London, England – The Springboks secured their position as reigning champions, defeating Argentina 29-27 in a hard-fought Castle lager Rugby Championship match at Twickenham Stadium. The victory wasn’t without challenge, as the Pumas mounted a notable comeback in the final quarter, ultimately falling just two points short.
The Boks began the second half trailing, but quickly gained momentum after a Pumas error and a yellow card issued to prop Mayco Vivas for a high tackle on Eben Etzebeth. Malcolm Marx capitalized on the advantage, scoring a try to give South Africa their first lead of the match at 15-13, though the conversion attempt was missed.
Further penalties earned the Boks additional opportunities, leading to tries from Cobus Reinach (his second of the match) and another from Marx, extending the lead to 22-13 after 53 minutes. Marx later secured a bonus-point try, showcasing the impact of the Bok’s bench additions including RG Snyman and Jesse Kriel.
Argentina refused to concede, with Bautista Delguy intercepting a speculative pass from Cheslin Kolbe and scoring his second try, narrowing the gap to 22-18. Despite a missed penalty by Santiago Carreras late in the game,Rodrigo Isgro scored a try from a kick by carreras,converting for a final score of 27-29.
Cobus Reinach was named Player of the Match for his two-try performance.
Scorers:
Argentina 27 (13) – Tries: Bautista Delguy (2), Rodrigo Isgro. Conversions: Santiago Carreras (3). Penalty goals: Carreras (2).
Springboks 29 (10) – Tries: Cobus Reinach (2), Malcolm Marx (2). Conversions: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (3). Penalty goal: Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
