Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi hailed Los Pumas for combining "beautiful" attacking play with resolute defensive work as they kept their Rugby Championship hopes alive with a dramatic victory over South Africa.
Having won their first four games of the 2024 tournament, the Springboks knew a win in Santiago would have clinched their fifth Tri-Nations/Rugby Championship crown with a match to spare.
They raced into an early lead with tries from Aphelele Fassi and Jesse Kriel, only for Mateo Carreras, Pablo Matera, Joel Sclavi and Tomas Albornoz to go over in response for the hosts.
The visitors later re-established their lead in the second half, only for Albornoz's penalty to put Argentina 29-28 ahead, which remained the final score following a late penalty miss from South Africa's Manie Libbok.
After the win, which preserved Argentina's hopes of overhauling the Springboks in matchweek six, Contepomi said: "The victory could have been a defeat in the last minute.
"Beyond the result, which is obviously welcome, the important thing is what we were able to do at times, which is to impose our game.
"At times it came out and we shot ourselves in the foot, because we gave them an entrance into the game with penalties and unforced errors.
"South Africa are predictable, but it's not easy. You know what they are going to do, but they do it so well that it is very difficult to stop. Every centimetre counts.
"The attacking play is what is easiest to see, or the most beautiful, but I think a lot about our work on defence."
Argentina go to Mbombela for their final game next Saturday, sitting five points behind the world champions in the standings.
"We have many areas to correct," Contepomi said, looking ahead to that rematch. "There are small mistakes that allowed them into the game.
"It's about trying to minimise the ones you can control, the unforced errors. We are going to work on that to continue growing."
Markram hands South Africa consolation victory over Afghanistan
South Africa's Aiden Markram denied Afghanistan a series clean sweep as the Proteas clinched a seven-wicket triumph in the final match of their ODI encounters.
After being comfortably beaten in the first two games, Markram led his side to victory with an unbeaten 69 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Afghanistan's innings was dominated by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz who struck 89 runs from 94 deliveries as the hosts' batting order tumbled around him.
South Africa capitalised on their chances through the middle phase, with Rahmat Shah (one), Hashmatullah Shahidi (10) and Ikram Alikhil (four) all run out.
Nqaba Peter (2-22) claimed the final wicket of the day after capturing Naveed Zadran (one), with South Africa set a target of 170 to secure their consolation victory.
However, the Proteas started poorly in their run chase, losing the wickets of Temba Bavuma (22), Tony de Zorzi (26) and Reeza Hendricks (18) for just 80 runs.
Markram's innings steadied the ship for the Proteas, with his unbeaten knock coupled with a 90-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs (26) seeing the tourists home.
The victory salvaged some pride for South Africa, having been well-beaten in the first two encounters, while also providing some momentum heading into their upcoming series against Ireland.
Data Debrief: Markram restores Proteas' pride
Markram produced an impressive display at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with his unbeaten 69 including three sixes during his 98-minute spell.
He also ended his innings with an impressive strike rate of 102.99, a total only bettered by AM Ghanzanfar for the hosts (206.67).
Markram hands South Africa consolation Afghanistan victory
South Africa's Aiden Markram denied Afghanistan a clean sweep as the Proteas clinched a seven-wicket triumph in the final match of their ODI series.
After being comfortably beaten in the first two games, Markram led his side to victory with an unbeaten 69 to secure a comfortable victory for the tourists.
Afghanistan's innings was dominated by opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz, striking 89 runs from 94 deliveries as the hosts' batting order tumbled around him.
South Africa capitalised on their chances through the middle phase, with Rahmat Shah (one), Hashmatullah Shahidi (10) and Ikram Alikhil (four) all run out.
Nqaba Peter (2-22) claimed the final wicket of the day after capturing Naveed Zadran (one), with South Africa set a target of 170 to secure their consolation victory.
However, the Proteas started poorly in their run chase, losing the wickets of Temba Bavuma (22), Tony de Zorzi (26) and Reeza Hendricks (18) for just 80 runs.
Markram's innings steadied the ship for the Proteas, with his unbeaten knock coupled with a 90-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs (26) seeing the tourists home.
The victory salvaged some pride for South Africa, having been well-beaten in the first two encounters, while also providing some momentum heading into their upcoming series against Ireland.
