SPRINGBOK COACH HEYNEKE MEYER has one of those great dilemmas that will surely make him the envy of the rugby wold.
The South African watched scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar put his side 38-6 ahead of Argentina before his replacement Fourie du Peez delivered a 30-minute masterclass.
The ‘Boks were 9-6 ahead of Argentina after 30 minutes of their Rugby Championship opener before a penalty try opened the floodgates. In total, nine tries were scored by a rampant home side and Morne Steyn kicked 28 points. The final score was a ghastly, lopsided 73-13 and memories off the Pumas’ 16-16 with the same opponents last year are well and truly distant.
With du Preez, who plays his club rugby in Japan, only on international duty for South Africa’s home matches, many supporters reckoned he would start against Argentina. Meyer stuck with the reliable, rapid service of Pienaar and was proved right. With the ‘Bok pack battering the visitors to a pulp, he kept a fluid drive to their attacking thrusts.
“This was Ruan Pienaar’s best performance since I started coaching him,” declared Meyer after the 60-point win.
Felipe Contepomi captained Argentina for the drubbing and declared, post-match, that South Africa are pushing New Zealand for he accolade of world’s best team. He called du Peez, who scored a ry five minutes after being sprung from the bench, the best scrumhalf in the world.
The debate on du Preez or Pienaar will have to wait until next month as the Suntory Sungoliath player returns to Japan. He will feature in his country’s final two games of the championship, at home to Australia and the All Blacks. Next up for Pienaar and his international teammates is a battered Argentina in Mendoza.
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