It was always going to be a difficult task for the Pumas to defeat the experienced Springboks at Newlands in Cape Town as they made their Rugby Championship debut. Whilst they struggled to keep up with the Springboks they certainly played with flair, constantly winning the contest at the breakdown which was a surprise that the Springboks would not have expected. The Springboks had won all of their previous thirteen encounters so it was a big challenge to come to South Africa and go away victors. Part of their learning will be coping with the travel from one part of the world to the other and experiencing the differences of playing against the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks, who all play a unique style of rugby. In South Africa which is easily the most imposing venue of all it didn't take the Springboks long to get onto the scoreboard first when No.10 Morne Steyn kicked the first of his two penalty goals after three minutes into the match. The Pumas had plenty of possession but the Springbok's defence was impenetrable and they had very few realistic opportunities to get across the Springboks try line. Springboks fullback Zane Kirchner scored his second Test try in the 16th minute after some entertaining rugby from the Springboks who looked as if they were about the open the game with their lively play. Their second try in the first half came in the 27th minute when 21 year old future champion Marcell Coetzee scored in the right hand corner when he split away from a rolling maul to muscle his way over the line. The Pumas never lied down and attempted to attack the Springboks whenever they had the ball but they answered the Springboks when their No.10 Juan Martin Hernandez kicked two first half penalty goals. The score at half time was 20-6 with the Springboks looking for a four try bonus point. But to the Pumas credit they restricted the rampant Springboks to only one second half try when Morne Steyn kicked across field from a set piece scrum which was brilliantly taken by winger Bryan Habana to score his 41st Test try. The Pumas had three golden chances within the first six minutes of the second half to put points on the scoreboard but all three attempts at penalty goals went wide of the posts. Overall the Springboks were far too strong right across the field and in Cape Town they had the edge over a Pumas side that lacked experience but certainly not commitment. They will be a different proposition next weekend in Argentina when they play against the Springboks in Mendoza. Having played rugby in Argentina a couple of times I can honestly say that the latin blood will give the Pumas an extra leg and the Springboks will be in for the game of their lives. If the Springboks thought that their fans were patriotic just wait until they get to Mendoza which I have no doubt will be boiling pot of nationalities. Losing 27-6 to one of the strongest traditional rugby nations was not a bad effort but they must work harder is getting some more structure to their game particularly in their opponents 22. Last weekend was a great start to the beginning to what will be another enthralling contest between the strength of the Southern Hemisphere with the early money favouring the All Blacks.
Mark Ella