Argentina v South Africa: match preview, predictions, tip & TV details

TV: Sky Sports Action, 8.40pm Saturday

South Africa are top of the Rugby Championship table going into the third and final round of the truncated championship and head coach Rassie Erasmus has named a strong team as he brings his fuill squad together for the first time.

Erasmus sent several first-choice players straight to New Zealand to prepare for their round-two encounter while starting a few fringe squad members in their opening home clash with Australia.

That first fixture ended in a bonus-point win over the Wallabies, and another five-point success will hand the Springboks the Rugby Championship crown, but that might be a big ask in a meeting of two solid defensive line-ups.

The opening two rounds of the Rugby Championship have featured just 146 points in four matches - last year that figure was 209 while in 2017 it was 268.

Erasmus and Pumas coach Mario Ledesma have both shown their hands this year, employing a rush defence to counter the All Blacks' running game, and two physical sides going head to head look set to produce a hard-fought grind.

The Boks' last visit to Argentina in 2018 ended in a defeat in Mendoza, while in Salta, venue for this clash, South Africa has won by eight and two points with a two-point defeat in between.

The Springboks look refreshed under Erasmus and have a strong side out, with a powerful front row and a half-back pairing of the creative Faf de Klerk alongside combative fly-half Handre Pollard.

The should have too much for the Pumas, who have lost their last seven outings, three of them at home, but backing a close, low-scoring success looks the best approach.

Recommendations
South Africa to win by one to 12 points
2pts 17-10 Betfair
Under 50.5 points
2pts 10-11 Betfair

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