Seven tries were scored in the romp as the world champion Springboks won the Rugby Championship for the first time since 2019 and the first full title since 2009 by beating Argentina 48-7 in Mbombela on Saturday night.
Independent Newspapers looks at five positives from the Boks’ display at the weekend and overall in the southern hemisphere competition...
Running Los Pumas to shreds
If your starting backline, apart from the halfbacks, all run over 60m in the match, then you know you’ve dominated the running game comfortably. The Argentinian stats don’t measure up to that of the Boks.
It was thanks to the forwards and then the sharp service of scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse and flyhalf Manie Libbok that the Springbok backline could enjoy the space and time on the rugby ball.
It produced some brilliant tries and plays.
Manie Libbok got the celebrations going on the field last night and the boys were loving it 🕺🏻😂😆 pic.twitter.com/CczH0LiFIv
A halfback pairing made in rugby heaven
Hendrikse and Libbok should not be separated by the Bok coaches, especially when they are playing in conditions suitable to a running game.
They were sublime in getting the Springbok attack going and they serviced their backs with little fuss.
Hendrikse was speedy on the ball and sniped around the rucks well, while Libbok made kicks out of hand that had the crowd in awe every time he did it.
Their partnership will develop more under the guidance of Bok attack coach Tony Brown.
The innovation keeps on coming
How was that over-the-head line-out pass into a second jumping pod that led to a penalty for the Boks after Argentina shoved early into the driving maul?
Or one of the first line-out overthrows for wing Kurt-Lee Arendse to attack from? It’s been a trend in the Rugby Championship for the Boks to innovate, and they’ve blown their supporters’ socks off.
With a couple of weeks’ break before the November Tests, the Springbok coaches will surely come up with more ways to dodge their opponents in the UK.
Cheslin Kolbe has covered every blade of grass in the first 50 minutes 😤⭐
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 28, 2024
📺 Stream #TRC2024 on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/FCHkqooTCs
Some positive selection headaches for Erasmus and Co
There will be some nervous older bones in the Bok squad after a handful of young ones put their hand up for selection during the past couple of Tests. And it won’t be long before Rassie Erasmus will select a squad for the November tour, and there will be some unfortunate players missing out.
Lock Ruan Nortjé has been one of the standouts and one has to wonder which of the No 5 locks he has eclipsed. Utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been the other find, and when he returns from his knee injury there will be some big calls to make.
Southern hemisphere domination can continue
Apart from last weekend’s hiccup in Santiago del Estero where they lost narrowly, the Springboks dominated their opponents in the Rugby Championship Tests and with a rotation of their matchday squad for most of the games.
Siya and his team lift the 2024 Rugby Championship 🏆🙌#TRC2024 pic.twitter.com/nhZgkNEoQ8
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 28, 2024
They claimed the Freedom Cup by winning both Tests against the All Blacks, and before that back-to-back wins for the first time in the professional era against the Wallabies in Australia laid a good foundation. Saturday’s domination of Argentina crowned a spectacular display in the tournament.