Data Debrief: Markram restores Proteas' pride
Markram produced an impressive display at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with his unbeaten 69 including three sixes during his 98-minute spell.
He also ended his innings with an impressive strike rate of 102.99, a total only bettered by AM Ghanzanfar for the hosts (206.67).
Commitment to growth: Girlz coach Busby welcome upcoming friendlies with sights set on bigger goals
Jamaica’s senior Reggae Girlz Head coach Hubert Busby reaffirmed his team’s commitment to continuously improve their quality as he welcomed the three crucial upcoming friendly encounters against France and South Africa to cap the year on a high.
In fact, Busby was quick to point out that the matches—away to 10th-ranked France at the Stade Auguste-Bonal on October 25, and at home against 50th-ranked South Africa on November 29 and December 2—are part of the broader plan to enhance the team’s competitiveness on the global stage. They also represent crucial stepping stones in the Reggae Girlz preparation for next year’s World Cup qualifiers.
“Playing against top-tier teams like France and South Africa is exactly the kind of fixtures we need to raise our game. It’s important that we continue to test ourselves against the best, not only to see where we stand but also to continue the growth we’ve worked so hard for over the past few years,” Busby told SportsMax.Tv.
“So, we are pleased that we will have these quality matches to close out the year heading into 2025. Obviously, France is a top 10 opponent and South Africa have been a perennial African champions and World. So to be able to play France in a very hostile environment will be difficult for us, but again, it’s a challenge that we welcome and look forward to standing up to,” he added.
The South Africa encounters will mark the first time players that paraded their skills at the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup in Australia will be playing on home soil since the Olympic qualifying fixture against Canada last September.
This, Busby believes, will serve as a confidence booster for the team after two 0-4 losses away to Brazil in June and what will be another tough task against France. Prior to the Brazil friendly, a fairly young and inexperienced Reggae Girlz team lost two away friendlies to Chile.
“It will be great to have the players back in Jamaica in front of the home crowd. It has been a long time since the team has been in Jamaica so we are really looking forward to those games and really looking forward to have all the supporters and fans out to cheer the team on and further lift their spirits because I know they are excited to perform at home,” Busby shared.
Reggae Girlz against France at the 2023 Women's World Cup.
For Busby, high-profile friendlies against Brazil, France, and South Africa, in particular, are testament to the progress made by the Reggae Girlz in becoming a formidable force in Concacaf.
As such, the upcoming games presents an opportunity to assess the squad's strengths and weaknesses, as well as tactics and player combinations that will benefit the team in the long run as the Girlz set their sights on bigger goals for 2025 and beyond.
“These games aren’t just about results; they’re about performance and progression. We have a clear vision of where we want to go, and games like these are crucial in refining our style of play, building team chemistry, and ensuring we’re ready to take on the challenges ahead, especially in the World Cup qualifiers,” Busby stated.
“We will look at our playing model and dissect each and every area of that model in terms of how we are in and out of possession and how we transition both offensively and defensively. So each and every window we will target an area that we want to focus on and that is something that as a staff we are looking at now and we will head into these matches with some key areas of focus as it leads into the World Cup qualifiers next year,” the tactician noted.
The 42nd-ranked Reggae Girlz have made significant strides on the international stage in recent years, qualifying for back-to-back World Cups in 2019 and 2023, and their ambition remains to continue that momentum.
The Girlz suffered two 0-4 losses in two away friendlies to Brazil in June.
Busby believes that consistent exposure to high-level competition will be pivotal in maintaining and elevating the team’s standards as they seek an historic third-consecutive World Cup appearance.
“The goal is always the same and that is for this team to qualify for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. So everything we do now is about how we chart that path to ensure that the qualification objective is met. It is an ever-changing football landscape; teams continue to get better, so the challenge for us is to get better at a high level, and that is something that players, staff, the federation, and other stakeholders are committed to,” the former national goalkeeper declared.
Still, Busby acknowledged that the road ahead will be challenging, but he is confident in his team’s ability to rise to the occasion.
“We’re not just looking at the here and now; we’re building for the future, and I have no doubt that this team has the quality, the dedication, and the heart to achieve great things We’re building a legacy, and these matches are a part of that journey,” Busby said.
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