Fullback Aphelele Fassi and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit scored two tries every as South Africa claimed the 2024 Rugby Championship with a complete 48-7 victory over Argentina at a festive Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
Wing Cheslin Kolbe, hooker Malcolm Marx and centre Jesse Kriel additionally crossed for tries because the hosts bullied Argentina within the scrum and ran the guests ragged with ingenious backline play that they’ve launched into their sport this season.
Argentina’s solely attempt got here by way of fly-half Tomás Albornoz and so they weren’t helped by yellow playing cards for wing Mateo Carreras and fullback Santiago Carreras, and a 20-minute pink card for flanker Pablo Matera as they misplaced their self-discipline underneath strain.
There was double trigger for celebration as lock Eben Etzebeth turned the most-capped Springbok along with his 128th look, another than Victor Matfield, because the world champions completed with 24 factors within the desk, eight greater than New Zealand.
“I’m misplaced for phrases; it has been a journey and a half and to bounce again from final week; says lots about our workforce,” Springbok captain Siya Kolisi mentioned.
“I need to say to my greatest good friend, Eben Etzebeth. You might have all the time been by my aspect, you may have led us as a workforce in so some ways. I’m so happy with you. Cheers, my brother, I like you.”
The Springboks chosen Manie Libbok at fly-half however deferred his kicking duties from the tee to scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse, signalling their intention to run the ball.
Libbok, who missed a late penalty in entrance of the poles final week as Argentina gained 29-28 in Santiago del Estero, was the conductor for the Springboks and ignited their backline as they ran in seven tries.
South Africa bagged two of these tries early to settle any nerves as they stored the guests penned in their very own half.
Fassi crossed after a backline transfer from the set-piece noticed him bash his method over close to the posts, earlier than Du Toit stretched excessive of a ruck to dot down and make it 14-0 in as many minutes.
Argentina hit again, opening up the Springboks defence with some fast fingers for Albornoz to canter in for his or her solely attempt.
The guests picked up their first yellow card of the Rugby Championship when Mateo Carreras impeded Fassi within the air.
The Springboks dominated possession with their man benefit and Fassi scored his second attempt as they moved the ball left and proper throughout the pitch to work the house for him to go over.
The house aspect added a fourth with an excellent jinking end from Kolbe as he turned his defender inside out within the nook to dot down and make the halftime rating 27-7.
Argentina misplaced Matera to a pink card quarter-hour into the second half for a harmful clear-out on the ruck on Vincent Koch and Santiago Carreras to a deliberate knock-down.
With their numerical benefit, the house aspect added additional scores by means of Marx, Du Toit and Kriel to say their first southern hemisphere title since 2019 and their fifth general.
“Credit score to South Africa, they had been the higher workforce in the present day,” Argentina captain Julián Montoya mentioned. “We weren’t ok, we needed to be higher.”
