Boks give Mandela nine-try Birthday present against Argentina

The Wallabies and All Blacks were given little clues on how to approach the Springboks in the upcoming South African leg of the Tri-Nations as the Springboks trounced Argentina to the record tune of 63-9 in a Barbarians style performance on Saturday at Coca-Cola Park (formerly Ellis Park) in Johannesburg.

The Boks ran in 9 unanswered tries, two each to J P Pietersen and Joe van Niekerk, and singles to Fourie du Preez, Jongi Nokwe,  Pierre Spies,  Adi Jacobs and Bismarck du Plessis while Butch James landed all nine conversions.

The real concern to South African coach Peter de Villiers, apart from trying to decipher his selection options for next week’s Test against the All Blacks in Cape Town, will be injuries to Bakkies Botha (who was replaced before half time) and returning centre Jaque Fourie, fractured cheekbone.

The injuries were balanced by the return of suspended hooker du Plessis and injured scrumhalf du Preez, a replacement in the second half, who both had very strong games. Du Preez especially looked very sharp and will be a real Test to both the All Blacks and Wallabies defences.

But the Boks did start very slowly in the Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Celebrations Test, played under BLVs (Barnes Law Variations). The Springboks seemed baffled for the first half hour by the double act of the English referee Waynes Barnes’ interpretations (including full-arm rather than short-arm penalties for all infringements) and the helter-skelter nature of Argentina’s play.

Indeed for the first thirty minutes it seemed Barnes may be the undoing of the Boks, as he was for the All Blacks at last year’s Rugby World Cup, as the Pumas preyed on South African errors and worked hard at the breakdown winning numerous turnovers.

The Boks were clearly frustrated giving away a number of penalties, four in range of Argentinean flyhalf, and marksmen, Felipe Contemponi who landed three of them to put Argentina up 9-0 after 24 minutes.

To make matters worse the Boks were determined to play running Rugby, no matter where on the field they found themselves or how high risk the passes. The results for at least the first quarter of the game were less than impressive.

Argentina could’ve gone further ahead if not for the (probably illegal) intervention of du Plessis when the Pumas looked like scoring after a kick through.

Indeed the Pumas would love to stop the game there as the score for the following 55 minutes was South Africa 63 – Argentina zip.

The turnaround started on 32 minutes when South African centre Jean de Villiers, as he has done so often for his country, made a break from nothing, scything through the Pumas defence on a 40 metre run before passing to centre partner Jacobs who went in for South Africa’s first try.

Flyhalf James converted to bring the World Champions back to 9-7.

The sweltering conditions at Coca-Cola park, as well as the massive pressure applied at scrum time by the Springboks, were starting to tell on Argentina and South Africa started to take advantage of the tiring Puma defence by swinging the ball wide, often within their own 22.

Soon after new Test cap Nokwe took the ball on a long run down the left touchline, then popped up again shortly after to jink through three flimsy tackles to notch South Africa’s second try. James converted again to send South Africa to the halftime break enjoying a surprising 14-9 lead.

The flood gates opened after the break with the Boks running in seven spectacular, often long-range, tries.

It started just three minutes into the second period with a quick Bok turnover, as usual engineered by open flanker Luke Watson, who had easily his best Test, playing as a link to backs and forwards and often (seemingly) a second scrumhalf.

The turnover ball came quickly to Pietersen who kicked ahead where No.8 Spies showed tremendous pace to gather the bouncing ball and dive over. James again converted to make it 21-9.

A moment later Pietersen, returning to his form of last year’s Rugby World Cup, was again in the action taking the ball at first receiver from the ruck and finding a gap between two Pumas forwards to race away and score his first try. Again James was accurate with the conversion to make it 28-9.

Coach De Villiers then rung the changes bringing on Percy Montgomery for his 99th Test cap, Du Preez for Ricky Januarie at the scrumbase and Fourie for centre De Villiers.

And Du Preez was the next to score, finishing off a flowing move after good linking by Watson. James again converted to make it 35 – 9.

Joe van Niekerk then came on for his 50th Test and he was in for a five-pointer himself minutes later after Jacobs made a long break before popping up a pass to put the Lions No.8 over. Again James was accurate with the extras.

A minute later Van Niekerk was in again, trotting around under the posts to finish off a long range move, again from a turnover, and James dropped kicked the two pointer. 49 – 9 and still twenty minutes to go.

Du Plessis brought up the half century with a try five minutes later, James taking the total to 56, and after yet another turnover Pietersen kicked ahead, outpaced the Argentinean defence and re-gathered to score his second. Another drop from James and now it was 63-9.

The injuries and replacements had played havoc with the Boks backline with No.8 Spies now on the wing, Montgomery at flyhalf, Jacobs at inside centre and James at outside. Reserve hooker Adriaan Strauss had also come on at No.8.

The scoring slowed as the clock ran down and Argentina almost plucked their own five pointer but Du Preez was on the line to dis-possess the determined No.8 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, who never stopped trying.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry and Wallabies mastermind Robbie Deans might be scratching their heads after this game, wondering just what the Boks will come up with next week.

If the world champs play the same open Rugby over the next few weeks we’re in for a very entertaining, high scoring end to the Tri-Nations. But both the Men of Gold and the All Blacks will be confident that when all the speed and ball movement stops – they might be ahead on the scoreboard.

Nelson Mandela 90th Birthday Celebration Test

Final Score

Springboks 63 (J P Pietersen 2, Joe van Niekerk 2, Fourie du Preez, Jongi Nokwe, Pierre Spies, Adi Jacobs and Bismarck du Plessis tries; Butch James 9 conversions) defeated Argentina 9 (Felipe Contemponi 3 penalties) at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg. (Half time: Springboks 24 – Argentina 9)