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2024 South Africa vs Argentina

Springboks Claim Rugby Championship With Dominant Win Over Argentina, 48-7

Springboks Claim Rugby Championship With Dominant Win Over Argentina, 48-7

The South Africa Springboks hosted Argentina at Mbombela Stadium in the final round of The Rugby Championship. Here's the game recap.

Sep 28, 2024 by R. R. Ellis
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The South Africa Springboks defeated Argentina 48-7 at Mbombela Stadium, winning their first Rugby Championship title since 2019. 

The Springboks showed relentless pressure out of the gate, scoring 27 points before halftime.

With every consecutive Boks try, the crowd roared, reaching a fever pitch toward the end of the match. 

Argentina defeated SA a week ago, albeit by one point, but the Springboks were out for revenge, and Los Pumas were only able to muster a single try the whole game. 

Pieter-Steph du Toit earned man-of-the-match honors for his two-try performance. 

On a day that Eben Etzebeth celebrated becoming the most-capped Springboks player of all time, the victory was nary in doubt after the first few minutes of the game.

Subscribe to watch the replay in the United States, or recap the action below.

South Africa Raises The Rugby Championship Trophy


Closer Look At du Toit Try

Siya Kolisi Post-Match Quote

"I can't wait to tell my grandkids that I played with Eben Etzebeth."

Man Of The Match: Pieter-Steph du Toit

du Toit scored two tries in the game and was all over the field making contributions. 


South Africa Rugby Championship/Tri-Nations

Tri-Nations (1996–2011)

  • 1998: South Africa
  • 2004: South Africa
  • 2009: South Africa

The Rugby Championship (2012–Present)

  • 2019: South Africa
  • 2024: South Africa

That's It! End Of Game

South Africa 48, Argentina 7

Scuffles in the in-goal area as the game ends. 

South Africa wins its first Rugby Championship trophy since 2019 and only its fifth TRC/Tri-Nations title overall. 

Jesse Kriel Scores For SA; 77'

South Africa 48, Argentina 7

Not much changes with another South Africa score, but the crowd somehow has gotten louder with each try.

Kriel scores this time. 

The Springboks are taking the loss last week personally. 

Pollard converts. 

South Africa Pushing For More; 74'

The Springboks are relentless. 

Du Toit Scores Another Try!; 72'

South Africa 41, Argentina 7

Only a minute later, du Toit takes it across the line for another SA try. 

South Africa is absolutely obliterating the Argentine side.

Pollard converts. 

South Africa Try Overturned By TMO; 71'

In what would have been a magnificent try as the Springboks go coast-to-coast, Kurt-Lee Arendse's try is overturned by TMO.

It matters not, as South Africa is eight minutes from its first Rugby Championship title since 2019. 

Crowd In Mbombela Already Celebrating

The crowd is absolutely wild. 

Springboks Score From Maul; 68'

South Africa 34, Argentina 7

Looks like South Africa just put this game away, as Malcom Marx scores from the maul after a Springbok lineout. 

SA just too strong, especially with 15 vs. 13. 

Pollard makes the conversion. 

Another Yellow Card For Argentina 😱; 67'

TMO says it's an intentional knock-on, and Santiago Carreras is shown to the sin bin. 

Argentina playing with 13 men.

Lineout from the 5m spot for South Africa. 

Springboks Work Their Way Into 20m; 66'

South Africa gets down the field quickly with some quick passing, before an error sends the ball out of play. 

Springboks legend Handre Pollard enters the game to a roar from the crown. 

Matera Yellow Upgraded To Red Card; 62'

South Africa 27, Argentina 7

Matera will be out for 20 minutes. Another 10 minutes before Los Pumas can replace him.

Springboks Holding Firm


South Africa 27, Argentina 7; 61'

The Springboks are still leading by 20 points. Argentina has 20 minutes to close the gap, which was seeming unlikely, even when we headed into halftime. 

South Africa is ferocious right now. 

Anytime Los Pumas make inroads, there's a passing error or a knock-on or a penalty. Unlucky for the Argentine side.

Closer Look At Matera Yellow Card

Etzebeth Is A Battering Ram; 59'

Eben Etzebeth, on the day he becomes the most-capped Springboks player ever, absolutely clobbers this Argentina player. 


Head Contact By Argentina; 55'

Pablo Matera is shown a yellow card, and Springboks will have another man advantage. 

Matera leads with his should into du Toit's head. 


Scrum At About 5m From SA Goal; 52'

South Africa dominates a scrum against Argentina about 5m from the in-goal area. 

It was as far into SA territory as Argentina has been this half. 

Hendrikse Misses PG; 45'

Hendrikse has been off the last few kicks and misses a penalty goal that would've been the first points of the half.

Multiple Linebreaks From Springboks; 43'

South Africa 27, Argentina 7

The South Africa side has come out pressing and looks like it'll score fairly quickly. The springboks look determined.

It bears repeating that the crowd is incredible. 

