South Africa are the Rugby Championship winners, but their path to the title was far from smooth, and their final performance against Argentina raised as many questions as it answered. While celebrating a historic achievement, the Springboks will know that greater consistency is needed to maintain their global dominance.
The tournament began with a shocking collapse against Australia and ended with a victory where they were, by their own coach’s admission, fortunate at times. In between, they produced a sublime, record-breaking performance against New Zealand, highlighting the perplexing inconsistency of the team.
Against Argentina, they were once again slow to start, falling into a 13-3 hole and looking vulnerable. It took their overwhelming scrum dominance to bail them out of a tricky situation. This reliance on one aspect of their game, while effective, could be a weakness if a team can find a way to neutralize it.
Canan Moodie’s brush with a red card and a missed knock-on in the build-up to a try were moments of luck that went their way. On another day, these incidents could have shifted the result, underscoring the fine margins in their victory.
As champions, the Springboks have earned their celebrations. However, this tournament has shown that even the world’s number one team has its vulnerabilities. Their rivals will have taken note, and the quest for a more complete, 80-minute performance will be a key focus for Rassie Erasmus moving forward.