Louis Koen's last-second penalty lifted South Africa to a 26-25 win and denied Argentina from making history in a one-off rugby union test Saturday.
Argentina, fresh off a historic 2-0 series win over France, looked set to beat South Africa for the first time ever when the Pumas led 25-16 with five minutes left in regulation time.
Then the fresh legs of replacement wing Brent Russell pierced the Argentine defense for a converted try in the 77th minute to narrow the margin to two points.
As the Pumas continued to settle for protecting their lead into injury time, Springboks No. 8 Pedrie Wannenburg broke down the right touch and into the Pumas' 22. Argentina conceded a penalty at the ruck, and Koen, who was 5-for-5 on goalkicks at that point, drilled the sharp-angled penalty through the middle of the posts.
"They worked off our mistakes, but I didn't think we deserved to lose," captain Corne Krige said.
Argentina could feel unlucky at Eastern Province Stadium after its ninth straight loss to the Springboks. An intercept try by center Felipe Contepomi was disallowed by Welsh referee Nigel Williams on the advice of a touchjudge.
Pumas lock Rimas Alvarez, who'd been yellow-carded in the first half, was caught punching Krige at the bottom of a ruck.
Within minutes, however, Pumas fullback Juan Martin Hernandez finished off their third long-range try in the 69th minute to set up a nine-point margin which seemed too great for South Africa to bridge. Until the last frantic minutes when South Africa was boosted by replacements Russell, and forwards Bob Skinstad and Selborne Boome, South Africa struggled to sustain any cohesion or confidence.
South Africa scored first from Davidson gathering his chargedown and sending hooker Danie Coetzee over. Koen's conversion made it 10-0. But Argentina led 15-10 after two tries in three minutes by Contepomi and wing Jose Maria Nunez Piossek.
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