South Africa surged back to claim the 2024 Rugby Championship title in spectacular fashion with a dominant 48-7 victory over Argentina. The Springboks, who had suffered a narrow 29-28 defeat at the hands of Los Pumas the previous weekend, came out with a vengeance in Nelspruit, securing their first Championship title since 2019.
From the opening whistle, it was clear that South Africa was determined to leave no doubt as to who was the better team. The Springboks wasted no time asserting their dominance, scoring two tries in the first 15 minutes, both of which set the tone for a punishing day for Argentina.
Aphelele Fassi was the first to cross the try line, bursting through the Pumas’ defense to score the opener. Moments later, Pieter-Steph du Toit joined the scoring spree, leaping over a pile of bodies to extend South Africa’s lead. The Springboks were relentless, and Argentina struggled to respond in the face of mounting pressure.
Argentina briefly showed signs of a fightback when Santiago Grondona broke through South Africa’s defense and found Tomas Albornoz, who touched down to narrow the gap. For a moment, it appeared as though the Pumas might stage another comeback, reminiscent of their stunning win the previous week. However, that hope was quickly dashed as Argentina’s discipline unraveled, leading to a series of costly penalties.
Mateo Carreras was the first to see yellow, sent to the sin-bin for making contact with Fassi in the air. South Africa capitalized almost immediately, with Fassi scoring his second try of the match. Cheslin Kolbe also dazzled the crowd with his signature footwork, scoring South Africa’s fourth try and further demoralizing the Pumas.
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In the second half, Argentina’s disciplinary issues escalated. Replacement Pablo Matera was shown a yellow card for head contact while clearing out Vincent Koch. The card was upgraded to a 20-minute red, leaving Argentina at a critical disadvantage. The Pumas’ woes continued when full-back Santiago Carreras joined Matera in the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, further crippling their efforts to hold off the rampaging Springboks.
South Africa took full advantage of their superior numbers, with Malcolm Marx powering over from a maul to extend the lead. In the final 10 minutes, the Springboks added two more tries through Du Toit and Jesse Kriel, with Kriel’s try coming off a perfectly weighted chip from Handre Pollard.
Despite the crushing defeat, Argentina’s Rugby Championship campaign was their most successful to date, having secured victories against every team and entering the final round with an outside shot at the title. However, South Africa’s relentless performance in the final match left no room for an upset.
For the Springboks, this emphatic victory marks a return to dominance in the Rugby Championship, and they will now set their sights on the Autumn Internationals. Their next challenges await in matches against Scotland, England, and Wales, with each game set to be broadcast on TNT Sports and discovery+.
As South Africa looks ahead to their upcoming clashes, the triumph over Argentina stands as a testament to their resilience and ability to bounce back in the face of adversity. The Springboks are once again champions, and their victory sends a clear message to their future opponents: the Boks are back on top.
