Rugby Championship, New Zealand triumph. South Africa mocked

At the end of the hardest-fought tournament since Argentina’s entry in 2012, with a couple of defeats on the rump that predicted a collapse, complete with a possible traumatic change of technical leadership, the All Blacks still managed to win. the Southern Hemisphere Rugby Championship. A success arrived thanks to this morning’s 40-14 over Australia in Auckland and then thanks to the Pumas, defeated 38-21 by South Africa in Durban, but able to prevent the world champions Springboks from winning the offensive bonus and 39 points of margin that were used to win over the New Zealanders. Who finished in first place with 19 points, +1 over South Africa and ahead of Australia (10) and Argentina (9).

South Africa-Argentina 38-21

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In Durban we start with South Africa who know that to win the tournament you need a great deal. At 11 ‘the goal of Eben Etzebeth is canceled by the Tmo, who breaks through the flag from the maul, but who is in front of Siya Kolisi when he receives the ball and therefore separated from the train that opens the way. Too much indiscipline, however, among the Pumas and so to the umpteenth infringement, this time from an orderly scrum on the 22 line, the yellow card for flanker Marcos Kremer arrives. It is then another foul (the seventh) to allow the Springboks to call for a scrum under the goalposts in the 19th minute: the Pumas are overwhelmed and to crush at the end of the pack is the number 8 Jasper Wiese. The Argentines have no other weapons to stem the South African pressure and in the 27th minute another yellow card arrives for Juan Martin Gonzalez. Second superiority and second goal: from the touchline at 5 meters the maul makes its way slowly, but from the left flank Kolisi starts like an arrow that flies to crush. Frans Steyn converts them both and in the 38th minute slips a formidable 55-meter shot. At the end, however, the goal of the Pumas arrives: Gonzalez first collects a ball kicked by Santiago Carreras in the 22 opponents, then the flanker serves with an offload the same opening that defends possession on the ground, on the grouping comes Tomas Lavanini who collects and stretches to crush. Emiliano Boffelli transforms for 17-7 on which he goes to rest.

And Argentina starts again very well: in the 47th minute just beyond the halfway point Gonzalo Bertranou recycles from a ruck for Carreras, who in turn serves Gonzalez, who, stationed on the left side, with a feint towards the inside, seats Willie le Roux, thus opening an unexpected corridor towards the goal (which Boffelli transforms). It is still +3, but South Africa has to practically start from scratch. At 55 ‘from a deep touchdown in the 22 the South African maul flakes the Argentine defense, which to prevent the goal now made resorts to the professional foul: technical and yellow goal for the center Jeronimo de la Fuente. In the 60th minute a push from Gonzalez, who then causes Juan Imhoff to fall into the air, costs Etzebeth the yellow card. 5 minutes pass and the yellow also arrives for Faf de Klerk, who has entered the field for a couple of minutes, who brings down a maul: thus, with the return of de la Fuente, the Pumas have a double superiority. The situation, compared to the first half, is completely reversed, with the world champions who commit 7 fouls in 9 minutes but who, above all, now seem to have accepted the idea of ​​having lost the tournament. And the goal is inevitable: the signature Matias Moroni, freed in total solitude on the left, after the great work of the forwards that breaks up the South African line. Boffelli’s transformation is worth -3. At least the game, however, the South Africans want to win it and in the 72nd minute the maul directed in goal is illegally ditched by Joel Sclavi: second technical try assigned by the referee and another yellow this time for the Argentine prop. With time expired the South Africans continue to attack, create superiority on the right, Makazole Mapimpi digs the break and serves Canon Moodie, who in turn frees Kurt-Lee Arendse’s run in goal: Steyn transforms for the final 38-21 , but there is little to celebrate in Durban, as the title flies to New Zealand.

New Zealand-Australia 40-14

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It would seem to have a better start for the Wallabies at Eden Park in Auckland, but at 2 ‘the yellow card to the second row Jed Halloway, who dangerously overturns Dalton Papalii, immediately changes the inertia of the match. Even if the All Blacks do not take advantage of the numerical superiority. The score unlocks Richie Mounga on placed at 22 ‘, when a fragile balance reigns on the pitch, with the goal arriving by return of post: the signature Will Jordan, who, served by a short pass by Beauden Barrett (who plays today extreme, with his brother Jordie first center), slips into the space that the Australians leave free just outside the 22 to fly away almost without obstacles (and Mounga transforms). At 27 ‘comes the second goal: the referee Andrew Brace assigns it after the All Blacks arrive with the maul a few steps from the line from a touch-off, with the Australians who manage to defend themselves only irregularly sinking it with Dave Porecki (resulting in hooker yellow). The Wallabies in the half hour would also find the goal with Marika Koroibete, who, however, before crushing the flag stepped on the sideline. And at the break it goes to 17-0. At the beginning of the second half the New Zealanders stretch: first with the goal of Sam Whitelock, who breaks through from a short distance under the posts, then with that of Codie Taylor, who finalizes the work of the maul from a touch at 5 meters. Mounga transforms the first and in the middle he also puts a placed. The Australian goal arrives in the 60 ‘and much of the credit goes to Pete Samu, who digs the decisive break on the left out and then goes for the inside pass, which, after Jordan’s touch, still arrives in the hands of Folau Faingaa , who manages to go beyond the line (with the transformation of Bernard Foley). However, the All Blacks need to secure the bonus point and after 5 minutes Taukeiaho’s goal arrives, identical to Taylor’s. Mounga does not transform this time, then in the 76th minute he slips a place. At the end Australia finds the second try with Jordan Petaia, who receives a short and high pass from Nic White to dive under the posts (Foley transforms). And the Bledisloe Cup remains in New Zealand anyway, as has been happening continuously since 2003. For the Championship, however, we will have to wait for the dawn of New Zealand Sunday: but this time it will be worth it. This is the eighth affirmation (out of 10 editions) of New Zealand since the tournament is four (even if the victory a year ago remains “incomplete” due to the absence of the Springboks, blocked at home by the anti Covid restrictions).