Preview: South Africa v Argentina
There is no team the Argentineans would like to beat more than the Springboks - not because they hate and detest them, on the contrary because they love and admire them.
To Argentineans the Springboks are the benchmark, and so far they have not beaten them. Not yet...
Wales had never beaten South Africa - until 1999, that is. Nick Mallett's Springboks were about to break a world record for successive Test victories - until they played England in 1998, that is.
The Springboks were on tour in 2010 that would give them matches against the Four Home Unions and therefore the possibility of a Grand Slam. They beat Ireland, Wales and England but lost to little Scotland. The Grand Slam crashed.
Overconfidence has ever been the Springboks' besetting sin.
It was never more obvious than in 1982.
We say, glibly, that the Pumas have never beaten the Springboks, but the Jaguars have and all of them were Pumas.
In Pretoria the Springboks beat them 50-18. A relaxed week later they played the same Jaguars., all of whom were Pumas, in Bloemfontein and lost 12-21 when Hugo Porta scored all the Jaguars' points and did so in all four ways. They were the Pumas but we are not allowed to call them so.
Wales won in Wales, England in England and Scotland in Scotland but the Jaguars won in South Africa. Perhaps the second Test in Salta is a more likely venue for the first (official) Puma victory.
Certainly the Pumas think they can win and they have a dangerous commodity - youth on their side, not that all the Springboks are as old as Victor Matfield (who is not playing because of injury). In fact Damian de Allende, Handré Pollard, Lodewyk de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Marcell Coetzee and Jan Serfontein are all at the bottom of the twenties.
The Pumas are aware that the Springboks will be physical and a glance at the eight forwards in their starting pack confirms that.
The Pumas are not softies but they could find the going rough and if they do not keep control of themselves they could see the game running away with them.
Players to Watch:
For South Africa: Above all there is Willie le Roux, weaving his own unpredictable magic in his own way. Le Roux with his laughing eyes has it and alone is changing the nature of the Springbok game. You would certainly see him. When the ball is going toward Bryan Habana there is always a frisson of excitement and it will be interesting to see how South Africa's gentlemanly captain, Jean de Villiers, looks after the youths on either side of him. Handré Pollard has a big job and one can only hope that the ball that comes to him is quick and accurate.
For Argentina: Juan Martín Hernández was called the magician, but that sparkle seems to have faded. Marcelo Bosch and Joaquín Tuculet can score tries and the Pumas' scrumhalf, Martín Landajo, may just be one of the best in the world, an energetic and daring player whose service is usually excellent. But it is in their loose trio that they may just have their brightest stars - Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, who is their most capped player with 56 Tests and Pablo Matera.
Head to Head: Their are interesting units up front - the two front rows, the two loose trios and the two pairs of locks. It is in the last that the Pumas may be found wanting. The biggest battle may be between Duane Vermeulen, Francois Louw and Willem Alberts and the Pumas' loose trio. At flyhalf there is the skilled rookie Handré Pollard against strong, more experienced Nicolás Sánchez who can cut a line. Livewire Martín Landajo against Ruan Pienaar could be game changing but Pienaar may well enjoy the sheltering of his forwards.
Recent results:
2013: South Africa won 22-17, Mendoza
2013: South Africa won 73-13, Johannesburg
2012: Draw 16-16, Mendoza
2012: South Africa won 27-6, Newlands
2008: South Africa won 63-9, Johannesburg
2007: South Africa won 37-13, Paris
2005: South Africa won 34-23, Buenos Aires
2004: South Africa won 39-7, Buenos Aires
2003: South Africa won 26-25, Port Elizabeth
2002: South Africa won 49-29, Springs
Prediction: If the Springboks knuckle down they could just be too forceful and too fast for the Pumas and win by 15 points or more.
Teams
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 Damian de Allende, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Lodewyk de Jager, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 Jan Serfontein.
Argentina: 15 Joaquín Tuculet, 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Juan Martín Hernández, 11 Manuel Montero, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 9 Martín Landajo, 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 7 Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Mariano Galarza, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustín Creevy (captain), 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Matías Cortese, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 19 Matías Alemanno, 20 Leonardo Senatore, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Santiago González Iglesias, 23 Lucas González Amorosino.
Date: Saturday, August 16
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 17.05 (15.05 GMT; 12.05 in Buenos Aires)
Expected weather: Partly cloudy with a 20 percent chance of rain, a high of 23°C and a low of 10°C
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Steve Walsh (Australia), Marius Mitrea (Italy)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
By Paul Dobson