South Africa VS Argentina Location: Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela
South Africa VS Argentina Date: Saturday, Sep 28
BetXchange South Africa VS Argentina Odds:
History
The top two teams in the 2024 Rugby Championship face off on Saturday with the title on the line. South Africa is leading the way with 19 points from four wins and one defeat, but they could be pipped to the title by Argenitna as Los Pumas sit in second place with 14 points from their three wins and two defeats. Argentina is ahead of New Zealand (11 points) and Australia (5 points), which shows how brilliantly the South American team has performed this year.
Argentina has wins over all three other nations in the Rugby Championship under its belt in 2024. It began the tournament with a shock win against New Zealand in Wellington before losing the second match in Auckland. An agonizing 20-19 defeat at the hands of the Wallabies in La Plata was the low point in its campaign, but it responded in sensation fashion with a record-breaking 67-27 defeat of the Aussies in Santa Fe in Round 4. This was not only the most points that Argentina has ever scored against Australia, but it is also the most points Australia has conceded in a Test against any team in the world.
Most fans expected the Rugby Championship to be decided in Round 5. South Africa was perfect at that point, with two comfortable wins over the Wallabies followed by a pair of much more hard-fought wins over the All Blacks. Rassie Erasmus’s team in Santiago del Estero was not entirely his first-choice squad, but there was more than enough talent and experience in it to get the Springboks over the line.
Instead, Argetina played one of their greatest ever matches on home soil. They defeated the Boks 29-28, holding South Africa scoreless for the last half an hour, with no points added to the 28 they had accumulated when Manie Libbock slotted a penalty in the 50th minute. Tomas Albornoz was only one for three on penalty makes, but his three-pointer in the 68th minute gave Los Pumas a lead they would never give up and put them in a position to go into Round 6 knowing they could still claim the Rugby Championship crown.
South Africa
Libboc starts at fly-half for the Springboks over Handre Pollard, and Jaden Hendrikse is in at No. 9 in a new-look halves pairing. The fearsome pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel are united in the midfield, while the likes of Vincent Koch, Lamclom Marx, and Kwagga Smith will add serious beef from the bench in the second half.
Argentina
Argentina has made seven changes to its team from the one that was victorious last Saturday. The one enforced change is a big one, with flanker Marcos Kremer, a start in France’s Top 14, ruled out through injury. Other changes in the pace see Pablo Matera and Franco Molina drop to the bench, while there are starting recalls for Juan Martin Gonzalez and Tomas Lavanini. This is still a team that can do some damage.
Best Bets
Argentina’s chances of winning the tournament are slim. They need to win by seven points or more while scoring at least three tries more than the Boks. If they chase this, I think they will, the game could get loose. South Africa will take advantage and win, though Los Pumas are good enough to cover the handicap.
