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The Springboks once again showcased their indomitable spirit, pushing their way back from a 9-3 halftime deficit to triumph over the All Blacks with an 18-12 victory in a pulsating Rugby Championship clash at a packed-to-the-rafters DHL Stadium on Saturday.

This also ensured that the Bokke remained at the top of the world rugby rankings.

Rassie Erasmus’ men found themselves under immense pressure in Cape Town, seemingly on the brink of their first defeat of the campaign when Damian McKenzie lined up a crucial penalty in the 72nd minute that could have nudged New Zealand into a 13-15 lead.

But in a twist of fate, McKenzie’s attempt, nearly straight in front of the posts, went astray. The All Blacks unravelled soon after, with Tyrel Lomax sent to the sin bin, paving the way for Malcolm Marx to crash over for the match-winning try. That try not only kept South Africa’s title hopes alive but also preserved their No. 1 ranking, narrowly avoiding a drop to second place behind Ireland.

Instead, South Africa has extended their lead to 1.25 rating points over Ireland with the All Blacks a whole 5.16 rating points behind second-placed Ireland, notes Planet Rugby.

Image: Planet Rugby

The Rugby Championship showdown in Sante Fe delivered a shift in the rankings, though not in favour of the victors. Argentina, trailing 17-20 at halftime against Australia, unleashed a breathtaking second-half performance to secure a jaw-dropping 67-27 triumph. Despite their commanding victory, Argentina couldn’t quite reclaim the sixth spot in the rankings, which they had surrendered to Australia just a week earlier.

However, the Wallabies did slip in the rankings as they dropped back down to ninth place below Italy.

Meanwhile, the weekend’s Pacific Nations Cup saw big victories for both Fiji and Japan over Tonga and the USA respectively. Fiji hammered fellow Pacific Islanders Tonga 50-19 in Nukuʻalofa while Japan secured an emphatic 41-24 win in Kumagaya, Saitama.

Despite the comprehensive margins of victory, none of the teams involved moved in the rankings despite their rating points changing.

World Rankings as of 7/09/2024
1 South Africa 93.37
2 Ireland 92.12
3 New Zealand 88.45
4 France 86.96
5 England 85.4
6 Scotland 82.82
7 Argentina 82.49
8 Italy 79.98
9 Australia 79.78
10 Fiji 78.43
11 Wales 76.04
12 Georgia 74.10
13 Samoa 73.54
14 Japan 72.29
15 Portugal 70.61
16 Tonga 67.78
17 Uruguay 67.39
18 Spain 66.29
19 USA 66.08
20 Romania 62.62

The Springboks also won back the Freedom Cup for the first time since 2009 as they beat New Zealand for a fourth consecutive time.

In a media conference this week, Rassie revealed that Siya Kolisi had delayed a nasal reconstruction procedure to play against the All Blacks this week. Siya stressed that the painful decision was a sacrifice he was willing to make, saying “It’s not just important for me, the match is huge for the whole team.”

“We are in a place we’ve never been before in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, and over and above that, we’ve only seen photographs of the Freedom Cup; most of us in this group haven’t touched it.

“We are also playing in Cape Town for the first time in many years, and a good result this weekend could place us in a favourable position to win the competition.”

Siya’s decision paid off, and the Springboks lifted the Freedom Cup following a well-deserved victory against the All Blacks.

Siya Kolisi thanks Scott Robertson and the All Blacks for a fierce battle👏🇿🇦#TRC2024 pic.twitter.com/RYGK72ZSKH

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 7, 2024

[source:planetrugby]