In a nail-biting conclusion to their Rugby Championship clash, South Africa’s narrow 29-28 loss to Argentina left fans heartbroken and sparked intense debate. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, however, refused to lay the blame solely on flyhalf Manie Libbok, who missed a crucial penalty kick in the dying moments of the match.
The Springboks started the game on a high note, quickly establishing a 17-0 lead thanks to tries from Aphelele Fassi and Jesse Kriel, both converted by Handré Pollard.
But their initial dominance soon gave way to a spirited comeback from Los Pumas. Argentina’s response was swift and effective, taking advantage of South Africa’s mistakes and Kurt-Lee Arendse’s yellow card to score two rapid tries. This momentum shift saw Argentina leading 26-22 by halftime.
As the match drew to a close, Libbok had the chance to seal the victory for the Springboks with a relatively straightforward penalty kick.
Unfortunately, the ball sailed wide, handing Argentina a rare and historic victory over the reigning world champions. Despite the missed kick, Erasmus insisted that the game shouldn’t have come down to this single moment.
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