Rugby Championship: South Africa dominates Argentina and takes the crown from New Zealand

Match: 38-21

The Springboks knew their road map to winning the rugby championship: win on Saturday at a blazing Kings Park in Durban with the bonus of attacking, and by at least 39 points to hope to win the competition on overall goals average. South Africa, stymied by a powerful Pumas, finished second to allow New Zealand to claim their sixth title in seven years. On Saturday morning, the All Blacks crushed the Wallabies (40-14) in Oakland and won the crucial offense bonus.

The first half hour long looked like an attacking defense between a team playing for victory on the sixth and final day of the competition and another coming in as a free spirit, despite the possibility of a podium at stake. True to their custom, the Boks were not bothered by good manners and imposed their conquest power.

Inevitably, penalties were tied up in the first half hour: 10 against Pumas (21 in the end), who spent half the first half outnumbered by the cards of Kremer (16) and Gonzalez (27).

Fortunately for the Argentines, De Allende forgot to serve his teammates (7), Montoya scratched the ball five meters from the line (11) and Le Roux (27) preferred to play the single card in the closed side and back in. -Goal. The only two tries, from Wiese on a dork scrum (19th) and from Kolisi on a carried ball (29th), looked like little consolation for the world champions.

The visitors reacted timidly with the first incursion (33), and finally made a good run of closing the gap to the sirens via Bertrano (40, 17-7). They then put the South Africans under pressure as they walked back from the locker room, unable to break free or slow down the lines. González, who was positioned on the left wing, found himself facing Le Roux and shook off the back of a terrific overflow tire before wrapping up unopposed (47th).

The meeting sank into a state of indiscipline, and the two teams received a series of yellow cards: Argentine de la Fuente (56th) and Sclavi (73rd) both were fouled in two opposing balls that were converted into penalty attempts (56th, 73rd), while Ezebeth (60th place ) for a stroller and De Klerk (65) for a foul on a carried ball also spent ten minutes on the bench. Back Arendse, who played, completed the success of the Boks (80), who scrambled at halftime.

Winners of the Pumas (36-20) the day before in Buenos Aires, the Springboks are missing out on winning a full edition of the Southern Hemisphere Championship since 2009 (the 2019 edition was cut short due to the FIFA Cup). . With this setback, Argentina finished fourth and last in the tournament despite two victories.

Player: Frans Stein in half colours

South Africa’s opening match delivered a performance in their team’s image: clumsy despite overall dominance. Created for the first time since June 2008 in the Opening Day, the versatile veteran (35) had to make up for the absences of postal specialists, Handry Pollard (injured), Damien Willemsey (loose) or Elton Jantjes (wielded).

The former Racingman missed a penalty kick (14) and deflected a kick (20) and was not reassuring to his teammates during his breaks in the second half. He devoted himself to multiplying the candles during the second act, without further success.