128: 48-7

Eben Etzebeth, winning a Springbok record 128th cap, thanked his teammates for an “unbelievable performance” as his team clinched the Castle Lager Rugby Championship with a joyous 48-7 victory over Argentina at a heaving Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday.

A crowd of 43 578 celebrated as the Springboks scored seven tries to claim the southern hemisphere crown for the first time since 2019 – scoring more tries in a match in the competition since scoring nine in beating the same opponents at the FNB Stadium in 73-13 in 2013.

“The milestone wouldn’t have been nice if we’d lost this game, so the team really showed up tonight,” said Etzebeth.

“The Rugby Championship was on the line; it was a final tonight, and we all wanted to win that trophy. The guys wanted to make it special for me, but it will always be a team sport, and the trophy was the big thing, and we’ll celebrate it very nicely tonight. It was an unbelievable performance from everyone.”

Etzebeth paid tribute to the team-mates who have shared his Springbok career: “There are guys I have been with at three World Cups, won two World Cups, guys like Siya, Jesse, Handre, Frans, Willie, Damian … I’m leaving a few out, but I wouldn’t have reached this milestone without those players.”

Etzebeth said he remained motivated to continue pushing for selection although he kept private his ultimate career goals.

“It’s about staying fit and pushing the body as far as it can go,” he said.

“I’ve made no secret that the reason I play this game is to play for this team; to perform for my club and to be selected for the national side – that’s the ultimate.

“So, I’ll keep pushing, training hard and performing for my club and hopefully the coaches will keep on selecting me. I never like to share my goals with the public – I like to keep it close to my heart – and I’ll still push on and if the body’s good I’ll continue to go.”

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said it was a privilege to share such a special day with the record holder and was pleased with the way the team performed to complete a memorable season.

“The pressure has been on the players to gel quickly, and I must give credit to the coaching staff and all the backroom team and the guys for keeping on believing despite all the changes,” he said.

“We’ve used 49 players this year and 35 in the Rugby Championship. But when you get to these crunch games it’s the older heads and the calmer heads that sometimes pull it through and they help pull though a guy like Manie [who missed a potential match-winning penalty seven days previously].

“They understand the bigger picture and then things like this happen where all of us are privileged to sit with Eben today.

“It was gutsy performance and there was enough effort, and I do think there were brilliant plays at stages. So, it was a much better performance, it wasn’t perfect but there was some really good stuff that we can build on.

“We showed good intent; Argentina are a very physical side, a nippy, great attacking side – Jerry [Flannery, defence coach] was very nervous during the week so to keep them to one score was great.

“It was a much better performance than in Argentina, but it was a good performance and something to build on.

“Overall, I’m very happy, happy for Manie, happy for South Africa. But the end-of-year tour is now our target and going through that undefeated.”