South Africa clinch Rugby Championship title with 13-46 win over Argentina

Argentina 13-46 South Africa, Salta
Scorecard

Handre Pollard contributed with 31 points as South Africa went on to beat Argentina 13-46 in the final round in Salta to win the Rugby Championship tournament.

The win means Springboks finished with 12 points with Australia finished at second with eight points followed by New Zealand at third with six points.

Nicolas Sanchez provided a moment of brilliance pushing the Springboks back and backed it with a cross-field kick to send Santiago Cordero over the line in the second minute. Sanchez also followed with the conversion to take the Pumas' lead to 7-0.

Pollard led South Africa's response with a ninth minute penalty goal and soon South Africa set up a maul following which Bongi Mbonambi crossed over in the 13th minute. As Sanchez and Pollard traded a couple of penalties apiece, the scoreline became 13-14 with the half-hour mark approaching.

Another penalty by Pollard in the 31st minute stretched Springboks' lead to four points which became 11 before the break with a converted try from the fly-half at the stroke of half-time.

Pollard further extended South Africa's lead with a penalty early in the second half but they suffered a setback when Faf de Klerk was sin-binned in the 48th minute for a series of infringements.

However, Argentina failed to capitalise on the numerical advantage further tries from Pollard (53'), Makazole Mapimpi (64') and Cheslin Kolbe (67') ensured Rassie Erasmus' men sealed a 13-46 win to win the Rugby Championship title.