BOK-TO-BOK CHAMPIONS

SPRINGBOK coach Rassie Erasmus applauded his span for coming out on top in a dogfight in their 29-27 win against Argentina to lift a historic Rugby Championship title at Twickenham on Saturday.

For the first time in Springbok history, the Boks were able to defend their Rugby Championship title –  in one of the closest-run competitions where points difference ultimately decided who came out on top.

South Africa and New Zealand both ended the competition on 19 points.

But thanks to a massive 43-10 win against the All Blacks in NZ, and the 67-30 pak they gave the Pumas in Durban, a far superior points difference made it a Rugby Championship double for the Boks.

However, Erasmus was quick to point out that the job for his team this year is far from done, as a tour of the northern hemisphere in November, where they will play five games, is on the horizon.

On that tour the Boks will put their number one ranking on the line as teams prepare to jockey for favourable seedings ahead of the 2027 World Cup draw on 3 December.

SA face Japan (1 November), France (8 November), Italy (15 November), Ireland (22 November) and Wales (29 November).  

Of Saturday’s hard-fought win, Erasmus wysed: “There were close calls that could have changed this game. We knew Argentina had massive fight in them.

“They took us to the gutters, and we had to swim out of the gutter. We are happy that we won.”