Pumas grasp 26-24 win against Springboks with late penalty

Argentina 26-24 South Africa, Padre Ernesto Martearena Stadium
Scorecard

A crucial late 78th minute penalty by Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias helped the Pumas to grasp a narrow 26-24 win against the Springboks in the Rugby Championship clash on Saturday in Salta.

Iglesias, the third goal-kicker used for the match by the Pumas, turned out to be the saviour for the hosts as he set up Argentina's second-ever victory over South Africa with his three-pointer.

A high tackle by Ramiro Herrera on Francois Louw earned him a yellow card in the 19th minute allowing Sprigboks' fly-half Elton Jantjies to successfully score a penalty kick to put the visitors on the scoreboard.

However, immediately after the restart, South Africa was penalized in 22nd minute for not releasing the ball, thus awarding the hosts a penalty kick. Fly-half Nicolas Sanchez levelled the scoreboard with his successful kick.

Despite the hosts getting reduced to 14 men, the Springboks failed to make any further addition to their points tally during those 10 minutes.

Another penalty in 30th minute from a great position presented the opportunity to Sanchez to help his side take the lead. The 27-year-old did not disappoint his team as Herrera returned back from sin-bin after the penalty.

The Pumas registered the first try of the game in 31st minute following a brilliant offload by Manuel Montero to fullback Joaquin Tuculet who dived into the try-line. Sanchez added the extras with his conversion kick as the hosts took a healthy 10 points lead at the end of the first-half.

Allister Coetzee's men came out all guns blazing by leveling the score within six minutes into the second-half.
Jantjies' slotted his second penalty of the game in the 43rd minute, whereas Bryan Habana crossed over for his 65th Test try in the 45th minute after a round-the-back one-handed pass from Louw. Fullback Johan Goosen added the extras with a conversion as Morne Steyn replaced Jantjies.

The hosts however responded to the Springboks challenge by scoring a try of their own in the 48th minute as flanker Juan Manuel Leguizamon beat Habana in the air following a splendid up and under from centre Juan Martin Hernandez to find the openside-flanker on the right side. Hernandez added the extras with a successful conversion in absence of Sanchez who was substituted for Iglesias a minute before the try was scored.

Hernandez added another three to the hosts' tally with a penalty kick in the 54th minute as the hosts restored their half-time lead of 10 points.

However, the proceedings took another dramatic turn as the visitors added 11 points to their tally with two penalty kicks and an unconverted try.

Steyn slotted the 63rd and the 73rd minute penalty whereas replacement lock Pieter-Steph du Toit registered the 67th minute try.

With a trail by a single point, the hosts became visibly desperate to turn the momentum in their favor as scrum-half Martin Landajo made a failed attempt to score a drop goal in the 76th minute. However, a penalty opportunity for an earlier infringement presented an opportunity to Iglesias, who much to the delight of home fans did not disappoint, his team.

A week after letting an opportunity to win the game slip through its fingers, the Pumas got their revenge over the same opponents in Salta.