On Friday night, South Africa and Argentina will be looking to sign off their 2015 World Cup with a win as they contest the third place play-off at the Olympic Stadium in London.
Their tournaments so far
South Africa
South Africa began their World Cup with a shock defeat to Japan in Brighton, which lead many of South Africa’s national media to question Heyneke Meyer’s position as coach with their dismal performance in the Rugby Championship also fresh in the mind. However, they responded in the best possible way, as they won all of their remaining pool games to finish top of their group. They then overcame an injury-hit Wales side in the quarter-final’s before losing to the narrowest of margins in an exhilarating semi-final to New Zealand.
Argentina
Argentina have become the surprise package of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, as they reached the semi-final stage for the second time after also managing to do so in 2007. They began their World Cup with a defeat to holders New Zealand at Wembley Stadium, before overcoming Georgia, Tonga and Nambia by large margins in order to make sure they progressed as runners-up in Pool D. It was at the quarter-final stage where Argentina really impressed however, as they ran rampant over 2015 Six Nations champions Ireland, winning by 43-20. However, their magnificent run was to end at the semi-final stage as Australia beat them by 29-15 at Twickenham to end hopes of a first World Cup final for the Pumas.
Team news
South Africa
Willie le Roux; JP Pietersen, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Bryan Habana; Handre Pollard, Ruan Pienaar; Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield (capt), Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Adriaan Strauss, Trevor Nyakane, Jannie du Plessis, Lood de Jager, Willem Alberts, Rudy Paige, Pat Lambie, Jan Serfontein.
Argentina
Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Santiago Cordero, Matias Moroni, Jeronimo De La Fuente, Horacio Agulla, Nicolas Sanchez (capt), Tomas Cubelli; Marcos Ayerza, Julian Montoya, Ramiro Herrera, Matias Alemanno, Tomas Lavanini, Javier Ortega Desio, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Juan Manuel Leguizamon.
Replacments: Lucas Noguera, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Juan Figallo, Guido Petti, Facundo Isa, Martin Landajo, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Juan Pablo Socino.
