Fullback Aphelele Fassi and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit each scored two tries as South Africa triumphed in the 2024 Rugby Championship, defeating Argentina 48-7 at Mbombela Stadium.
In addition to Fassi and du Toit, wing Cheslin Kolbe, hooker Malcolm Marx, and center Jesse Kriel also registered tries, showcasing the Springboks’ dominant scrum and dynamic backline play that has characterized their season.
Argentina’s sole try came from flyhalf Tomas Albornoz, but they faced challenges with yellow cards issued to wing Mateo Carreras and fullback Santiago Carreras, along with a 20-minute red card for flanker Pablo Matera due to a lack of discipline under pressure.
Lock Eben Etzebeth celebrated a milestone as he became South Africa’s most capped player, making his 128th appearance, surpassing Victor Matfield. The world champions concluded the tournament with 24 points, eight ahead of New Zealand.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi expressed his pride in the team’s resilience, saying, “I am lost for words… I want to say to my best friend, Eben Etzebeth. You have always been by my side… I am so proud of you.”
The Springboks opted to start flyhalf Manie Libbok but assigned the kicking duties to scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse, indicating their strategy to emphasize running plays. Libbok, who had missed a crucial penalty in the previous match, played a pivotal role in orchestrating the team’s backline, leading to seven tries.
South Africa quickly established control, scoring two tries within the first 15 minutes. Fassi powered through a backline move to score first, followed by Du Toit reaching over a ruck to extend the lead to 14-0.
Argentina responded with quick passing to find Albornoz for their only try. However, early discipline issues resulted in Mateo Carreras’ yellow card for interfering with Fassi. Taking advantage of their man advantage, Fassi added his second try after the Springboks shifted the ball effectively across the field. Kolbe then dazzled with a try that made the halftime score 27-7.
The game continued to favor the Springboks as Argentina lost Matera to a red card early in the second half for a dangerous play, further crippling their chances. With a numerical advantage, South Africa added three more tries from Marx, Du Toit, and Kriel, claiming their first Southern Hemisphere title since 2019 and their fifth overall.
Argentina’s captain Julian Montoya acknowledged the dominance of the Springboks, stating, “Credit to South Africa, they were the better team today. We weren’t good enough, we had to be better.”