South Africa overpowered Argentina at Allianz Stadium to win back-to-back Rugby Championships for the first time.
The 29-27 scoreline does not quite tell the whole story of a wonderful occasion at Twickenham as Argentina finished strongly, but meant the Springboks took the title on points difference over New Zealand, who beat Australia earlier in the day.
However, on the back of successive World Cup victories, this sixth Rugby Championship merely added lustre to the Erasmus-Kolisi double act that has been central to their extraordinary period of success over the last six years.
“I wore this jersey when nobody wanted to watch us play and when it was hard to get a win,” Kolisi told a press conference.
“Now, no matter how tough it is in the game, we know how to win, we know how to fight, we know how to dig deep.
“The way Rassie came in from the beginning, it was the mentality – he just changed how we thought and how he told us to put ourselves aside and realise that the Springboks are a big team and we need to get back to where we need to be.
“This team has done a lot for the country, it’s been used in so many ways and he got us to understand that we are just vehicles and this team will always be there.
“I know the feeling it gives people, that South Africa is going to walk tall and people in the places that we come from know that it’s possible, no matter how tough things are.
“They look at us and say they made it through everything that they’ve been through.”
Back to back 🏆#Springboks #ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/amBv1y3QJP
— Springboks (@Springboks) October 4, 2025
Erasmus referenced the way South Africa had to earn bonus-point victories over New Zealand and Argentina in the last two rounds to put them in a position where they could take the title on Saturday without the need for a bonus point.
That proved to be the case as Argentina finished strongly to make the score close, even though nobody in the 70,300 crowd expected the Springboks to lose their grip after forging a 29-13 lead.
“Argentina are massive fighters, they take you to the gutter and you have to swim there in the gutter,” Erasmus said.
“When Manie (Libbok) didn’t kick the ball at the end there we were almost going for our third try (bonus point) and then we wouldn’t have won the series with points difference. But we did beat New Zealand over there so, overall, I’m happy that we won.
“I’m definitely not satisfied with our performance but it’s much nicer to learn while you’re winning than while you’re losing so we’ll take it.”
Highlights: Relive the action from London, where the #Springboks had to work hard to retain the Castle Lager Rugby Championship crown 🎥#ForeverGreenForeverGold
— Springboks (@Springboks) October 4, 2025
A week ago South Africa led the Pumas 25-23 at halftime in Durban and then surged to a 67-30 victory.
They trailed 13-10 at halftime on Saturday, moved clear in a purple patch for their forwards, then leaked two late tries as their never-say-die rivals sought to add their scalp to those of New Zealand and Australia earlier in the competition.
“The Rugby Championship has been amazing because anybody could have won it at any time,” Kolisi said. “That just shows that every union is just getting better every time.”
Erasmus said the team and coaches had discussed the fact that this might be the last time, for a while at least, that they could win the southern hemisphere’s premier competition, with its future in doubt amid proposed changes in the calendar.
“I’m not 100% sure how it will work in the future, so it meant a hell of a lot,” he said. “New Zealand has done it many times (retained the title), the great team that they are, but we’ve never done it, so that definitely was a motivational thing for us.”
