The Springboks had to grind out a win against a plucky Argentina side, and in the end managed to win by 29-27 (halftime 10-13) to retain the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham in London.
Rassie Erasmus’ team became the first Bok team to win back-to-back Castle Lager
Rugby Championship titles. Erasmus had made four changes to the squad, which saw the return of Ox Nche to the starting team, as well as Grant Williams, Jesse Kriel and
Bongi Mbonambi on the bench.
Nche was a late withdrawal last week in Durban after he pulled up with a niggle, but the loosehead prop was in the front row with Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit, while the three new players on the replacements were Williams at scrumhalf, Mbonambi at hooker and Kriel as a utility back.
Erasmus’ team had put their 67-30 victory against Argentina in Durban behind them.
Both sides had good support in London, which contributed to a fantastic atmosphere.
The Pumas had most of the early play and scored the first points with a try in the opening minutes for a 7-0 lead. The Boks kicked a penalty goal before the Pumas extended their lead to 10-3 and then 13-3 after the South Africans were penalised within striking distance.
The Springboks, dogged by some haphazard play, clawed their way back into the game via their scrum, with a try by Cobus Reinach giving them some momentum going into the second half.
Malcolm Marx scored a second-half brace to give the Boks the lead before Reinach scored his second, making it 29-13.
Argentina came back with two late tries, but the Boks did enough to retain the title.
One would think the Pumas would have learned their lesson from last week, but they gave the 23-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu too much time and space, particularly in kick returns, and he punished them.
Maybe not as devastatingly as last week, but he nevertheless showed the individual runner he is. He also kicked well from the tee, considering the conditions.
