2012 Rugby Championship Game 2 Argentina vs South Africa - 25 August

[Hugh Jarse]

2012 Rugby Championship

25 August 2012:
New Zealand vs Australia at Eden Park, Auckland
Argentina vs South Africa - Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza

1 September 2012: Travel Bye

8 September 2012:
Australia vs South Africa at Patersons Stadium, Perth
New Zealand vs Argentina at Westpac Stadium in Wellington

15 September 2012:
Australia vs Argentina at Skilled Park, Gold Coast
New Zealand vs South Africa at Forsyth Barr in Dunedin

22 September 2012: Travel Bye

29 September 2012:
South Africa vs Australia - Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Argentina vs New Zealand - Estadio Ciudad de La Plata, La Plata

6 October 2012:
South Africa vs New Zealand - FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
Argentina vs Australia - Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario

 

[Brisbok]

Teams

Argentina:

15 Martin Rodriguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 TBA, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Alvaro Galindo, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero

Substitutes (from): Marcos Ayerza, Martin Bustos Moyano, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Juan Imhoff, Martin Landajo, Tomas Leonardi, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Bruno Postiglioni, Nicolas Sanchez, Leonardo Senatore, Tomas Vallejos

South Africa:

15 Zane Kirchner; 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (captain), 12 Francois Steyn, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss), 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Patrick Lambie, 22 JJ Engelbrecht

Meyer's preference for Bulls players is starting to become a little tiresome. Potgieter has done nothing to warrant selection in the starting 15. I guess Daniel did not do himself any favours with his anonymous performance last week, but I thought he deserved another chance.

Overall, not too unhappy with the team. Although we will really miss Bismarck! Maybe not in this game, but definitely in the rest of TRC.

 

[Jiggles]

I think Daniel was a little hard done by. Kirchner didn't play too well and I thought Pienaar was better than Hougaard with the little chances he got. Steyn still isn't attacking the gain line, so the Argies shouldn't concede to many tries if they just drift and stick on their man in defense. The Bekker-Etzebeth combo went well I thought.

 

[Blue]

That's a very unbalanced back row. Much of the same. Won't matter against the Argies bit will against the ABs and Wobs.

Daniel was pretty quiet but then again the Sharks use his skills and the bok game plan does not.

Kirchner needs to do something. Soon. Agreed Pienaar should start with Hougaard on wing.

Bekker needs to lift his game.

JJ Englelbrecht tours and Juan de Jongh gets sent back to WP. Don't get it. Not one bit.

Reckon Strauss will get better in a Bok jersey the more game time he gets. Hell of a player and a good leader.

 

[kronic]

Would of given the Argies a chance with Hernandez in. Boks should win this

 

[The Red Baron]

Kirchner at fullback is puzzling. From what I have seen, he really doesn't do a great deal. I would have Lambie at fullback ahead of Kirchner any day of the week. Or is Meyer easing Lambie back through the bench?

I'm with you re: Bekker there Blue. He really needs to put in. His lineout management needs to improve as well.

This should be a cracker of a game though!

 

[SuperGrover]

Looks likely that with Hernández out Fernández and Bosch are likely to be the 10-12 combo. I for one would really like to see how Agulla handles 13.

Hernández ruled out of Mendoza test

In a major blow to Argentina´ chances, Juan Martín Hernández has been ruled out of this Saturday´s match against South Africa in Mendoza. The Pumas flyhalf was injured in training and will not be fit for the match. Hernández was one of only two Pumas backs to get the better of South Africa in Cape Town as he and right winger Gonzalo Camacho were Los Pumas´ best attackers. He will be badly missed this weekend but should return in time for the away matches in Australia and New Zealand. His loss means Argentina are without three first choice players as hooker Agustín Creevy and backrower Juan Manuel Leguizamón have not recovered in time. Both picked up injuries earlier this month.

Santiago Phelan is yet to confirm his replacement but it is likely to be Santiago Fernández who would move in one from inside centre. He played in the position in place of Hernández at last years Rugby World Cup, starting at 10 against Romania, Scotland, Georgia and New Zealand after playing 12 against England. He played the past two seasons mainly at flyhalf for Montpellier but as played a number of times at flyhalf in place of François Trinh-Duc. Should Fernández start at pivot then Phelan will be forced to change the starting inside centre as he had named a 10-12 combination of Hernández - Fernández.

