Boks put a seal on Etzebeth record with rout of Los Pumas

MATCH REPORT: South Africa clinched the Rugby Championship in emphatic style with a bonus-point win over Argentina at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday.

The Springboks outscored Los Pumas by seven tries to one for a 48-7 win

Even more significant was that it put a seal on veteran lock Eben Etzebeth 128th Test, making him the most capped Bok of all time – beating the record previously held by Victor Matfield.

An emotional Etzebeth, capped by Matfield, said he was lost for words, but proud to be part of such a great Bok team.

“It is difficult to describe, but that is why I play this game – to be part of this team,” he said.

South Africa, in a frenzied first half, employed their new expansive approach without hesitation.

However, they were not always as clinical as they would have liked to be – but clearly moving in the right direction.

Manie Libbok seemed at home with the expansive approach of the Boks, while the forwards laid the kind of platform that allowed the talented back to put on display their full array of skills.

Early in the second half, the Boks seemed to lack the same intensity and spark that made them so dominant before the break.

Their error rate also increased significantly, as fatigue set in.

However, a three-try blitz in the final 12 minutes completed a great rout and ensured all four Southern Hemisphere trophies are now at HQ in Plattekloof, Cape Town – Rugby Championship, Mandela Plate and Freedom Cup.

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The Boks got off to a blistering start, a series of phases and forward raids earning them a penalty deep inside Los Pumas’ 22.

They set up a line-out five metres from the opposition line, which became another penalty for playing a jumper in the air. They went for a scrum this time, which became a reset.

That became a penalty, an advantage and another penalty. This time, from the scrum, quick hands saw Manie Libbok put Aphelele Fassi into space and over for the first try. Hendrikse slotted the conversion – 7-0 after eight minutes.

The Boks continued to pound Los Pumas with brute force, and won two more scrum penalties – which resulted in a warning to Argentina.

From a line-out and a few more brutal forward phases, the Boks went close, before Pieter-Steph du Toit dove over a ruck to score the second try. Hendrikse slotted the conversion – 14-0.

Los Pumas were not deterred. A penalty and a defensive error by Siya Kolisi allowed Tomas Albornoz to sprint over for the visitors’ first try. Albornoz added the conversion – 7-14, after 20 minutes.

From the restart Los Pumas players were penalised for advancing ahead of the kicker, allowing Hendrikse to stretch the lead to 10 points – 17-7.

Just short of the half-hour mark Argentina was reduced to 14 men when wing Mateo Carreras was yellow-carded for a reckless collision with Aphelele Fassi.

Minutes later it was Fassi who scored the Boks’ third try and his second – the scoring pass and try assist coming from a hot-stepping Cheslin Kolbe. This time Hendrikse’s conversion attempt hit the upright – 22-7.

Fassi became the provider for the next try – a sweetly timed pass to Cheslin Kolbe, who stepped a defender and left him floundering on the pitch. The conversion attempt was again off-target – the Boks taking a 20-point (27-7) lead into the half-time break.

Early in the second half Siya Kolisi won a breakdown penalty, but Hendrikse was wide of the mark with a sitter.

The home team also conceded a couple of penalties in quick succession, allowing Los Pumas to get into the Bok territory.

However, replacement Pablo Matera charged shoulder first into the head of Vincent Koch and a very poorly executed attempted clearance – resulting in a yellow card and a bunker review. That was upgraded to a red card.

The Boks still did not get any rhythm and cleared the benches before the hour mark was up.

At least their defence held firm, as Los Pumas started to dominate territory and possession.

With 12 minutes remaining fullback Santiago Carreras was yellow-carded for cynically slapping the ball away inside his 22.

From the subsequent line-out, Malcolm Marx got an armchair fide over the line. Handre Pollard added the conversion – a commanding 34-7 lead.

That was followed by a sublime Fassi crossfield kick, with Kurt-Lee Arendse pouncing on the bouncing ball. The TMO had a few good looks at the incident, ruling that there was no clear downward pressure.

However, the Boks were soon back on attack, with Pieter-Steph du Toit finishing off a great team try. Pollard made it 41-7 with the conversion.

There was enough time for Jesse Kriel to pounce on a sublime Pollard grubber, with the replacement flyhalf adding the conversion to make it a 41-point lead – 48-7.

Man of the match: Behind a dominant pack the back flourished. Aphelele Fassi was not flawless, but exciting. Manie Libbok seemed at ease with the expansive mindset and showing great variety on attack – especially not having the kicking pressure. Cheslin Kolbe was everywhere – chasing, carrying and stepping. Jaden Hendrikse was great with his speedy service and asked some serious questions of the defence. The front row of Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi and Ox Nche were monsters in the set pieces, while replacements Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp and Vincent Koch also had a massive impact. Captain Siya Kolisi, locks Ruan Nortje and centurion Eben Etzebeth were also impressive. Seasoned loose forward Pieter-Steph du Toit certainly put his hand up, with a host of powerful carries and another impressive defensive effort, not to forget his two tries. My award goes to often maligned No.8 Jasper Wiese, who was the Boks’ most productive forward – a match-high 12 carries for 80-odd metres, five defenders beat and a flawless defensive effort.

Moment of the match: The match turned on the yellow card of Los Pumas wing Mateo Carreras in the 29th minute. In his absence, the Boks scored two tries and – effectively ending the match as a contest. It ended any hope of a comeback.

Villain of the match: This goes to card-prone Argentinean forward Pablo Matera, who was red-carded (upgraded on bunker review) for his nasty shoulder charge into the head of Bok prop Vincent Koch in a failed ruck clear-out.

The scorers

For South Africa
Tries: Fassi 2, Du Toit 2, Kolbe, Marx, Kriel
Cons: Hendrikse 2, Pollard 3

For Argentina
Try: Albornoz
Con: Albornoz

Yellow cards: Mateo Carreras (Argentina, 29 – foul play, colliding with an opponent in the air), Santiago Carreras (Argentina, 68 – cynical foul, slapping the ball away)
Red card: Pablo Matera (Argentina, 56 – foul play, shoulder charge into the head of an opponent)

Teams:

South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Elrigh Louw, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Lukhanyo Am.

Argentina: 15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Santiago Grondona, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Pedro Rubiolo, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Lucio Cinti, 23 Juan Cruz Mallia.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: James Doleman (New Zealand), Craig Evans (Wales)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

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* Picture credit: Anton Geyser media