By James Standley

606: DEBATE My heart says Argentina

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"Game over, brave effort from the Argentinians, but they ran out of steam against a slightly physically tougher team. As someone else said, one game too far."
Hawick on 606

Full-time: The final whistle goes to end Argentina's World Cup odyssey, while South Africa will renew acquaintances with England in the World Cup final in Paris next Saturday night.

78 min: The match flares up after a high tackle from Juan Smith and Burger can't resist getting involved - not clever with the match won and the final just two minutes away.

Smith is sent to the sin bin and seconds later Felipe Contepomi is yellow carded for a slap after being hauled back for a forward pass - frustration is getting the better of Argentina now.

76 min: TRY South Africa 37-13 Argentina
Habana applies the coup de grace. Argentina attack down the right but the Blue Bulls flyer reads it like Janet and John and races clear from his 22 to score his eighth try of the World Cup.

That makes him the leading scorer in the tournament, one ahead of Australia winger Drew Mitchell. The impeccable Monty slots the extras.

75 min: PENALTY South Africa 30-13 Argentina
The Boks win another penalty, Montgomery makes no mistake and the Boks are stretching well clear.

74 min: South Africa are camped deep in the Argentina 22 and there is no doubt now that it will be the Boks who will play England in the final. Now, what was the score when the two sides met in the group stage - 36-0 you say?

70 min: PENALTY South Africa 27-13 Argentina
Argentina concede another penalty, this time much closer to their posts, and a lazy swing of the boot from Montgomery takes the lead out to 14 points, or two converted tries.

67 min: Steyn may be only 20 but he can kick like a mule. The South Africa inside centre tries his luck from inside his own half but the ball falls short.

62 min: South Africa nearly score a try of the tournament contender. JP Pietersen slices through the Argentina defence from Montgomery's inside ball but the young winger throws the scoring pass to Habana forward.

60 min: Butch James drills a 70m kick into touch less than a metre from the Argentina line but the Pumas manage to win the line-out and clear their lines.

56 min: "Are we playing rugby here!? Walsh has given a penalty and I just can't understand that."
Matt Dawson fumes as referee Steve Walsh penalises Agustin Pichot for use of the boot as he tries to free the ball at a ruck.

53 min: Argentina spurn the chance to trim the gap to eight points. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe is taken out as he chases his chip ahead but Felipe Contepomi pushes the penalty to the right of the posts.

48 min: The Boks are awarded an attacking scrum but replacement South Africa prop Jannie du Plessis is penalised for not binding and Hernandez drives the Boks back deep into their half.

44 min: TRY South Africa 24-13 Argentina
Drama as the Pumas turn over the Boks as they try to drive a defensive line-out. Mario Ledesma is held up just short and when Argentina spread the ball wide Manuel Contepomi JUST manages to get the ball down despite a tackle from Montgomery.

I say just because it looked like Contepomi lost control of the ball as he tried to get it down, but then I'm not the TMO! Twin brother Felipe converts and we may have a game yet.

42 min: South Africa launch the first attack of the second half but a knock-on brings it to a halt. From the resulting scrum the Pumas make a real mess of the Boks and win a penalty.

41 min: "The score is very harsh on Argentina. They have played the Boks off the park, but just goes to show you can't make mistakes at this level."
greatHayemaker on 606

Half-time: "Argentina look tired in body and mind - all South Africa's tries have come from the Pumas' errors."
2003 World Cup winner Matt Dawson.

"Argentina's fans have gone very quiet, while the Springbok fans are already looking ahead to the final with England."
BBC Sport's Tom Fordyce at the game.

39 min: TRY South Africa 24-6 Argentina
This could be game over already. Hernandez spills a difficult pass and quick hands from Steyn and Burger give Roussouw the chance to romp over from the 22. Monty is on target once again and it looks like England v the Boks next Saturday.

37 min: Argentina desperately need to cut the lead before half-time and they kick a penalty deep into South African territory, but promptly hand possession back to the Boks by being penalised for not throwing the ball in straight at the line-out.

31 min: TRY South Africa 17-6 Argentina
Burger rips the ball off Argentina number eight Longo and the Boks spread it across the width of the pitch to Habana.

The South Africa winger is the most dangerous finisher in the game and he chips over the first line of defence before burning off the rest of the Argentine cover, regathering and racing over a for a superb try, which Montgomery converts.

29 min: PENALTY South Africa 10-6 Argentina
South Africa tyro Francois Steyn concedes a silly penalty and Felipe Contepomi trims the gap to four points.

28 min: Referee Steve Walsh prematurely calls advantage over after Argentina intercept a loose Springbok pass and Matt Dawson is not impressed. "That's why he's not refereeing the final," says the former England scrum-half.

23 min: The Puma forwards looks to have the edge at the moment, which won't please the South Africa faithful, who are raised on tales of dominant Springbok packs of yore. A bout of kicking ping pong is brought to an end as Felipe Contepomi hooks the ball into touch.

19 min: This time the Boks concede a penalty, Schalk Burger infringing at a ruck, but Felipe Contepomi pushes his long-range penalty to the right of the posts.

South Africa kick deep into Argentina's 22 but Lucas Borges and Ignacio Corleto initiate a thrilling counterattack from deep which takes play three-quarters of the length of the field before the ball goes out of play.

15 min: PENALTY South Africa 10-3 Argentina
Argentina infringe at the re-start and Montgomery promptly takes the Boks back out to a seven-point lead.

