet.

Whatever the result methinks Mendoza will be a city the visitors will be reluctant to leave.

Last Five Encounters
18.08.2012 South Africa 27-6 in Capetown (Rugby Championship)
09.08.2008 South Africa 63-7 in Johannesburg
14.10.2007 South Africa 37-13 in Paris (World Cup, Semi-Final)
05.11.2005 South Africa 34-23 in Buenos Aires
04.12.2004 South Africa 39-7 in Buenos Aires

South Africa Last Five P 5, W 3, D 1, L 1
18.08.2012 v Argentina W 27-6 in Capetwon (Rugby Championship)
23.06.2012 v England D 14-14 in Port Elizabeth
16.06.2012 v England W 36-27 in Johannesburg
09.06.2012 v England W 22-17 in Durban
09.10.2011 v Australia L 9-11 in Wellington (World Cup, Quarter-final)

Argentina Last Five P 5, W 3, L 2

18.08.2012 v South Africa L 6-27 in Capetown (Rugby Champ.)
23.06.2012 v France L 10-49 in Tucuman
16.06.2012 v France W 23-20 in Cordoba
09.06.2012 v Italy W 37-22 in San Juan
26.05.2012 v Chile W 59-6 in Santiago (CONSUR A)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-South Africa 4th, Argentina 8th

IRB Ranking Points
South Africa 85.08, Argentina 79.04

Prediction: South Africa by 11 points

Teams

13[1]
Argentina

15   Martín Rodríguez  Stade Français, France
14   Gonzalo Camacho  Exeter Chiefs, England
13   Marcelo Bosch  Biarritz, France
12   Santiago Fernández  Montpellier, France
11   Horacio Agulla  Bath Rugby, England
10   Nicolás Sánchez Bordeaux, France
9   Nicolás Vergallo  Stade Français, France
8   Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe (Capt.) Toulon, France
7   Alvaro Galindo  Racing Metro, France
6   Julio Farías Cabello  Tucuman Rugby
5   Patricio Albacete  Toulouse, France
4   Manuel Carizza  Biarritz, France
3   Juan Figallo  Montpellier, France
2   Eusebio Guinazu  Biarritz, France
1   Rodrigo Roncero  Stade Français, France
       
16   Bruno Postiglioni  La Plata
17   Marcos Ayerza  Leicester Tigers, England
18   Leonardo Senatore  Los Pampas XV
19   Thomas Leonardi  Los Pampas XV
20   Martin Landajo  Los Pampas XV
21   Lucas González Amorosino  Montpellier, France
22   Juan José Imhoff Racing Metro, France
       
    HEAD COACH: Santiago Phelan

34[1]

South Africa

15   Zane Kirchner Blue Bulls
14   Bryan Habana  Western Province Stormers
13   Jean de Villiers (capt.) Western Province Stormers
12   Frans Steyn Natal Sharks
11   Lwazi Mvovo  Natal Sharks
10   Morné Steyn  Blue Bulls
9   Francois Hougaard  Blue Bulls
8   Willem Alberts Natal Sharks
7   Jacques Poitgieter  Blue Bulls
6   Marcell Coetzee  Natal Sharks
5   Andreas Bekker  Western Province Stormers
4   Eben Etzebeth  Western Province Stormers
3   Jannie du Plessis  Natal Sharks
2   Adriaan Strauss  Cheetahs
1   Tendai Mtawarira  Natal Sharks
       
16   Tiaan Liebenburg * Western Province Stormers
17   Patrick Cilliers  Golden Lions
18   Flip van der Merwe  Blue Bulls
19   Keegan Daniel  Natal Sharks
20   Ruan Pienaar  Ulster, Ireland
21   Patrick Lambie Natal Sharks
22   JJ Engelbrecht  Blue Bulls
       
    HEAD COACH: Heyneke Meyer

* New test cap if called upon.

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