While celebrating a historic Rugby Championship title, South Africa’s head coach Rassie Erasmus was frank in his assessment, admitting his side were “fortunate” in their victory over Argentina. Citing the neutral venue and key moments in the match, Erasmus acknowledged that several factors beyond pure dominance contributed to their championship-clinching win.
One such moment was Canan Moodie avoiding a second yellow card in the first half, which would have resulted in a red. The Springboks also benefited from a missed knock-on in the build-up to a crucial try. These moments of luck, combined with their set-piece strength, helped them overcome a resilient Pumas team that had taken an early lead.
The most significant factor, however, was the venue. Played at Twickenham instead of in Argentina, the match lacked the intense hostility the Pumas generate at home. Erasmus openly stated his side was lucky not to be playing in Argentina, where the home crowd provides a powerful advantage. The sea of green in London undoubtedly helped the Springboks feel at home.
Despite these acknowledgements, South Africa’s dominance at the scrum was undeniable and earned them the victory. The forward pack was relentless, with Malcolm Marx’s two tries from close range a direct result of this physical superiority. This raw power was the Boks’ get-out-of-jail-free card when other parts of their game were not firing on all cylinders.
The victory secures back-to-back titles for the first time, a major achievement for this Springbok era. Yet, with the future of the tournament in doubt, as highlighted by Erasmus himself, this lucky and hard-fought win could be the last of its kind, adding a complex legacy to their triumph.