South Africa win first Rugby Championship since 2019

South Africa stormed to a commanding 38-14 victory over Argentina in Nelspruit, claiming their first Rugby Championship title since 2019. The Springboks delivered a powerful first-half performance, scoring four tries, with Aphelele Fassi starring by scoring twice and assisting Cheslin Kolbe.

Pieter-Steph du Toit, named player of the match, also crossed the try line twice, while Argentina’s lone first-half points came through fly-half Tomas Albornoz.

The match turned decisively in South Africa’s favor in the second half when Pumas substitute Pablo Matera saw his yellow card upgraded to a 20-minute red card for dangerous head contact on Vincent Koch. With Santiago Carreras joining him in the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, Malcolm Marx capitalized by scoring from the back of a maul.

Du Toit added a second try before Jesse Kriel finished off Handré Pollard’s deft kick to complete the rout.

The Springboks’ victory avenged last week’s narrow defeat in Argentina, which had delayed their title win. Captain Siya Kolisi praised the team’s resilience, saying, “After last week, the way we stood up says a lot about our team.”

This triumph marks South Africa’s first win in a full Rugby Championship since 2009, adding to head coach Rassie Erasmus’ illustrious record, which includes two World Cup titles and a British and Irish Lions series victory.

Despite the defeat, Argentina made history by defeating all three of their Rugby Championship rivals for the first time, finishing third overall behind New Zealand, who secured second place by defeating Australia earlier in the day.