South Africa launched five tries in the first half-hour and cruised past Argentina 39-7 in a rugby international at Velez Sarsfield on Saturday.
The Springboks led 36-0 after 30 minutes then loosened their grip and could add only a second-half penalty by fullback Gaffie du Toit, who finished with two tries in a 24-point haul.
Argentina, without 10 starters who beat France and were edged by Ireland, dominated the last 50 minutes but too many errors prevented the Pumas from penetrating a proud Bok defence more than once, when Santiago Artese was driven over from a lineout to make it 36-7 at halftime.
The International Rugby Board failed to enforce its laws, and allowed French and Irish clubs to bar 11 Pumas from playing for their country, forcing coach Marcelo Loffreda to choose a mainly homegrown side whose inexperience was taken advantage of quickly before 35 000 spectators.
From a chargedown, Bok center Marius Joubert scored in the eighth minute, then Du Toit went over five minutes later after a well-worked move by the backs.
Joubert almost got his second try moments later but his quick-tap close to the Argentine line was knocked on. However, another chargedown of a Pumas kick gave number eight Jacques Cronje his first try of two, and Du Toit converted to make it 24-0 in the 21st.
Two minutes later, Cronje broke from a lineout and barrelled past two defenders for another converted try.
When replacement winger Brent Russell set up Du Toit for his second try at 36-0, the Boks looked set to post an unimaginable score on the fumbling, bumbling Argentines.
But the Pumas gathered their wits and drove lock Artese across — confirmed by television — and Juan Fernandez Miranda’s conversion gave some consolation to the battered home side going into the break.
However, while South Africa eased up in the second half and the Pumas’ defence tightened, Argentina also couldn’t find any more holes in the Bok line.
South Africa, named international team of the year, completed its 10th successive victory against Argentina in as many tests, for the new Danie Craven Trophy, and ended a tour in which it also beat Wales and Scotland but lost to England and Ireland. – Sapa-AP