South Africa and Argentina served up a rollercoaster in Durban, with the Springboks eventually overpowering the Pumas in a contest packed with drama, errors, and moments of individual brilliance.
The opening stages were tense, with both teams trading early penalties. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu struck first from long range, but Santiago Carreras punished South African ill-discipline twice to push the visitors in front. A stop-start first quarter was summed up by yet another offside infringement that handed Argentina another three points.
The breakthrough for the Boks came from a familiar source. After declining a shot at goal in favour of a lineout, a driving maul did the job, Malcolm Marx steering it over for the first try of the match.
What followed was chaos. Cheslin Kolbe misjudged a restart with a bizarre drop-kick that inadvertently gifted Argentina possession. Santiago Chocobares gratefully accepted, racing clear to score a try that stunned the crowd.
The Boks needed something special, and Feinberg-Mngomezulu delivered. Chasing his own kick ahead, he turned on the afterburners to beat the Pumas defence and dot down, restoring the lead. Argentina responded with a penalty try after Marx collapsed a maul, but the young flyhalf wasn’t done yet — stepping his way to a second try before the break. His conversion gave South Africa a narrow 25–23 advantage at half-time after a breathless opening 40 minutes.
Even with Marx in the sin bin, the Boks struck again straight after the restart. Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s pinpoint cross-kick found Kolbe, who finished in full stride. When Marx returned, the playmaker produced a dazzling dummy and dive over the line to complete a memorable hat-trick.
Argentina refused to fold and hit back through Tomas Albornoz, but South Africa’s attack only grew more fluid. A sweeping move finished by Morne van den Berg showcased their ability to blend forwards and backs seamlessly. Soon after, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Ethan Hooker combined on the wing for another well-worked try.
With the game opening up, Manie Libbok entered the party, slicing through the defence for a brilliant solo effort. Du Toit then muscled over late on for his second, sealing a dominant finish.
By full-time, the scoreboard reflected South Africa’s attacking power: eight tries in total, a hat-trick for Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and a comfortable win despite a shaky first half. For Argentina, it was a story of missed opportunities and defensive lapses. For the Boks, it was a reminder that when their backline fires, they can dismantle anyone.
Final Score: South Africa 57–30 Argentina