Remember NEW kick-off time for Springboks vs Argentina

GAME DAY: Remember NEW kick-off time for Springboks vs Argentina

For reasons still unknown, the Springboks’ Rugby Championship Test in Argentina will kick off 10 minutes later than previously advertised.

Argentina vs Springboks Rugby Championship lick-off time confirmed

For reasons still unknown, the Springboks' Rugby Championship Test in Argentina will kick off 10 minutes later than previously advertised. Image: SA Rugby

For reasons still unconfirmed, the Springboks’ Rugby Championship match against Argentina on Saturday will kick off 10 minutes later than previously advertised.

According to an updated SA Rugby media release on Thursday, the clash at the Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero will now kick off at 23:10.

The news may be welcomed by night owls, but will have others questioning whether to stay up – or catch the repeat on Sunday morning.

No 1 ranking

Meanwhile, as reported by The South African website, Rassie Erasmus’s Springbok side will put their World Rugby No 1 ranking on the line once again this weekend.

The top-ranked Springboks will play seventh-placed Argentina in the first of two Tests this weekend in this year’s Rugby Championship.

The ‘return’ fixture will take place at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday, 28 September.

The Springboks have played Argentina on 17 previous occasions in Argentina and boast 14 wins, lose defeat and one draws.

The draw (16-16) came back in 2012, while South Africa’s two defeats took place in 2016 (26-24) and 2018 (32-19).

The Springboks’ overall record against the Pumas is even better.

In 36 previous Tests, the Springboks have won 32, lost three, with that single draw.

Latest odds

Hollywoodbets have marked up the Springboks as 1/4 favourites to triumph on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Argentina can be backed at 3/1, with the draw after 80 minutes on offer at 25/1.

In terms of handicap, the Springboks are seen as 9.5-point favourites.

Rankings explainer

Ahead of the Test, the Springboks sit top of the rankings pile with 93.58 points, with Argentina on 82.49.

A victory by 15 points or fewer for the Springboks will see their points tally grow by 0.19 points. Similarly, a defeat by that margin will see Argentina’s points total drop by 0.19 points.

A win by 16 or more points for the Springboks will see them gain 0.29 points – and the Pumas lose a similar tally.

Neither of the above two scenarios would see either team change position in the standings.

A draw would see South Africa lose 0.81 points, but stay top, while with such a result, Argentina would pick up 0.81 points and move into sixth place ahead of Scotland.

A win for Argentina by 15 or fewer points would see them pick up 1.81 points (and the Springboks lose 1.81 points), and again move to sixth place, with the Springboks dropping to second spot.

A victory by 16 or more points for Argentina would see them pick up 2.71 points – and again move to sixth spot. The Springboks would lose 2.71 points and slip to second place.

WORLD RUGBY RANKINGS

Rank	Country	Points
1	South Africa	93.58
2	Ireland	92.12
3	New Zealand	88.70
4	France	86.96
5	England	85.40
6	Scotland	82.82
7	Argentina	82.49
8	Italy	79.98
9	Australia	79.34
10	Fiji	78.43
11	Wales	76.04
12	Georgia	74.10
13	Japan	73.53
14	Samoa	72.30
15	Portugal	70.61
16	Tonga	68.12
17	Uruguay	67.39
18	Spain	66.29
19	USA	66.08
20	Romania	62.62

Referee

Saturday’s Test in Santiago will be refereed by England’s Christophe Ridley who not only will be making his Rugby Championship debut, but has never previously refereed a match involving the Springboks.

TEAMS

Argentina

15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo

Substitutes: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 21 Gonzalo Garcia, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Matias Moroni

South Africa

15 – Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 14 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), 13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), 12 – Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), 9 – Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), 8 – Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks), 7 – Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), 6 – Marco van Staden (Bulls), 5 – Ruan Nortje (Bulls), 4 – Salmaan Moerat (captain, Stormers), 3 – Thomas du Toit (Bath), 2 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), 1 – Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks)

Substitutes: 16 – Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), 17 – Gerhard Steenekamp (VBulls), 18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 19 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 20 – Elrigh Louw (Bulls), 21- Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), 22 – Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), 23 – Manie Libbok (Stormers)