The Pumas got an early taste of how tough life is going to be in the Rugby Championship as they were beaten 27-6 in their debut game.
The Springboks side ran in three tries to complete a comfortable triumph at Newlands in Cape Town. Juan Martin Hernandez, back in Argentine colours for the first time in three years, kicked two penalties for the Pumas in the first half.
Morne Steyn was on target with all three conversions and two penalties to grab 12 points for the home side and the home tries came from full back Zane Kirchner and flanker Marcell Coetzee, in the first half, and Bryan Habana after the break.
Santiago Phelan, the Argentinean coach, will rue the three penalty misses in the first 20 minutes of the second half, but of greater concern to him will be that his side never looked like scoring a try.
The two sides meet again in Mendoza on Saturday in the Pumas’ historic first home game in a global tournament.
