Siya Kolisi hoists the trophy as he celebrates with his teammates after a resounding victory in the Rugby Championship. Full-back Aphelele Fassi and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit were the stars of the show, each scoring two tries to lead South Africa to a dominant 48-7 win over Argentina in Mbombela.
The match saw Argentina struggle with discipline, with flanker Pablo Matera receiving a red card and the Carreras brothers both spending time in the sin bin. Wing Cheslin Kolbe, hooker Malcom Marx, and centre Jesse Kriel also contributed tries for the Springboks, who secured their second Rugby Championship title.
Despite some surprises in the lineup, including scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse taking on the goal-kicking duties, South Africa delivered a commanding performance. Fly-half Tomas Albornoz scored all of Argentina’s points, converting his own try in front of a packed Mbombela Stadium.
With the win, South Africa finished the six-round championship with 24 points, ahead of New Zealand, Argentina, and Australia. New Zealand ended their campaign with a 33-13 victory over Australia, capping off a disappointing season for the nine-time champions.
The spotlight before the match was on Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth, who became the most-capped player in Springbok history, and fly-half Manie Libbok, who faced criticism for a missed penalty in the previous match. Despite the scrutiny, coach Rassie Erasmus showed faith in Libbok by starting him and promoting Hendrikse to take on the kicking duties.
The Springboks set the tone early in the match, with Fassi and Du Toit crossing the tryline in the first 14 minutes. Despite a brief resurgence from Argentina, South Africa continued to dominate, with Marx, Du Toit, and Kriel scoring in quick succession as Argentina struggled with yellow cards and injuries.
Looking ahead, South Africa will take a break before heading to Europe for Tests against Scotland, England, and Wales in early November. The team’s performance in the Rugby Championship has set a strong foundation for their upcoming matches, demonstrating their depth and resilience on the field.
