PRETORIA, South Africa -- South Africa laboured 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 attack with 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 fight.

Argentina is yet to win in 13 games in the championship, but scrummed better than South Africa and continually disrupted its lineout. The Pumas' points came from two penalties by Nicolas Sanchez.