South Africa v Argentina LIVE: Result and reaction as Springboks thrash Pumas to seal Rugby Championship title
South Africa 48-7 Argentina: The Springboks run riot with seven tries to beat the Pumas to the Rugby Championship crown
South Africa destroyed Argentina 48-7 in their decisive showdown to seal the 2024 Rugby Championship title in style.
The final match of the Championship was the reverse of last week’s fixture in South America, where Los Pumas pulled off an enthralling 29-28 win over the Springboks to take the tournament to the final day.
However, a week on the Springboks were utterly dominant as they ran in seven tries to blow away their overmatched opponents at Mbombela Stadium.
Lock Eben Etzebeth became the nation’s most-capped player and they celebrated with scores from Aphelele Fassi (2), Pieter-Steph du Toit (2), Cheslin Kolbe, Malcolm Marx and Jesse Kriel in front of a raucous home crowd.
Relive all the action from the Rugby Championship clash in our live blog below:
The remarkable rise of Argentina, rugby’s great outlier on the brink of history
Their chances of a first Rugby Championship crown are remote, but it is remarkable that a nation like Argentina are in contention at all given the many disadvantages they must endure. Here’s a look at the story of the Pumas, and why continued support is so vital:
The remarkable story of Argentina, rugby’s great outlier
Against all odds, the Pumas have emerged as Rugby Championship challengers, writes Harry Latham-Coyle, but professional rugby must cherish them amid an uncertain future for the sport
Argentina’s transformed discipline key to improvement
Argentina had a well-deserved reputation for indiscipline on the rugby field that often cost them dearly in Test encounters, but this year they have turned that on its head in the Rugby Championship.
In the past, the Pumas could often be relied upon to concede needless penalties through reckless play and hand opponents the chance to score easy points.
Yet this year they are the only team yet to receive a red or yellow card in the annual southern hemisphere championship and have conceded the fewest penalties (50) of any team in the competition.
Coach Felipe Contepomi said the turnaround was not because of any concerted effort to clean up their play but as a result of polishing their approach to matches.
”We don’t speak directly about discipline, but we want to be the best team we can play and maybe it’s the end result of trying to insist on doing the right things,” he told a press conference on Thursday, ahead of Saturday’s meeting against South Africa in Nelspruit to decide the Rugby Championship.
”We don’t take any shortcuts in training, and we keep hammering on our method and the way we want to play, working hard, especially in defence.
“And, you know, we just don’t cheat. I know it’s part of our values, it’s part of our behaviour, and we pride ourselves on that and the result is maybe giving away less penalties and not picking up cards.
“But the real thing is not focusing on avoiding cards but rather doing the right thing and working hard.”
Argentina have not had a player sent from the field, either to the sin-bin or red carded, in their last 12 Tests.
Argentina search for consistency after significant win
Last weekend’s win in Santiago del Estero meant that Argentina have beaten all of their Rugby Championship foes in a single edition of the tournament for the first time. It is a significant achievement, but flanker Juan Martin Gonzalez was clear that it will count for little if the Pumas fail to back-up that showing with a strong outing in Mbombela, regardless of the result.
“We had a good game, but we want to be consistent in our performances,” Gonzalez told reporters. “Of course we want to win every single game, but what we are looking to do is play good rugby. Sometimes we are doing that, other times not.
“If we win, we win, if we lose, so be it. But we have been training very well. We are thinking about just this moment and not what might happen after the game with the Rugby Championship.”
Eben Etzebeth shuns the spotlight in milestone week
Imposing South Africa forward Eben Etzebeth has avoided the spotlight this week despite being set to become his country’s most capped international, as he plays a 128th Test in the Rugby Championship decider against Argentina.
The 32-year-old Etzebeth was named earlier this week in the line-up for the clash at the Mbombela Stadium but there has been an almost deliberate effort to downplay the achievement.
He has not appeared at any of the press conferences this week and when the team was announced on Tuesday, the accompanying press release briefly detailed Etzebeth’s achievement but took a further 17 paragraphs before quoting coach Rassie Erasmus about the record breaker.
“As a former Springbok I can attest to what a massive achievement it will be for Eben to become the most capped Springbok ever, and we are all very proud of him and want to make this a special and memorable occasion for him,” said Erasmus.
“He has not wanted any focus on him to detract from the team,” a team official told Reuters on Friday.
But it has not prevented tributes to the double World Cup winner whose intimidating man-mountain like presence in the scrum has been symbolic of the force and power of the Bok pack.
“If you talk to Eben about the Springbok environment, it’s a place he loves being in. He has given so much to this environment and this sport,” hooker Bongi Mbonambi said about his teammate this week.
“A lot of people who don’t know Eben think he is this serious guy. But he is actually one of the jokers in the team. He loosens the mood up when there’s too much tension. Also, when it is time to get serious, he’s the guy who knuckles down.”
Eben Etzebeth to break Springboks cap record as Manie Libbok backed at fly half after costly miss
Eben Etzebeth is set to become the most-capped South Africa player of all-time after being named in the Springboks starting side to face Argentina in Mbombela.
The lock will win his 128th cap in the final round of the Rugby Championship, surpassing the tally of Victor Matfield in a full-strength side.
Eben Etzebeth to break Springboks cap record as Manie Libbok backed after costly miss
Etzebeth will surpass fellow lock Victor Matfield as the most-capped South African player
Rugby Championship permutations: What do South Africa and Argentina need in final round to win title?
South Africa and Argentina are both still in the hunt for a rare Rugby Championship title as the two sides prepare to meet again in Mbombela.
The Pumas’ outstanding win over the Springboks in Santiago del Estero kept their hopes of triumph alive as Felipe Contepomi’s side continued a fine campaign that has seen them beat all three of their tournament foes.
To lift a trophy that have not won before, though, will require Argentina to pull off a shock final-round victory over their title rivals.
Rugby Championship permutations: What South Africa and Argentina need in final round?
The Pumas’ dramatic win over the Springboks on the penultimate weekend kept them in the hunt
South Africa v Argentina
Follow all the action as South Africa take on Argentina with the Rugby Championship on the line.
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