Springboks unbeaten run ends at hands of Los Pumas in Argentina

Hey all I finally had the idea to start a online petition to put a stop to this guys unprofessional bias writing. https://chng.it/CnGd4kQz6C

Jaw-dropping stats.

92% possession in the last 10 minutes, with the scoreboard at 29-28, but unable to find the 2 points necessary. Ouch!

Also, over the course of the game the Boks had 40% more passes, 80% more carries, and 50% more line breaks, but fewer points on the board. Is that a new-fangled attack that is still not working, or is the new normal for the Boks to work that much harder for their points than their opponents do?

But the real problem was defense. 28 points should be enough to win a game. The Boks are at their best when they consistently limit their opponents to 15 points or less. That's a good goal for any team. Argentina is a good (and under-rated) team, but the Boks have stopped good teams before.

Rassie needs to spend the next week figuring out why a backline that is full of double RWC winners has become so porous. The KLA yellow card explains some of it, but the Boks usually adapt. It may be time to call his buddy Nienaber. One part of it is that if you're going to de-emphasize the territorial game, then there is more pressure to minimize turnovers.

Manie will be wishing that there was a good kicker elsewhere in the team, so that he could contest for #10 without having to be a BMT place kicker. SA supporters were expecting something like the end of the Currie Cup final, but with a much easier kick. Unfortunately Manie doesn't seem to improve his kicking accuracy under pressure.

It has to be said: Congrats to Argentina.

Pumas were excellent value for the win, some brilliant tries! Boks playing with square pegs in round holes with an unbalanced side. Loads to learn from this defeat which has been coming if we’re brutally honest. Boks haven’t played well this RC and still found a way to win until yesterday. Rather get this mangled gameplan sorted sooner than later. Defense is suffering when players are chopped and changed plus it’s a wake up call to get it sorted. Anyway, a game Boks could have won but in a way glad to have lost in the grander scheme of things. Stop messing around with so many “combos”

Definitely not all on Manie, though the feeling of an inevitable miss when he takes to an important kick is not commensurate with top level play. Los pumas took advantage of some gaping holes in defence - as did Kriel and Fassi for their tries. 36 DC and humid AF is not rugby-playing weather and this had a huge effect on the game - scrappy and error-strewn with some schoolboy decisions/execution.

Much better at the breakdown from the Boks and immense scrummaging, but loss of control at the lineout, many missed tackles and a lack of leadership at times. Well done to Argentina - great to see them rising in the ranks, they're a team full of character, skill and passion and they deserved the win.

Onwards to Mbombela where I expect to see a very different game from SA, should be a cracker with all to play.

I am surprised that some of the SA fans of this site who are usually so toxic keep quiet today….but they will recognize themselves.

Im sure Rassie instructed Manie to miss that kick………

That Argentina attack is an adaption on the old Leinster attack. You can see why they were able to score so heavily against Australia.

puma power

Another Benny Hill article. Lol he is a sad little man.

Feel for Manie but realize at this level you need a “sure thing” when it comes to a place kicker. This miss was not even the most difficult - not like the penalty was at the touch line. Well, it’s a good thing the Boks can still win it at home. Would have been nice if they could’ve done a clean sweep.

Good on Pumas. Surely they're approaching top 4 status. We'll see when the witchcraft of world rankings is recalculated.

Good on Rassie for giving the wider Bok squad experience. I wish ABs coaches would wake to that. Of course, its all on his head if it blows up in his face if Bok don't take out the RC with all canons in & ablaze next week.

Great game Argentina. They have been the best team to watch this Rugby Championship. They're a great antidote to the one dimensional plodding rolling maul game.

The world champions choked that game away. 17-0 up and still lost the game in the end. No excuses for that embarrassment!

I hope now Rassie gets over his love affair with Libbock. He should be discarded forever as he only ever loses us matches with his amateur kicking.