news-engine

Here are your rugby morning headlines for Sunday, August 9. Springboks hang on South Africa survived a huge late scare to beat Argentina 17-10 in Buenos Aires after the Pumas came within inches of snatching a dramatic draw. The Springboks looked set to secure victory when Argentina won a 50-22 with just a minute remaining, giving the hosts one final attacking opportunity. After 14 phases, the Pumas went wide and centre Matias Moroni had a chance to score in the corner, only for a high pass to slip through his hands and into touch. JOIN OUR WALES RUGBY FACEBOOK PAGE Latest news, analysis and much more Argentina dominated large periods of the first half and led 10-3 after openside Benjamin Grondona crossed from close range following a superb offload in the tackle. The Pumas repeatedly threatened with attacking kicks, finding six line breaks, while South Africa struggled to make their own kicking game count. But the Springboks' defence stood firm and they struck right on half-time, with Andre Esterhuizen's offload creating space for Edwill van der Merwe to race clear and score under the posts. That levelled the scores at 10-10 at the break. South Africa gradually took control after half-time as their kicking game pinned Argentina back and their bench strengthened the scrum and maul. A dominant scrum eventually created the opportunity for Cameron Hanekom to dive over and give the visitors a 17-10 lead. The Springboks then produced a huge defensive effort to withstand repeated Argentine attacks and hold on for victory. Captain Siya Kolisi was forced off early with a hamstring injury and confirmed afterwards that he will undergo scans to determine the extent of the problem. Pollock finds support but £1m 'impossible' Gloucester chair Martin St Quinton says that England star Henry Pollock is worthy of a £1m-a-year contract. Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has made headlines in recent days, after claiming the 21-year-old should be earning substantially more at Northampton Saints. Pollock's current deal with Saints, signed in December 2024 and set to expire in summer 2027, is thought to be worth £150,000 a year. However, Hearn believes Pollock is "certainly a seven-figure player". St Quinton has come out in agreement over that assessment, but added that it would be hard for a Gallagher Prem club to actually shell out that kind of money. “I actually think Henry Pollock is worth £1m, but it’s a very different question as to whether Northampton Saints should be paying him £1 million because it would be impossible for Northampton Saints to pay any individual player who isn’t their marquee player £1m,” he told Track Radio. Statement issued after player's death Japan's domestic league has issued a statement following the death of a player this week. Fijian Saimoni Vunilagi passed away on Friday, having been hospitalised on Monday due to suspected heatstroke following a training session in Fukuoka. His club, second tier Kyushu KV, confirmed the sad news on Saturday. Following that, Japan's Rugby League One issued a statement on the former Suntory Sungoliath forward. "We express our heartfelt condolences upon receiving the news of the passing of Saimoni. We offer our deepest condolences to the bereaved family and all those involved," read the league's statement. Wallabies coach happy with start to job New Wallabies coach Les Kiss was satisfied as his side defied the heat and a first-half red card to overcome Japan in Osaka. In the new head coach's first game in charge, the Wallabies were given a scare by the Brave Blossoms - eventually winning 35-32 despite a 20-minute red card for Miles Amatosero. "The coaching team were very calm and collected and stayed on point, which was good," said Kiss. "We didn't let our emotions run away with ourselves, that's for sure. "At half-time, we just talked about making sure we managed our energy with 14 men.. "The way we played our game slightly changed just so that we could manage our energy, which I think was crucial on the back end." He added: "Very happy how the boys scrambled and won the moments that we needed to win," said Kiss. "That was important for us." All Blacks legend to face New Zealand New Zealand legend Ma’a Nonu has been named to face the All Blacks next week. The 44-year-old centre recently signed for the Sharks to continue his remarkable career. And he is line to make his debut for the South African side when they play New Zealand on Wednesday. Nonu has been named on the bench for the midweek fixture against the All Blacks. During his Test career, he established himself as an all-time great - playing 103 times for his country and winning two World Cups. Speaking about playing Nonu, All Blacks second-row Patrick Tuipulotu said: “I didn’t expect him to be named, but am certainly looking forward to it. “A lot of the boys know him and are close to him. It’s no secret how long he’s played; his career’s been this long because he’s a true professional of the game, and he’s been blessed to keep playing. “I think it’ll be quite a spectacle to see him come up against us. Might catch up with him midweek and give him a jab or two.” Follow all of our channels to ensure you stay up to date with the latest Welsh rugby news. Sign up to our free daily newsletter here and our WhatsApp channel here for all the breaking news