South Africa put Argentina to the sword and win first Rugby Championship
A Handre Pollard-inspired South Africa have warmed up for the World Cup in superb style, beating Argentina 46-13 in the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship in Salta to claim their first major trophy for 10 years.
Flyhalf Pollard scored two of his side’s five tries and kicked five penalties and three conversions for a personal haul of 31 points, his best in an international.
Earlier on Saturday, world champions New Zealand lost 47-26 to championship runners-up Australia in Perth.
Argentina winger Santiago Cordero shocked the South Africans by going over in the corner in the second minute in Salta but hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi put the visitors 8-7 ahead after 13 minutes after a driving maul.
Pollard and Puma flyhalf Nicolas Sanchez then got locked into a kicking duel, exchanging penalties, before the 25-year-old South African dived over the tryline just before the break to make it 24-13.
The Springboks’ progress slowed early in the second half when scrumhalf Faf de Klerk was sin-binned, only for Pollard to cross again.
Wingers Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe added further tries in the 64th and 67th minute to complete the rout.
“It’s a fantastic feeling,” said Duane Vermeulen, who captained the twice world champions.
“It’s the first time in 10 years South Africa has won the Rugby Championship or Tri-Nations and it’s a nice reward for all the hard work we’ve put in.
“It’s also a good thing for us going into the World Cup. It’s one step up, still a lot of work to be done but yah, it’s a good feeling.”
The competition has been shortened to one round of matches due to the Rugby World Cup in Japan which starts on September 20.
South Africa last won the Rugby Championship when it was known as the Tri Nations – way back in 2009.
Argentina became the fourth team to join the championship in 2012.
New Zealand had won the past three championships and six of the previous seven.
SOUTH AFRICA 46 (Handre Pollard 2, Cheslin Kolbe, Makazole Mapimpi, Bongi Mbonambi tries Pollard 3 cons 5 pens) bt ARGENTINA 13 (Santiago Cordero try Nicolas Sanchez con 2 pens) at Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena. Referee: Romain Poite. Crowd: 22,190.
More to come…
– AAP
Comments on RugbyPass
What a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
103 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
1 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
2 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
2 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
103 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
103 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
103 Go to comments