South Africa exact revenge on Argentina in seven-try rout to win first Rugby Championship since 2019
Published 28/09/2024 at 21:04 GMT+1
South Africa thrashed Argentina 48-7 to seal the 2024 Rugby Championship title in its final match. Los Pumas had pulled off an incredible 29-28 win over the Springboks the weekend before and ensured the tournament went down to the wire. But South Africa ran rampant as Argentina's discipline issues gave the Boks too many easy chances to punish the South Americans.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
South Africa won their first Rugby Championship since 2019 after a 48-7 demolition job of Argentina in Nelspruit.
The Springboks, who scored four first-half tries, were utterly dominant after losing to Los Pumas in an enthralling 29-28 defeat the week before - their only loss of the competition.
It was a historic day for Eben Etzebeth as the lock surpassed Victor Matfield as the nation’s most-capped player in his 128th game as a Springbok.
Having been stunned last week by Argentina, Rassie Erasmus' side came out of the gate with two tries in the opening 15 minutes.
Aphelele Fassi picked up the first of two tries, running a great line to squeeze between two Argentine defenders and barrel over.
Pieter-Steph du Toit also picked up two tries and added his first after Fassi, leaping over a pile of bodies to dot down for a try.
Argentina were able to quickly hit back with a try when Santiago Grondona broke through and passed to Tomas Albornoz lurking on his outside shoulder.
At this point there was a feeling that the Pumas, who came from 17 points down last weekend to win, would be about to mount another comeback.
But that hope quickly died as Mateo Carreras was sent marching to the sin-bin for contact on Fassi in the air, with the South African back landing hard.
The Springboks promptly took the game away from their opponents. Fassi scored his second and Cheslin Kolbe showed his scintillating footwork for his side's fourth.
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Poor discipline continued to plague Argentina in the second half. Replacement Pablo Matera picked up a yellow card in the 57th minute and soon saw it upgraded to a 20-minute red for head contact while attempting to clear out Vincent Koch.
Full-back Santiago Carreras then joined him when sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, and Malcolm Marx took advantage by scoring from the back of a maul.
South Africa ruthlessly took advantage of the numbers advantage and Du Toit and Jesse Kriel added tries in the final 10 minutes, the latter of which caught a perfect chip from Handre Pollard to sprint over the line.
Despite the loss, it was Argentina's most successful Rugby Championship, having defeated every team and going into the final round with an outside chance of taking the title.
For the Springboks, they now look ahead to their Autumn Internationals, heading to Murrayfield to take on Scotland, Twickenham for England, and finishing their November in Cardiff against Wales.
Every game of the Autumn Nations Series will be broadcast on TNT Sports and discovery+, kicking off with England v New Zealand at Twickenham.
Watch and stream every game of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season, the 2024 Autumn Nations Series and Premiership Women's Rugby on TNT Sports and discovery+
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