Argentinians on the Highveld: A bleak history for Los Pumas against Springboks

Despite a penchant over the past few years for claiming scalps away from home - notably two in three years against the All Blacks - Argentina have struggled to topple the Springboks on African soil since their sole success in Durban in 2015.

Their pain has been particularly accentuated on the Highveld, where they've never really come close.

Saturday's meeting at Ellis Park provides them with another opportunity, but history paints a bleak picture.

News24 Sport goes down memory lane. 

1994 - Springboks 46-26 Argentina - Ellis Park, Johannesburg

In what was generally an innocuous outing under new coach Kitch Christie, the Springboks' performance was lit up by a debutant winger from the Free State named Chris Badenhorst.

A legend in Bloemfontein, Badenhorst - who still holds the South African first-class record for most tries (173) - was one of many local players who were deprived of stellar international careers because of the country's sporting isolation.

His cause also wasn't helped by the competition in the position, with James Small, Chester Williams, Pieter Hendriks and Jacques Olivier all ahead of him in the queue.

Handed a belated and rare opportunity, Badenhorst did what he did best - he scored a brace.

He would only play one more Test, but later expressed that he was more than happy just to have been given an opportunity. 

2002 - Springboks 49-29 Argentina - PAM Brink Stadium, Springs

South Africa had started their new journey under head coach Rudolf Straeuli with a gritty series win over Wales, but this outing - memorably or infamously (depending on your viewpoint) hosted at the now derelict PAM Brink Stadium on the East Rand - gave fans a first real glimpse into the attractive rugby the team would play in the initial