Phelan has two real options - Martín Rodríguez Gurruchaga and Marcelo Bosch. Both have been named to start in Mendoza with Rodríguez Gurruchaga at fullback and Bosch at outside centre. Rodríguez Gurruchaga is starting in place of Lucas González Amorosino who was not able to transform his form from the Top 14 into The Rugby Championship in Cape Town. Rodríguez Gurruchaga played the entrie 2011-2012 season at inside centre for Stade Français but was Argentina´ fullback at the World Cup. Bosch has been predominantly used at 13 for Biarritz over the past two seasons but not exclusively. He has also played fullback, flyhalf and inside centre.
He is a better player when he is a pivot but has had few opportunities for Argentina. He should be the player to play 12 with Rodríguez Gurruchaga playing 15. There is another option - Nicolás Sánchez at either flyhalf or inside centre. Like the other two he plays his rugby in France and went to Rugby World Cup 2011. He has, however, a lack of test experience and his best bet of playing is the bench.

Phelan can use this opportunity to do something that has been a possibility but is yet to have eventuated - play Horacio Agulla at outside centre. This weekend is the time to make this happen and without Gonzalo Tiesi there is all the more reason to do it. Tiesi is back playing rugby. He played for his local club, SIC in the URBA Top 14 this past Saturday and scored a try. He has, however, played less than five matches since injuring his kneee in Los Pumas´ World Cup match against England. Aside from Agulla, Phelan has Bosch and Rafael Carballo as his options for outside centre position. Carballo has not played for Los Pumas since 2010 and has always been used as a winger at international level. Agulla found himself playing 13 against England in the World Cup after both Tiesi and Contepomi were injured. Moreover, Agulla did train at times at outside centre ahead of the matches against Stade Français earlier this month. It is the choice that Phelan has to make. This will open up a place on the wing and Phelan ought to start Juan Imhoff.

http://rugbyworldcup-argentina2023.blogspot.com.au/

 

[Hairy Test Eagle]

If Argentina slow the game down enough I can see them being a real threat.

 

[kiap]

Argies are really taking it to the Bokke in this game.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

LOS PUMAS,!!!

Home Draw. Amazing.

 

[Riptide]

Good performance from Argentina who were fabulous at the set-piece and break-down, They offer little running threat outside their pack.

Boks were fortunate to secure draw.

Aus are now last place with zero points.

 

[aeneas]

This was easily the best of the two games played last night. Argentina are transformed when playing at home. The All Blacks and Wallabies will not be looking forward to their away games there.I think that the Wallabies have to play their game at altitude as well.

Argentina have a pretty simple game plan which suits the players that they have and the team sticks to the script.

The Boks were very lucky to escape with that draw. Steyn's charge down was luck personified.

Meyer the Bok coach looked sick in the coaches box every time the feed cut to him. I suspect he was thinking about the reception he going to get in the Republic with the first ever draw to Argentina on his resume.

 

[kronic]

The All Blacks and Wallabies will not be looking forward to their away games there.I think that the Wallabies have to play their game at altitude as well.

Rosario, 4 meters.

Pencil this in as Argentina's first win and the end of Deans.

ARU should refund all supporters that are going over, for the shit they'll dish up.

 

[Blue]

M Steyn - It's over. Enough.
Kirchner. Not again. Please.
Potgieter - never again please. Not test standard.
Andries Bekker - not up to it one bit. Being back J Kruger now. Bekker plays like a guy who is protecting hos body.
Hougaard is incapable of controlling a game. Looking more and more like a wing who is your backup 9.

We miss Bismarck.
We have to play Brussow when he is fit.
Bring Duane Vermeulen in now. We need someone angry in the pack.

Schalk Burger get better soon.

We need mongrel.

But Meyer will change nothing. Mark my words.

 

[tigerland12]

I have sympathy for the South African fans, they are going through the exact same nonsense with their coach as we are with Deans.

 

[Blue]

I have sympathy for the South African fans, they are going through the exact same nonsense with their coach as we are with Deans.

I honestly did not expect this.

I though Meyer would come in with a clean approach and pick players on form and develop a new game plan.

Yes he is coaching and the players are playing "let's not lose" rugby.

Very disappointed.

Hell I would love to see some of the young guns having a go. If we lose by 10 or 20 who gives a shit at this stage?

 

[Richo]

I have sympathy for the South African fans, they are going through the exact same nonsense with their coach as we are with Deans.

Unfortunately, it means the Wallabies will probably beat the Bokke and that will be used as a sufficient excuse to keep Deans around.

Could be some bad rugby when the two nations play...

 

[Blue]

M Steyn has the chance to win the game with a clutch kick and he misses.

If he can't make those kicks any longr thne why is he still the BOk 10?

But I am sure Meyer will come out with some sdhitty excuse this week why he missed.

Oh fuck this is just horrible. The "kick - chase" game plan is now just "kick".

 

[tigerland12]

How good was the Argentine line-out. Best in the competition easily (best in the world?)

 

[Italophile]

I have sympathy for the South African fans, they are going through the exact same nonsense with their coach as we are with Deans.

Ditto. Dodgy selections, zilch tactical nouse.