Second Half Begins

Here's a look back at the Fassi, Carreras collision that led to another South Africa try after the Pumas player was sent to the sin bin. 

Halftime Stats

  • Penalty Goals:

    • Argentina: 1
    • South Africa: 0

  • Tries:

    • Argentina: 4
    • South Africa: 1

  • Conversions:

    • Argentina: 2
    • South Africa: 1

  • Drop Goals:

    • Argentina: 0
    • South Africa: 0

  • Carries:

    • Argentina: 79
    • South Africa: 32

  • Line Breaks:

    • Argentina: 9
    • South Africa: 1

  • Turnovers Lost:

    • Argentina: 8
    • South Africa: 7

  • Territory:

    • Argentina: 43%
    • South Africa: 57%

  • Possession:

    • Argentina: 34%
    • South Africa: 66%

Closer Look At Cheslin Kolbe Try

Incredible pass from Kolisi. 

Halftime

South Africa 27, Argentina 7

South Africa kicks it away after a scrum, and the first half ends.

Cheslin Kolbe Scores After Long Heave From Kolisi

South Africa 27, Argentina 7

Incredible long toss from Kolisi, makes it to the sideline and Kolbe takes it in. 

Game is getting out of hand for Argentina. Can't help but feel the home crowd is contributing quite a bit. 

Jaden Hendrikse misses the conversion for the second time in a row. 

Fassi Scores Again; 32'

South Africa 22, Argentina 7

Fassie takes it over the line after some clever play by the Springboks. 

Hendrikse misses the conversion. 

Mateo Carreras Gets Yellow Card; 29'

South Africa 17, Argentina 7

Mateo Carreras will head to the sin bin for the collision, giving an already surging Springboks a man advantage.

Fassi Collision 👀


Santiago Chocobares Injured; 25'

South Africa 17, Argentina 7

In a nasty play, Chocobares has his knee buckled by another player. 

Lucio Cinti comes on as a replacement. 

Hendrikse Makes Penalty Goal; 21'

Hendrikse adds a penalty conversion to his stats.

Mbombela Crown Is Absolutely Electric

Roars and shrieks from the crowd each time the Springboks make a good play. 

The environment for The Rugby Championship's final game is incredible. 

Argentina Strike!; 19'

South Africa 14, Argentina 7

Albornoz continues his stellar play and takes it across the line. 

He then converts the kick. 

Los Pumas are back in it. 

Pieter-Steph du Toit Scores For Springboks; 13'

Hendrikse converts the kick. 

Game Updates; 11'

South Africa 7, Argentina 0

Adele Fassi scored about seven minutes into the match, and Jaden Hendrikse converted the kick. It's a change from last week, where Libbok took the kicks after taking over for Handre Pollard late in the game.

Broadcaster Having Technichal Issues

The broadcaster is having technical issues, and it does seem like it's widespread and not just isolated to the United States stream.

Update: We're back. 

Last Five Matches Between Pumas, Springboks

  • Rugby Championship: Argentina 29, South Africa 28 (Sep 21, 2024)
  • Summer Internationals: Argentina 13, South Africa 24 (Aug 5, 2023)
  • Rugby Championship: South Africa 22, Argentina 21 (Jul 29, 2023)
  • Rugby Championship: South Africa 38, Argentina 21 (Sep 24, 2022)
  • Rugby Championship: Argentina 20, South Africa 36 (Sep 17, 2022)

Rassie Erasmus Lineup Changes For Springboks

FloRugby expert Philip Bendon outlined some of the changes the South Africa gaffer made to his squad ahead of the Argentina rematch:

"Erasmus has welcomed back several key players who were rested for the previous match against Argentina. 

In a major shakeup, Etzebeth returns to the starting XV alongside Ruan Nortje, forming a formidable lock pairing. 

Nine changes in total, including one positional switch, have been made from the team that lost to Los Pumas in Argentina.

Among the returning players, six double Rugby World Cup winners - Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende and Siya Kolisi - have been named in the starting lineup, with Kolisi resuming his role as captain. 

The starting pack mirrors the powerful forward combination that overcame New Zealand 18-12 in Cape Town, showcasing Erasmus' intent to field an experienced and cohesive side.

The backline sees Aphelele Fassi retained at fullback, teaming up with Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, while Jesse Kriel and De Allende continue their partnership in the midfield. 

Jaden Hendrikse and Manie Libbok are promoted to the starting XV, pushing Cobus Reinach and Handré Pollard to the bench.

Erasmus opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, featuring Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp and Vincent Koch as prop cover. Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Pollard, Reinach and Lukhanyo Am round out the substitutes."

Eben Etzebeth Set to Become Most Capped Springbok Today

Eben Etzebeth has been a dominant force in rugby union for over a decade. Impressively, the 6-foot-8 lock has held out incredibly well and will break the Springboks all-time caps record, with 128.

Etzebeth made his debut for the Springboks against England on June 9, 2012.


The Office For Today 😂

Mbombela Showing Up

South Africa Vs. Argentina Prediction

Here's a prediction from FloRugby expert Philip Bendon. 

