Rugby Championship Preview – 10th August 2019 at 8.40 pm
The first-ever Rugby Championship title for South Africa is there for the taking. In avoiding defeat against the All Blacks in their last match, they are now in the driving seat. It’s just a matter of holding their focus as they head to Buenos Aires to face the Pumas.
Argentina v South Africa Winner Odds*
South Africa 5/12
Argentina 2/1
Draw 22/1
* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on August 6th, 2019 at 5:33 p.m.)
Can South Africa claim the title?
So South Africa are on course for the title. They are sitting top of the four-team table with a one-point lead over New Zealand. The Springboks opened their account with a fantastic home win over Australia and they picked up a bonus point for their four tries scored in the match as well.
Then a last-minute try from Heschel Jantjies (who had been a man of the match against Australia) in Wellington against New Zealand, produced a stunning draw. It was a try made of equal parts brilliant and good fortune, but with Handre Pollard firing over the conversion, the Springboks got out of the game with a 16-16 tie. The important thing about that was it kept the All Blacks at arm’s length in the title race. It’s South Africa’s title to lose.
Head to head
South Africa lost to Argentina in an August Test last year, going down 32-19. The Springboks had won three in a row against them before that. In the last decade, the two have faced off fifteen times. South Africa are W11 L4, but two of their defeats have happened in the last five meetings.
Can Argentina deny the Springboks?
Argentina put on a tremendous show against New Zealand in their home opener this year’s Rugby Championship. They lost 16-20 but had the reigning World Champions on the ropes at times. The Pumas didn’t give up a single point to New Zealand in the second half of the contest. It was a brilliant performance up front from the Pumas, an area in which they pride themselves.
Their forwards had a bad day at the office though when they visited Australia. They were much looser and couldn’t get up the intensity levels that they had produced against New Zealand. Still, it was only a 16-10 loss that they suffered in Australia. So there are positives from that because they weren’t hammered, despite not finding their fluency. Can they upset South Africa?
Predictions
South Africa have looked head and shoulders above everyone else in the competition this summer. They don’t look as if they are going to take their eye off the ball. Argentina did have that great home performance against New Zealand, but the Springboks are playing with more fluency and confidence than the All Blacks currently are.
South Africa just need to get the job done, get those points on the board and not do anything crazy, so well back Argentina to stay within 6 points at 10/11* (Betting Odds were taken from bet365 on August 6th, 2019 at 5:33 p.m.).
