Boks end RWC on a high

South Africa beat Argentina 24-13 in the Rugby World Cup third place play-off at London's Olympic Stadium.

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Springbok great Bryan Habana was denied a World Cup record as South Africa beat Argentina 24-13 in the third place play-off at London's Olympic Stadium on Friday.

Habana needed just one try to break the World Cup career record of 15 he shares with retired New Zealand star Jonah Lomu.

But in what is likely to be the 32-year-old wing's final World Cup match, Habana squandered several chances before being taken off in the 67th minute by Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.

Habana's fellow wing JP Pietersen and lock Eben Etzebeth, from a Habana pass, did score tries.

Fly-half Handre Pollard kicked 14 points as South Africa, who started the tournament with a shock defeat by Japan in the biggest World Cup upset of them all, finished on a high to come third as they did in 1999.

It looked like a Nicolas Sanchez drop-goal and penalty would be all Argentina had to show for their efforts. But a converted try in stoppage time from replacement front-row Juan Pablo Orlandi gave the Pumas the last word.

South Africa great Victor Matfield in his 127th and last Test, led the Springboks in place of Fourie du Preez, injured in the 20-18 semi-final defeat by defending champions New Zealand.

Ruan Pienaar replaced du Preez at scrum-half.

Argentina too had a new skipper.

The Pumas, looking to equal their best World Cup-placing of third in 2007, made 10, mostly enforced, changes, with skipper Agustin Creevy, wing Juan Imhoff, veteran centre Juan Martin Hernandez and prop Marcos Ayerza all missing.

Sanchez captained the side for the first time in hooker Creevy's absence.

Argentina were a man down as early as the fifth minute when Irish referee John Lacey sent scrum-half Tomas Cubelli to the sin-bin for obstruction.

South Africa kicked the ensuing penalty for a line-out, which they duly won.

The ball was worked right, with Pietersen going over for a try after good hands from Pienaar and full-back Willie Le Roux.

Pollard landed the difficult conversion and South Africa led 7-0.

Minutes later Habana almost had his record-breaking try but he was beaten to the touchdown by Pumas' full-back Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino.

Argentina, who in August achieved their first win over South Africa with a 37-25 success in Durban, fell further behind when Pollard's penalty made it 10-0.

Meanwhile Habana, who knocked on in the 18th minute, missed an even better opportunity for the record on the half hour when, in space and unmarked, he could not hold Pollard's high looping pass.

Either side of two more Pollard penalties, Habana saw another chance go begging.

The Springboks won a turnover and Habana regathered out on the left before chipping in-field.

But his run was halted when Lacey penalised him for pulling on the Amorosino's shirt when he did not have the ball.

South Africa led 16-0 at half-time.

But early in the second half, Sanchez, reclaiming his position as the World Cup's leading points scorer after briefly losing it to Pollard, landed a skimming drop-goal to get Argentina on the scoreboard.

Argentina's joy, was short-lived, however.

Habana's pass to Etzebeth gave the lock, sliding in on his knees, just enough space out on the left to score a try.

Pollard missed the conversion, but another penalty stretched the Springboks' lead to 24-3 before Sanchez, surprisingly given the deficit, kicked a penalty.

As the second half wore on, Springbok flanker Schalk Burger, lock Matfield and then Habana, all world champions in 2007, were replaced to applause from a crowd of more than 55,000 as they made their World Cup farewells. – AFP