Argentina Upset South Africa for Historic Rugby Championship Triple Crown

Argentina completed an upset win over South Africa on Saturday at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero. The 29-28 victory sees Los Pumas claiming a historic Rugby Championship Triple Crown. Never before had Los Pumas beaten the trio of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in the same year.

Early signs were outstanding for South Africa. The Springboks scored two early tries to race out to a 17-0 lead. First, a cut-out pass from Handre Pollard put fullback Aphelele Fassi threw a gap for a try. Second, go-foward ball saw Jesse Kriel hitting the line to score under the posts. Pollard converted both and added a penalty.

This was similar to Argentina’s start against the Wallabies in Santa Fe wherein Australia led 20-3 after 30 minutes. A comeback also unfolded in Santiago del Estero. Argentina scored four tries before South Africa added to their early points.

The tries featured enterprise as well as raw strength. First, Santiago Chocobares broke a Marco van Staden tackle and ran clear before attracting Fassi and off-loading to Mateo Carreras who scored. Two quick-fire tries followed. Mateo Carreras put over Pablo Matera down the left side and a lineout to maul saw Joaquín Oviedo just avoiding the sideline before off-loading to Joel Sclavi who powered over.

Argentina were ahead and added to the lead on 35 minutes. Tomás Albornoz split Makazole Mapimpi and Malcolm Marx to run around for a try. He converted for a 26-17 lead. Cobus Reinach responded with a quick-tap penalty seeing the scrum-half over in the left corner.

The second-half was different to the first. It was a war of attrition. The scrum, lineout, ruck, goal-kicking and use of replacements were all key areas. The injection of bomb-squad members Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Kwagga Smith, and Elrigh Louw on 48 minutes saw the Springboks’ forwards gaining the upper hand.

Before then, however Pollard, landed a penalty for a 26-25 scoreline. He was replaced by Mannie Libbok together with the bomb-squad. South Africa. Lubbock made it 28-26 to the Springbok on 51 minutes.

Albornoz, who had missed a long-range penalty, restored Argentina’s lead on 69 minutes. It lasted nine minutes until South Africa won a penalty inside Los Pumas’ half. Libbok had a kick for the lead but it went wide. Argentina put in a long drop-out to then defend well with captain Julián Montoya winning a turnover penalty. It sealed victory with the Leicester Tiger celebrating victory in his 101st cap.

 

The win adds a new scalp to Felipe Contepomi’s Pumas. In his rookie season in charge, Contepomi’s teams have beaten France, Uruguay, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. This suggests that Felipe Contepomi may be short-listed for World Rugby Coach of the Year Award.

The teams both have a long trip ahead of them. In next Saturday’s match the teams collide in Nelspruit, South Africa. The trip from Santiago del Estero will involve flights to Buenos Aires, São Paulo and Johannesburg.

 

KEY MATCH STATISTICS

• Argentina made 158 tackles; South Africa made 73.
• South Africa had 60% of possession.
• Argentina defeated 26 defenders; South Africa defeated 22.
• South Africa won 99% of their rucks; Argentina’s rate was 91.8%.
• Argentina won 84.6% of their lineouts; South Africa won 81.8% of theirs.
• Argentina conceded 11 penalties; South Africa conceded 10.
• Aphelele Fassi was the top carrier with 98 meters. Mateo Carreras carried 63 meters and Tomás Albornoz 62 meters.
• Lucio Cinti made the most tackles with 16. South Africa avoided Marcos Kremer who made just 5.

 

MILESTONES

• Argentina claimed a historic Triple-Crown by beating all Rugby Championship opponents in the same tournament. Argentina defeated New Zealand 38-30 away and Australia 67-27 in Santa Fe.
• Pedro Delgado made his test debut for Argentina as a replacement.
• Santiago Carreras earned his 50th cap for Argentina.
• Eben Etzebeth equaled Victor Matfield’s Springboks record of 127 caps.
• Handre Pollard overtook Morne Steyn to now be second to Percy Montgomery for points scored for South Africa.
• No Springbok defender reached double figures. Salmaan Moerat and Lukhanyo Am made 9 each.
• Pumas props conceded  penalized 7 penalties of the team’s 11. Joel Sclavi (4), Thomas Gallo (2) and Pedro Delgado (1). Aphelele Fassi was the only Springbok to concede more than one penalty.

 

WORLD RANKINGS

Argentina’s win will elevate Los Pumas to a new ranking of 84.30 points on Monday. South Africa’s updated World Rankings will be 91.77 points. This means that South Africa fall from top spot with Ireland now ranked highest in the world. Argentina swap places with Scotland to be 6th in the world.

 

SCORING

ARGENTINA (29)
Try – M Carreras (15′); P Matera (22′); J Sclavi (26′); T Albornoz (34′)
Con – T Albornoz (16′, 22′, 35′)
Pen – T Albornoz (69′)

SOUTH AFRICA (28)
Try – A Fassi (3′); J Kriel (8′); C Reinach (39′)
Con – H Pollard (3′, 9′)
Pen – H Pollard (12′, 43′); M Liddok (51′)
YC – KL Arendse (17′)

 

LINE-UPS

ARGENTINA
1 Thomas Gallo, 2 Julián Montoya (capt.), 3 Joel Sclavi, 4 Franco Molina, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 6 Pablo Matera (vice-capt.), 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Bautista Delguy, 15 Juan Cruz Mallía (vice-capt.)

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Juan Martín González, 21 Gonzalo García, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Matías Moroni

SOUTH AFRICA
1 Ox Nche, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Thomas du Toit, 4 Salmaan Moerat (capt.), 5 Ruan Nortje, 6 Marco van Staden, 7 Ben Jason-Dixon, 8 Jasper Wiese, 9 Cobus Reinach, 10 Handre Pollard, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 15 Aphelele Fassi

Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Mannie Libbok

 

MATCH VIDEO

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
Assistant Referees: Matt Carley (England); Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)

ARGENTINA WINS VS SOUTH AFRICA

• Sep 21, 2024 – Argentina 29-28 South Africa (Santiago del Estero, AR)
• Aug 25, 2018 – Argentina 32-19 South Africa (Mendoza, AR)
• Aug 27, 2016 – Argentina 26-24 South Africa (Salta, AR)
• Aug 08, 2015 – South Africa 25-37 Argentina (Durban, ZA)