Rusty Springboks dig deep against Argentina to provide sobering warm up for All Blacks

The Springboks, fresh off their injured players and teetering on the brink of defeat, secured a 17-10 victory against Argentina, a crucial warm-up before facing the All Blacks. Coach Rassie Erasmus had warned the Boks would face an ugly battle, and they did, wrestling the victory from the grasp of a stubborn Pumas side. Despite the Boks' early struggles, including captain Siya Kolisi's early exit with a hamstring injury, they managed to squeak out a narrow win.

The match saw several controversial moments, including a hold on an Argentine player that resulted in a minor penalty for Springbok Cameron Hanekom, who narrowly avoided a yellow card. Argentina scored early, taking a 10-3 lead within the first 13 minutes, largely due to penalties and a try by Benjamín Grondona. However, the Springboks' resilience shone through with an early Edwill van der Merwe try, which came from a slick play involving Canan Moodie and Aphelele Fassi.

The second half brought little improvement, but the introduction of Handre Pollard proved pivotal. The experienced flyhalf steered the Boks with precision, capitalizing on a post rebound to secure the match-clinching try and delivering a 17-10 win. The Boks' performance, though far from perfect, highlighted their ability to rise to the occasion in pressure situations, providing a sobering reminder of what the All Blacks are up against.