South Africa Dominates Argentina to Win Rugby Championship

South Africa dominated Argentina in Nelspruit securing the Rugby Championship title for the first time since 2019. The Springboks scored four tries in the first half with Aphelele Fassi crossing the line twice and assisting Cheslin Kolbe. Pieter-Steph du Toit also scored, marking his first of two tries while Argentina’s Tomas Albornoz managed a response.

The game shifted dramatically in the second half when Pumas replacement Pablo Matera received a 20-minute red card for head contact while trying to clear out Vincent Koch. With Santiago Carreras also sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, Malcolm Marx capitalized from a maul to extend South Africa’s lead. Du Toit added another try and Jesse Kriel capped off the scoring with a well-placed kick from Handre Pollard.

This victory not only avenged South Africa’s narrow loss to Argentina the previous week but also marked their first full Rugby Championship win since 2009. Springbok captain Siya Kolisi praised the team’s resilience after last week’s defeat. The win added to Rassie Erasmus’ impressive coaching record which now includes two World Cups, two Rugby Championships and a British and Irish Lions tour victory.

Despite the loss, Argentina achieved a milestone by beating all three other teams in the Rugby Championship during this round, finishing in third place. It was a significant day for Eben Etzebeth, who surpassed Victor Matfield to become South Africa’s most-capped player. Kolisi expressed gratitude for their long friendship and Etzebeth’s leadership on the field.

The Springboks capitalized on Argentina’s slow start and poor discipline, dominating the match at Mbombela Stadium and delighting their home crowd with a powerful performance.