PRETORIA, South Africa: South Africa labored to a 13-6 win over Argentina on the opening day of the Rugby Championship on Saturday in a game spoiled by driving rain and a water-soaked field.

The Springboks scored a second-minute try through scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar before the rain poured down at Loftus Versfeld to make it a match full of errors. Both teams preferred to kick rather than risk attacking with the ball in hand.

South Africa flyhalf Handre Pollard landed a conversion and a penalty and Morne Steyn added a second-half penalty to keep the home team ahead throughout, but not without a huge fight from Argentina.

Argentina is yet to win in 13 games in the championship, but scrummed better than South Africa, continually disrupted its lineout and finished the game on the front foot and hammering away at the Boks’ tryline before a handling mistake by center Marcelo Bosch ended their final attack and the match.

The Pumas’ points came from two penalties by flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez, one early in the first half and one early in the second.

South Africa earned four points to lead the early standings in the southern hemisphere tournament after defending champion New Zealand was held to a 12-12 draw in Australia earlier Saturday, also in wet and difficult conditions in Sydney.

Argentina took a bonus point for losing by seven points or less, but the perennial tournament underdog enhanced its reputation by taking on the South African forward and often coming out on top in Pretoria.

In the end, Pienaar’s score right at the start was the difference between the teams. He broke off a rolling maul and swapped passes with wing Cornal Hendricks down the short side before speeding away to slide in at the right corner.

South Africa never looked like scoring another try and Argentina was constantly competitive in the conditions.

In the first half, Argentina wing Manuel Montero dropped the ball when he looked to have a clear run to the line. And near the end, the Pumas forward fumbled a meter out from the South African tryline.

Scores:

South Africa 13 (Ruan Pienaar try; Handre Pollard penalty, conversion, Morne Steyn penalty), Argentina 6 (Nicolas Sanchez 2 penalties). HT: 10-6.