Springboks crowned 2024 Rugby Championship winners for the first time since 2019
For the first time since 2019, the Springboks have won the Rugby Championship.
The Springboks have won the Rugby Championship, claiming five wins from six matches after defeating Australia and New Zealand twice and Argentina once.
South Africa headed into their final clash against Argentina, knowing a losing bonus-point would be enough to secure the Rugby Championship title.
However, Rassie Erasmus’ men delivered a victory in their final home game of the year and became the first team other than New Zealand to win a full tournament since Argentina joined the then-Tri Nations back in 2012.
The Boks won the truncated Rugby Championship title in 2019 and Australia did the same in 2015 during the Rugby World Cup years.
South Africa’s route
The Springboks kicked their campaign off in Australia against the Wallabies and started the competition well, claiming a first in Brisbane since 2013.
First half-tries from Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kurt-Lee Arendse put Erasmus’ side in a commanding 21-0 lead at the break. Kwagga Smith and Arendse extended that advantage in the second half with Australia scoring a consolation try in the final five minutes as the Boks emerged 33-7 victors.
Eager to complete the double, Erasmus freshened up his squad for the clash against Australia in Perth but the result was no different as the Springboks marched to another bonus-point win with Aphelele Fassi, Marco van Staden and Malcolm Marx all grabbing tries in the 30-12 win.
The Boks returned home for their back-to-back matches against the All Blacks and their first against their great rivals since the 2023 Rugby World Cup final. Despite being down 17-27 in the final 10 minutes, Erasmus’ men fought back and clinched a 31-27 thanks to a late try by replacement scrum-half Grant Williams.
South Africa made it a historic double in Cape Town as they clinched an 18-12 victory over the All Blacks thanks to tries from Kolisi and Marx. The result meant that the Boks have now won four games on the trot over New Zealand – a first in the professional era.
Again Erasmus made several changes to his starting XV for the first clash against the Pumas with just five players starting in Cape Town and Santiago. Mathematically, the Pumas were in the running for the title heading to the final two rounds but the Boks knew a win of any kind would seal the title.
However, the Springboks were unable to deliver that victory as a spirited Los Pumas outfit clinched a 29-28 win over South Africa after a late missed penalty from Manie Libbok. This set up a title decider in Nelspruit in the final round of the competition.
The Springboks bounced back from their first defeat in the competition in emphatic fashion, hammering Argentina 48-7 at home.
Du Toit produced a man of the match performance which included two tries with Fassi also crossing the whitewash on two occasions while Cheslin Kolbe, Marx and Jesse Kriel completed the rout as the Springboks lifted the title in their final home game of the season.
2024 Rugby Championship results
Round One
Australia 7-33 South Africa
New Zealand 30-38 Argentina
Round Two
New Zealand 42-10 Argentina
Australia 12-30 South Africa
Round Three
South Africa 31-27 New Zealand
Argentina 19-20 Australia
Round Four
South Africa 18-12 New Zealand
Argentina 67-27 Australia
Round Five
Australia 28-31 New Zealand
Argentina 29-28 South Africa
Round Six
New Zealand 33-13 Australia
South Africa 48-7 Argentina
Rugby Championship winners
2012 – All Blacks
2013- All Blacks
2014 – All Blacks
2015 – Wallabies
2016 – All Blacks
2017 – All Blacks
2018 – All Blacks
2019 – Springboks
2020 – All Blacks (Tri Nations year with South Africa not competing)
2021 – All Blacks
2022 – All Blacks
2023 – All Blacks
2024 – Springboks
