The 17-10 win in Buenos Aires was functional rather than convincing — 13 changes, no rhythm, second-best at breakdown and in the air — and Planet Rugby's five takeaways dig into what actually happened beneath the scoreline. The scrum was the spine of the win (seven from seven, Argentina managed two all night), but almost everything else disappointed. Feinberg-Mngomezulu was unusually indecisive, chasing the explosive option rather than running a backline; Reinach and Fassi, meant to hold shape through the changes, were among the least convincing Boks on the park; and the kicking game was so poor that Argentina's back three — particularly Mendy with four clean breaks — were handed free ball all night.
The piece identifies Argentina's defence as the area Erasmus will study hardest: a disciplined push-line that bent once in 80 minutes and forced the Boks to carry 146 times for just six clean breaks. Matera is rightfully flagged as the standout of the match — 14 tackles, six defenders beaten, the decisive 50:22 in the 79th minute, all while his back-row partners were off the field. On the flip side, Contepomi's injury-hit side produced genuine positives in Grondona, Moreno, Petti and the back-three, giving Argentina a clearer picture of their depth heading into the Jujuy and Mendoza Tests against Australia. The Kolisi injury cloud hangs over everything, with the All Blacks arriving in two weeks.