A tight Rugby Championship was decided in the Springboks favour thanks to their solid points difference, after they ended level on points with the All Blacks.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi hailed the fight of his team as they clinched a tight 29-27 victory over Argentina in their Rugby Championship decider at Twickenham, to win back-to-back titles for the first time in their history.
The competition ended with the Boks level on 19 points with their great rivals the All Blacks, but well ahead on point difference, which was enough to seal the title for the second straight year.
Although the Wallabies and Los Pumas ended well short in the end on 11 and 10 points respectively, they both played their part in a thrilling tournament that had to be decided on the final day, with both picking up big wins to make things interesting.
The Wallabies stunning 38-22 win over the Boks at Ellis Park, and Argentina’s 29-23 win over the All Blacks in Buenos Aires were key results in keeping the competition alive and kicking right until the end.
Dig deep
Kolisi admitted after the match that they had to dig deep a number of times during the Rugby Championship, and especially in the final match when they had to come back from a halftime deficit to win.
“We have had to, because we are playing against quality teams. It really has been a tough Rugby Championship and you can see that by how close it was (on the log). Also this morning’s match was a close one (with the All Blacks beating the Wallabies),” explained Kolisi.
“Argentina have been playing really well, they challenged us a lot today and we knew that they would go down fighting.
“The way we started (the competition) in that first match (losing to the Wallabies at Ellis Park), you never thought we would be here (winning back-to-back titles). But the belief in ourselves (is immense).
“What coach Rassie (Erasmus) has instilled in us since 2018, the mindset that he has created in the team, you just don’t feel in any moment that you are going to lose, no matter how (dire) it looks.
“And that is so important, because I know how it feels on the other side, when you know how difficult it is to get a win.”
Springbok fight
Kolisi was especially proud of the teams fight, after a game where Los Pumas took a 13-3 lead in the first half, before the Boks fought back before and after halftime to lead 29-13, with a strong finish from Argentina seeing them finish just two points shy thanks to a try after the fulltime hooter.
“It was a tough day today. Credit to the Argentinian team, they came hard, and we knew they were going to set the standard from the beginning. But once again I am so proud of my team,” said Kolisi.
“It wasn’t the perfect game of rugby, but the fight we show each and every single time is something to be proud of. It doesn’t always go the way that we want it to, but we are always able to find a another gear. It also shows how important the players that come off the bench are for us.”
