Boks beat Pumas in Salta to go 2-0 in Rugby Championship

By Associated Press 27 August 2017, 12:00AM

SALTA, Argentina (AP) — South Africa played in red and Argentina received a red. It all turned out red for the Pumas.

The Springboks put to rest some demons in Argentina by beating the ill-disciplined Pumas 41-23 in the Rugby Championship on Saturday.

The Springboks are two-for-two in the championship following the 37-15 win over the same side last weekend in Port Elizabeth.

The Pumas tend to be much tougher at home, and beat South Africa on the same ground last year.

But the Pumas undermined their latest effort with two yellow cards plus a red for lock Tomas Lavanini, which meant they played more than half the match with 14 men.

Lavanini was yellow-carded in the first half for a no-arms tackle, and received a second yellow and automatic red in the 57th minute for a deliberate knock down as South Africa was advancing on the try-line. It was the turning point. South Africa received a penalty try as well, and their lead bumped from a still-close 24-13 to a safe 31-13.

Even though Argentina quickly replied with a converted try to center Matias Moroni, South Africa's confidence was up, and it rolled on to a first victory away from home since the 2015 Rugby World Cup in London, where it beat Argentina for third place.

The Springboks, wearing red jerseys to celebrate 25 years of unity in South African rugby since the end of apartheid, misfired at the start.

Flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who would finish with 19 points, missed his first two penalty kicks, and opposite Juan Martin Hernandez wasted a Moyano intercept and try chance when he cross-kicked into touch.

South Africa dominated the set-pieces and was impressive throughout. Only its own errors kept Argentina in the match.

A clever Jantjies chip set up the first of South Africa's five tries, as center Jesse Kriel sent flanker Siya Kolisi away.

South Africa gifted Moyano a try from a restart but Argentina paid the visitors back when No. 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamon was sin-binned just before halftime. Jantjies then slipped a tackle and stretched out to score for a 17-10 lead into the break.

The Pumas knocked on when they were threatening to score soon after, South Africa fullback Andries Coetzee broke away, and Kolisi played a nice one-two with Kriel for his second try.

Lavanini's red, the penalty try, and Moroni's try followed, but South Africa finished strong with a converted try by replacement No. 8 Jean-Luc du Preez.

By Associated Press 27 August 2017, 12:00AM
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