Springboks Clinch Second Straight Rugby Championship

• South Africa reached a historic milestone in the Rugby Championship, achieving something the team had never done before
• The tournament was full of highs and lows, with the Springboks facing challenges that tested their skill and resilience
• The final match was intense and suspenseful, keeping fans on the edge of their seats until the very end

South Africa has made history, retaining the Castle Lager Rugby Championship for the first time. After a dominant 67-30 win over Argentina last weekend, the Springboks had to dig deep to secure a narrow 29-27 victory on Saturday, 4 October 2025.

The win caps a thrilling six-round tournament, where South Africa overcame a shaky start, throwing away a 22-point lead to lose their opener at home against Australia, before mounting an impressive comeback to seal consecutive titles.

Speaking after the final whistle, Springbok captain Siya Kolisi said:

“It was a tough day. Credit to Argentina, who came hard. I am so proud of our boys. It was not the perfect game, but the fight we showed every time. The players we have coming off the bench are so special. We have been playing against quality teams, and it has been a tough Rugby Championship.

“Under Rassie Erasmus, you never feel you are going to lose. We took a lot of learnings out of the first game. I could not be prouder of our country, our people who come out every week. We know our country goes through a lot, and our winning makes people feel good. Thank you so much to the people of South Africa for backing us.”

Cobus Reinach, who was named man of the match, reflected on the achievement:

“It is unreal [to win consecutive Rugby Championships]. We have not won it ever back-to-back. Going back-to-back shows a lot of character. We are growing; there are a lot of improvements still to make. Argentina are unreal and has a lot of dog in them. Like us, they keep fighting. It is one of the best jobs in the world to be the scrum-half behind our pack.”

Argentina captain Julian Montoya also shared his thoughts, praising his team and fans:

“First of all, I want to thank all the Argentinian fans who came here to support us. Last week was tough, but today you saw our character. There is still work to be done. I love serving my country. The scrum was our biggest weakness today, but we keep going. We did not give up, and we finished with a try. I am not happy with the result, but proud of the team. There are going to be ups and downs. We have to be more consistent and get better.”

How the 2025 Rugby Championship unfolded

The 2025 Rugby Championship proved to be a rollercoaster ride for the Springboks. Their campaign began with a setback at home in Johannesburg, where Australia edged them out 38-22. They bounced back a week later in Cape Town, claiming a hard-fought 30-22 win over the Wallabies.

September brought mixed fortunes: a 24-17 loss to New Zealand in Auckland was followed by a stunning 43-10 triumph over the All Blacks in Wellington.

The Springboks then put on a show in Durban, dismantling Argentina 67-30, setting up a nail-biting finale at Twickenham. On 4 October, South Africa narrowly held off Los Pumas, winning 29-27 to clinch back-to-back Rugby Championship titles.

Despite a narrow loss in their opener, South Africa recovered with commanding wins, culminating in a tense showdown against Argentina, where every point counted.

A thrilling finale at Twickenham

The match was a nail-biter. South Africa’s forwards dominated the scrums, while the backs capitalised on key opportunities. Malcolm Marx scored a decisive try in the second half, and Cobus Reinach crossed the line twice, including a crucial try just before halftime.

Argentina fought hard, with Delguy scoring a late try and Isgro adding a consolation try at the final whistle, but it was not enough to stop the Springboks from sealing their historic victory.

Final Standings

The 2025 Rugby Championship concluded as follows:

South Africa – 19 points

New Zealand – 19 points

Australia – 11 points

Argentina – 10 points

With this win, South Africa becomes the first nation to defend the Rugby Championship title successfully, marking a historic moment in Springbok rugby history.

Erasmus reveals calories burned while coaching

Briefly News previously reported that coach Rassie Erasmus took to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday to reveal just how nerve-wracking the two hours were.

The defending Rugby World Cup and Rugby Championship champions faced immense pressure, and Erasmus shared the toll the job takes on him. Posting his heart rate and calories burned, he showed fans the personal intensity of coaching at the highest level.

Source: Briefly News