While you were sleeping: Spotlight turns on South Africa

Herald online

25 Sep, 2015 07:26 PM2 mins to read

South Africa's Jean De Villiers with his team following defeat in a Rugby World Cup Pool B match at the Brighton Community Stadium. Photo / AP.

There was just the one game overnight at the Rugby World Cup as Argentina earned a bonus point win over Georgia. Here's everything you need to know.

WHAT HAPPENED

Left winger Juan Imhoff and right winger Santiago Cordero scored two clinical tries each as Argentina scored seven - six after halftime - to thump Georgia 54-9.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Argentina have moved to second in Pool C and with two remaining pool games against Tonga and minnows Namibia on October 4 and 11, both in Leicester, Argentina are now out-and-out favourites to progress alongside the All Blacks into the last eight.

WHAT'S COMING UP?

We're building up to a huge day tomorrow with three games. All eyes will be on South Africa to see if they can get their campaign back on track against Samoa before Wales take on England at 8am (NZT). At 1.30am Italy take on Canada.

TALKING POINTS?

South Africa skipper Jean de Villiers has revealed he expected to be dropped after the Springboks sensational defeat by Japan in last weekend's World Cup pool game. There have been widespread calls in South Africa for Meyer and 34-year-old de Villiers to pay for the Japan defeat with their jobs. "We all know how important this game is for our country," de Villiers said. "We are a very proud nation. What saddens me is to see how a loss like this can break the country apart. That's a responsibility that we (have) to rectify."

De Villiers said "rugby is a game, but in South Africa it has become so much more than just a game and we carry that responsibility with us every single time we enter the field. We disappointed a lot of people last week. "We need to stand up. We put ourselves in this position and we need to get ourselves out of this position."