South Africa stormed past Argentina 67–30 in Durban, a result that looked improbable after a first half riddled with errors. What began as a frustrating, chaotic display turned into a statement win, built on set-piece power and the brilliance of 22-year-old Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who delivered a record-breaking performance.
A Shaky Start
The opening half was anything but clinical from the Springboks. Poor discipline and basic mistakes handed Argentina scoring chances, with Santiago Chocobares profiting from Cheslin Kolbe’s miscued drop-kick and a penalty try awarded after Malcolm Marx illegally collapsed a maul.
Even experienced campaigners like Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit contributed to the error count, leaving the home crowd restless. At that point, South Africa’s dominance was anything but assured.
The Sacha Show
Feinberg-Mngomezulu shifted the narrative. Composed, inventive, and ruthless, the young fly-half produced one of the great individual Springbok performances.
His opening try came from chasing down his own 50/22 attempt.
Just before halftime, he had the awareness to grab a critical score despite the Boks being reduced to 14 men.
Early in the second half, he floated a pinpoint cross-kick for Kolbe to finish.
Moments later, a clever dummy carried him over for his hat-trick.
By full time, his 37-point haul had eclipsed Percy Montgomery’s long-standing record for most points by a Springbok in a Test. More than the numbers, though, he provided calm direction in a match that had threatened to spiral away.
Forwards Take Control
Once the backline settled, South Africa’s pack imposed their authority. Du Toit was immense, carrying 18 times and scoring twice in a relentless all-round display. Marx atoned for his earlier mistake with ferocity at the breakdown, while the set-piece provided a constant platform — five stolen lineouts and scrum dominance blunting Argentina’s usual strengths.
Cobus Reinach dictated tempo before Morne van den Berg picked up the mantle, and late contributions from RG Snyman and Kwagga Smith sealed the Pumas’ fate.
Argentina Falter
For Argentina, this was a night to forget. Their lineout, previously the Championship’s most reliable, collapsed under pressure. The scrum followed suit, and their defensive structures fell apart in the face of South Africa’s second-half assault.
Fly-halves Santiago Carreras and Tomas Albornoz showed flashes of quality, with Albornoz grabbing a try, but their efforts were drowned out in a performance that lacked cohesion. The loss of full-back Juan Cruz Mallía to injury only deepened their woes.
Final Word
The Springboks were far from flawless, but once their power game clicked into gear, Argentina had no answers. More importantly, South Africa discovered something bigger than a scoreline: a young fly-half who looks ready to take charge.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu didn’t just break a record in Durban — he may have changed the direction of this Springbok side.
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