Erratic Springboks survive almighty Williams and Pumas scare to get back to winning ways

At Ellis Park

In what amounts to a somewhat cruel sense of irony, Grant Williams' nasty concussion incident and the lack of consequences for Tomas Lavanini was a microcosm for the Springboks' final Test on South African soil before embarking on their World Cup quest.

On a Doornfontein night where they should've been miles ahead of a plucky yet generally overpowered Argentinian team, South Africa could only muster an eye-opening narrow 22-21 victory, just like Lavanini should've received some form of a sanction for his clumsy barge into the hosts' scrumhalf but didn't.

But should-ifs don't matter much in the cut-throat environment that is Test rugby.

And, by all accounts, Jacques Nienaber and his troops will leave for Buenos Aires - the setting for a first World Cup warm-up - late on Saturday night with distinctly mixed feelings.

A much-needed win is in the bag, but was the manner it which it was achieved a tangible step in the right direction with the world title defence in mind? 

For the majority of the first half it certainly didn't seem so despite the shock of seeing Williams stretchered off in the opening minute.

The nippy Sharks half-back, granted a deserved first start after some impressive showings off the bench, had attempted a clearance from a messy kick-off receipt, only to find Lavanini in his way attempting an overly robust charge-down.

Williams had actually managed to kick the ball yet that didn't deter the Pumas second rower - who boasts the infamous honour of the player with the most red cards in Test rugby history - from still jumping into him.

While virtually every person in the stadium bayed for Lavanini's blood, referee Andrew Brace and his assistants were defiant, ostensibly because he had made contact with