South Africa vs Argentina LIVE: Rugby Championship result as Springboks win but miss out on title

South Africa 38-21 Argentina: The Springboks needed to beat the Pumas by 40 points to snatch the Rugby Championship away from the All Blacks

(REUTERS)

New Zealand were crowned Rugby Championship winners after South Africa fell short of an imposing target to snatch the title away from the All Blacks.

The All Blacks’ big 40-14 victory over Wallabies earlier on Saturday meant that the Springboks had to beat Argentina by 40 points to snatch the title away from New Zealand.

They fought valiantly in Durban but only managed a 38-21 victory as they missed a number of chances throughout the game and the Pumas hit back strongly in the second half.

It means the All Blacks retain the title they won last year, as the Springboks finish second in the table - level on points with New Zealand but crucially trailing in the points difference stakes.

Relive all the action with us below:

South Africa vs Argentina - Rugby Championship updates

• Springboks win but not by the 40 points required to snatch the Rugby Championship title away from All Blacks
• FULL-TIME! South Africa 38-21 Argentina
• 72’ - TRY! Another penalty try from a collapsed amul for the Springboks (RSA 31-21 ARG)
• 68’ - TRY! Moroni dots down from miss pass (RSA 24-21 ARG)
• 47’ - TRY! Gonzalez steps Le Roux for a brilliant score (RSA 17-14 ARG)
• 40’ - TRY! Lavanini dives over from close-range to narrow the deficit (RSA 17-7 ARG)
• 28’ - TRY! Kolisi sneaks over after a maul (RSA 14-0 ARG)
• 19’ - TRY! Wiese goes over from the back of a scrum (RSA 7-0 ARG)

[24 September 2022 17:00 · Luke Baker]

PENALTY! South Africa 17-0 Argentina

38 mins - South Africa actually point to the posts from that long-range penalty. Luckily they’ve got Frans Steyn, perhaps the premier long penalty kick in rugby history. He bangs it between the posts no bother to extend the lead.

[24 September 2022 16:59 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 14-0 Argentina

37 mins - Argentina try and angled kick through but it’s too long for Moroni to have any real chance of claiming down the left clank. He gamely slides but it’s out for a Springbok lineout.

A Hendrickse box kick is contested and although Argentina come down with it, Bertranou gets caught isolated at the breakdown and Wiese gets over the top for a penalty. Good work by the No 8.

[24 September 2022 16:56 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 14-0 Argentina

34 mins - Argentina try to run a couple of phases around the five-metre line but South African defence is disciplined and then the Pumas are pinged for crossing.

Boks clear towards halfway but then penalised for not being straight at the lineout. Scrum Argentina on the ten-metre line inside the home half.

[24 September 2022 16:54 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 14-0 Argentina

32 mins - Messy lineout but Montoya collects the loose ball and carries forward. Another penalty for Argentina and another kick to the corner.

[24 September 2022 16:53 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 14-0 Argentina

30 mins - Matera ultimately does come off, with Guido Petti replacing him. Huge loss for the Pumas. Joel Sclavi also on at prop for Eduardo Bello.

Argentina have a spell of possession here though as they go through a couple of phases in Boks territory. They win the penalty and kick into the 22 for the lineout. They’re still down to 14 men with Gonzalez in the sin-bin, remember.

[24 September 2022 16:50 · Luke Baker]

TRY! South Africa 14-0 Argentina

28 mins - Again, good maul defence initially by Argentina but Siya Kolisi sneaks through from the back and dots down for a second Springbok try!

Good work by the skipper and Steyn’s conversion from out wide is good. 14-0. They’re edging closer to that 40-point margin.

[24 September 2022 16:49 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 7-0 Argentina

28 mins - Pablo Matera has been down receiving treatment for a while and looks woozy. He’s holding a towel to his head. He’s allowed to continue though.

We’ll have that South Africa penalty when we restart. Kicked to the corner.

[24 September 2022 16:46 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 7-0 Argentina

28 mins - A couple of phases after the lineout, Hendrickse darts for the line and is stopped millimetres short. Le Roux then gets low and tries to wriggle over but he’s held up on the line.

Another Springbok penalty. The second try is coming...

[24 September 2022 16:44 · Luke Baker]

YELLOW CARD! South Africa 7-0 Argentina

27 mins - Well that didn’t last long... As soon as they’re back to 15, the Pumas are down to 14 men again. Juan Martin Gonzalez the fall-guy for repeated Argentine infringements as he commits another in the 22 and gets sent tot he sin-bin.

Five-metre lineout for the hosts...

[24 September 2022 16:43 · Luke Baker]

South Africa 7-0 Argentina

26mins - The scrum really is one-way traffic here. Argentina have the put-in near halfway but get overpowered and give away the penalty. Sarcastic cheers ring round the stadium when it’s Le Roux who kicks to touch, not Steyn. Harsh but fair...

Kremer back on the field as his 10 minutes in the bin is up, so we’re 15 vs 15 again.