13 min: PENALTY South Africa 7-3 Argentina
South Africa captain John Smit is penalised for obstruction in line with the posts on the Springboks' 10m line. Felipe Contepomi steps up to get the Pumas on the board.

7 min: TRY South Africa 7-0 Argentina
Pumas left winger Horacio Agulla counter-attacks and sparks a sweeping move but when the Pumas try to spread it Du Preez picks off Felipe Contepomi's pass and races over from 70m to score the opening try of the game, which Montgomery converts.

5 min: Fourie du Preez takes a quick tap penalty but his attempted chip over the top runs out of play before Bryan Habana can latch onto it.

2 min: Argentina put the Boks under real pressure at two early scrums but veteran full-back Percy Montgomery clears the Boks' lines.

2000: The South Africans look intense and focused, not letting the emotion get to them. They mean business.
World Cup winner Matt Dawson

1959: The anthems have been belted out and I'd have to say round one to Argentina. I've never seen so many big, hairy men in tears at once. I know it's a stereotype, but check out that Latin passion!

1956: The teams are on the pitch - not long now.

1955: "All of Scotland tonight is a South Africa Supporter!!"
PaddyJock on 606

1952: "It's been feeling a bit 'after the Lord Mayor's show' to be honest, but with 10 minutes to go the atmosphere has finally caught fire. Having said that there are still lots of empty seats, although there is an enormous block of Australia fans in line with the goal posts at one end!
BBC Sport's star blogger Tom Fordyce

1946: "While not quite matching the chaos of last night, the build-up to the 'other' semi-final is still having it, having it, having it. The South African fans are confident - and very, very drunk indeed. I get the feeling Argentina's fans are just happy to be here.

"An interesting aside: the Argentine journalist to my right appears to be sleeping off a heavy day on the sauce. Shall I wake him or shall I let him miss the biggest game in his country's history and get sacked?"
The blogosphere's very own Ben Dirs at the game

1942: "It's a lovely clear night in St Denis as the players complete their final pre-match drills on the pitch. As Paul Simon's "Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes" plays on the Stade de France PA system, the big screens show clips from South Africa's games so far - including the one over England. Doesn't that seem like a long time ago?"
BBC Sport's Mark Orlovac at the game

1937: History suggests there can be only one winner. The Boks and the Pumas have met 11 times, with South Africa winning all 11 encounters, but if there's one thing this World Cup has taught us, it's that rugby matches are not won on paper but on the field of battle.

1925: "I said before the tournament started that Argentina were a good longshot, but the Boks are going to be hard to beat, either way I hope to see the losing finalist tonight."
StevrosTheWild on 606

1916: Speak of the devil, no sooner than I write that, housewives favourite Tom Fordyce rings from Paris:
"The bars around St Denis are heaving once again. There are almost as many Kiwi and Australian fans as there are Argentines and South Africans - nice of the Antipodeans to stay around for the party.

"Most of the Argentina fans are people working in Italy and Spain who have made the journey over the border, rather than trans-Atlantic voyagers.

"And this may be a little late for people reading this, but there are still hundreds of tickets on sale. When you come out of the tube you can't move for people selling tickets."

1909: Hopefully we'll be getting some updates from our lads at the ground. I believe they got in at 7 this morning after a hard night "interviewing celebrating England fans".

1900: Here are those teams for the Stade de France encounter in full:

South Africa: Percy Montgomery; JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Francois Steyn, Bryan Habana; Butch James, Fourie du Preez; Os du Randt, John Smit, CJ van der Linde, Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Dannie Roussouw.
Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Johannes Muller, Bobby Skinstad, Ruan Pienaar, Andre Pretorius, Wynand Olivier

Argentina: Ignacio Corleto; Lucas Borges, Manuel Contepomi, Felipe Contepomi, Horacio Agulla; Juan Martin Hernandez, Agustin Pichot (capt); Rodrigo Roncero, Mario Ledesma, Martin Scelzo, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Patricio Albacete, Lucas Ostiglia, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, Gonzalo Longo.
Replacements: Alberto Basualdo, Omar Hasan, Rimas Kairelis, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Nicolas Fernandez Miranda, Federico Todeschini, Gonzalo Tiesi.

1853: I've called every major match wrong so far (OK I did get the SA v Fiji result right, but scores level after an hour? I don't think so) so don't even bother asking me who's going to win.

Kick-off is at 2000 (that's 2100 for our continental brethren). Who do you think will meet defending champions England in the final? (there's a question I never thought I'd ask). Let us know via text 81111 (UK users only), 606 or carrier pigeon.

"I'm in two minds who I want to win this one."
Lord_St_Vincent on 606

1845: What do you mean, there's another semi-final to go? Hard to believe there's room for more excitement in the universe after Saturday's epic/titanic/monumental* semi-final between England and France isn't it? (*Select according to preference - we're an interactive service after all.)

But yes, those Beefy Boks will take on the Pampas Bulls of Argentina for the right to take on Les Rosbifs in next Saturday's final. Make no mistake, despite coach Jake White's transparent attempts to take the pressure off his side by insisting South Africa are not the favourites, they are.

Argentina are a good team and undoubtedly the surprise package of the tournament but the Boks are the stronger side from 1-15 and they should win. However, the form book has not just been ripped up in this World Cup, it's also been trampled on, had its ear flicked and generally been treated unspeakably, so you never know.

Els wins seventh Match Play title

PS. Round one of today's South Africa-Argentina sporting rivalry went to Ernie Els, who beat Angel Cabrera in the World Match Play and is now hot-footing his way to Paris via private plane to take in the rugby.