The Springboks’ 38-21 win over Argentina at a packed King’s Park in Durban on Saturday evening was not enough to hand them the Rugby Championship trophy as they ended second behind the All Blacks.
The Boks went to the Argentina match needing to win by a big margin and a bonus point in order for them to annex the Rugby Championship trophy, but it was never to be as defeating the South Americans by 40 points proved to be a bridge too far for them.
Things promised for the Boks when Jasper Wiese scored their first try in the 19th minute and Frans Steyn successfully converted to give his side a 7-0 lead.
Boks captain Siya Kolisi crossed the try line a minute before the half hour mark and Steyn converted to make it 14-0. The Boks increased their lead to 17-0 after Steyn converted a penalty two minutes before half-time.
The visitors didn’t give up and made sure that they had something before into the break. Gonzalo Bertranou scored a try and Emiliano Boffelli converted to make it 17-7.
The South Americans started the second half by camping inside the Boks’ territory. They got their second try of the match through Juan Martin Gonzalez in the 47th minute and Boffelli made no mistake from the conversion making it 17-14.
The Boks were awarded a penalty try in the 55th to stretch their lead to 24-14. However, things didn’t go their way as the Argentines scored their third try through Matias Moroni in the 68th minute and Boffelli successfully converted.
Not giving up on defeating the Los Pumas by a big score, the Boks were awarded yet another penalty try in the 73rd minute.
Kurt-Lee Arendse scored the Boks’ final try with Steyn successfully converting to give their team a 38-21 victory.