"Much of the match’s intrigue lies in the battle between the tight-five forwards. 

The Springboks' lineout struggled last weekend against Argentina, with Los Pumas showing impressive resilience and strength. 

South Africa's head coach, Rassie Erasmus, isn’t taking Argentina lightly, acknowledging that Los Pumas could pull off a famous upset, given their recent successes and their shared ability to defy the odds.

The return of key Springboks players, including the influential Eben Etzebeth, who will be making his 128th appearance, promises to bolster South Africa’s chances. Etzebeth’s rivalry with Argentina’s Tomas Lavanini has been a focal point in recent encounters, and the battle between them will be crucial in determining which side gains the upper hand.

Springboks stalwarts Damian de Allende and Bongi Mbonambi also return to add experience to the team, while Los Pumas’ rising star Joaquin Oviedo will look to showcase his athleticism. The midfield clash between De Allende and Argentina's Santiago Chocobares is another exciting matchup to watch, as both centers have been in outstanding form.

With everything to play for, the match likely will come down to small margins, including the performances of the two No. 10s, Manie Libbok for South Africa and Tomas Albornoz for Argentina. 

While the Springboks have a history of delivering under pressure, Los Pumas have shown they can defy expectations. Nevertheless, with the home advantage and a fully loaded squad, the Springboks seem poised to claim victory and lift The Rugby Championship title."

Springboks by 15.

How To Watch South Africa Springboks Vs. Argentina Rugby

The Rugby Championship will be streaming in the United States on FloRugby and the FloSports app.

That includes games from Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

Match replays, highlights and more will be on both platforms. 

South Africa Springboks Lineup

  1. Ox Nche
  2. Bongi Mbonambi
  3. Frans Malherbe
  4. Eben Etzebeth
  5. Ruan Nortje
  6. Siya Kolisi
  7. Pieter-Steph du Toit
  8. Jasper Wiese
  9. Jaden Hendrikse
  10. Manie Libbok
  11. Kurt-Lee Arendse
  12. Damian de Allende
  13. Jesse Kriel
  14. Cheslin Kolbe
  15. Aphelele Fassi

Substitutes: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Gerhard Steenekamp, 18. Vincent Koch, 19. Elrigh Louw, 20. Kwagga Smith, 21. Cobus Reinach, 22. Handre Pollard, 23. Lukhanyo Am.

Argentina Los Pumas Lineup

  1. Thomas Gallo
  2. Julian Montoya
  3. Joel Sclavi
  4. Pedro Rubiolo
  5. Tomas Lavanini
  6. Juan Martin Gonzalez
  7. Santiago Grondona
  8. Joaquin Oviedo
  9. Gonzalo Garcia
  10. Tomas Albornoz
  11. Mateo Carreras
  12. Santiago Chocobares
  13. Matias Moroni
  14. Rodrigo Isgro
  15. Santiago Carreras

Substitutes: 16. Ignacio Ruiz, 17. Ignacio Calles, 18. Pedro Delgado, 19. Franco Molina, 20. Pablo Matera, 21. Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22. Lucio Cinti, 23. Juan Cruz Mallia.

South Africa Vs. Argentina Rugby Kickoff Time

The match kicks off at 11:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Mbombela Stadium in Mbombela, South Africa.

Argentina Kits 🐆

Springboks Fans Are Aready

South Africa World Rugby Ranking

 The Springboks are ranked No. 2 in the world with 91.77 points.

Argentina World Rugby Ranking

Argentina is ranked No. 6 in the world with 84.30 points.

South Africa Rugby Schedule 2024

Argentina Rugby Schedule 2024

World Rugby Rankings 2024

  1. Ireland, 92.12
  2. South Africa, 91.77
  3. New Zealand, 88.70
  4. France, 86.96
  5. England, 85.40
  6. Argentina, 84.30
  7. Scotland, 82.82
  8. Italy, 78.98
  9. Fiji, 79.64
  10. Australia, 79.32
  11. Wales, 76.04
  12. Georgia, 74.10
  13. Samoa, 72.68
  14. Japan, 73.31
  15. Portugal, 70.61
  16. Tonga, 68.12
  17. Uruguay, 67.39
  18. Spain, 66.29
  19. USA, 67.70
  20. Romania, 62.62

The Rugby Championship 2024 Fixtures

August 10

August 17

August 31

September 7

September 21

September 28

Where To Watch Rugby Internationals 2024?

In the USA, FloRugby will broadcast some of the best international rugby fixtures of 2024.

South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and England will play matches on FloRugby and the FloSports app.

How To Watch The Rugby Championship 2024?

The Rugby Championship will be streaming in the United States on FloRugby and the FloSports app.

Match replays, highlights and more will be on both platforms. 

How To Watch Rugby Matches In the United States On FloRugby

FloRugby and FloSports also are the U.S. home to: 

FloRugby also is home to match archives and match replays. 

Join The Rugby Conversation On FloRugby Social