Rugby Championship drama as South Africa and Argentina fall at home

Driving around in Kimberley on Saturday morning, one could not miss the excitement ahead of the Rugby Championship clash that was set to unfold later the afternoon in Johannesburg.

Despite the fact that Kimberley was wilting under yet another water shutdown, that fact could not dry up the enthusiasm of the fans. Everywhere you looked, there were green and gold jerseys – even though many of them were queueing to fill containers with water.

But, notwithstanding the anticipation of a good Bok victory at home, hopes were dampened when the opening round of the 2025 Rugby Championship delivered its fair share of drama, with both host nations suffering significant defeats, setting up an immediate challenge for redemption in the upcoming second round. 

Embarrassing upset in Johannesburg

The initial fixtures, played on Saturday, August 16, saw Australia upset South Africa in Johannesburg and New Zealand tame a competitive and motivated Argentina in Córdoba.

In Johannesburg, the Springboks endured what coach Rassie Erasmus described as “a really awful” 38-22 defeat to the Wallabies at Ellis Park, despite a super-charged start that saw them soar to a commanding 22-0 lead within the first 20 minutes. 

This dominant initial period, marked by three unanswered tries and flawless rugby, quickly came to nought as a resilient Australia mounted a momentous comeback, scoring six tries to record their first victory at Ellis Park in over half a century. 

This loss was the heaviest defeat for the Springboks since Rassie Erasmus returned to lead the coaching team in 2018. 

All Blacks flex in Córdoba

Meanwhile, in Córdoba, Los Pumas fell short against New Zealand, losing 41-24 in front of a record Rugby Championship attendance of 55,724 at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes. 

The All Blacks, described as “clinical”, scored six tries to Argentina's three. Although Argentina showed competitive moments, including a strong third-quarter performance where they narrowed the scoreline to 31-24 with two tries, key turning points, such as Mayco Vivas’s yellow card which New Zealand leveraged for a try, and the All Blacks’ domination of the final quarter with two more tries from lineout maul moves, sealed their fate. 

New Zealand also boasted a 100% success rate at lineouts, while Los Pumas lost their last three.

A mountain to climb for losing hosts

Both host nations now face a significant mountain to climb as the Rugby Championship enters its second round. 

The fact that both fixtures will be repeated on Saturday, August 23, means the losing teams have an immediate opportunity for redemption, but also immense pressure to rectify their first-round shortcomings. 

The Springboks, reeling from a comprehensive home defeat and with their coach publicly admitting to fundamental issues, will need to rapidly regroup and potentially reconsider team selections. 

Similarly, Argentina, while showing flashes of competitiveness, must find a way to maintain intensity and discipline for the full 80 minutes against a clinical All Blacks side. 

These opening results have laid down a clear marker, setting the stage for an intense and potentially unpredictable remainder of the tournament as the teams vie for championship momentum.