Boks steady the ship, Pumas make history

Published on 25th August 2025 | Leave a response

The Rugby Championship threw down a pair of corkers this past weekend—completely rewriting the race for the trophy. Here’s your weekend wrap:

Boks Bounce Back in Cape Town

On home soil, the Springboks trumped Australia 30–22 in a fiery rematch after last week’s shock loss in Johannesburg. Handré Pollard was the difference—knocking over all six goal kicks to keep the scoreboard ticking while the Bok forwards imposed themselves physically at breakdowns and in the air. Australia battled hard—scoring three tries of their own—but missed kicks and a costly fumble late in the piece handed South Africa the edge.

Historic First for Los Pumas

Meanwhile in Buenos Aires, Argentina etched their names into history books—beating the All Blacks 29–23 to earn their first-ever home win over New Zealand, breaking a 40-year streak. The impact was seismic. Despite an early lead for the visitors, disciplinary lapses (three yellow cards) and relentless pressure saw Los Pumas overturn the deficit. Santiago Carreras sealed it with three second-half penalties amid electric home support.

What It Means

Team	Standing	Takeaway
South Africa	1 win	Recovered smartly; Pollard’s boot is still white hot.
Argentina	1 win	Finally cracked the code; now have momentum.
Australia	1 loss	Narrow misses; strong, but still short.
New Zealand	1 loss	Sudden dent in form—caution lights flashing.

All four teams are now level, each boasting one win. The title is up for grabs, and the Championship just got a whole lot more interesting.

Boks recalibrated when it mattered—every kick, every breakdown counted.
Pumas rode home advantage and delivered a seismic victory.
All Blacks now feel the heat.
Four teams. Two wins. One trophy. Buckle up—it’s just getting started

Currie Cup:

Another gripping weekend of Currie Cup Premier Division action shook up the standings, with crucial wins for the Cheetahs, Boland Kavaliers, Griquas, and a first season victory for the Sharks.

The weekend kicked off with a thriller in Nelspruit as Boland staged a stunning turnaround to edge the Pumas 29-26. Trailing 21-3 at halftime and briefly down to 13 men due to two yellow cards, the Kavaliers responded in spectacular fashion. Right wing Marcqiewn Titus and left wing Xavier Mitchell sparked the second-half revival, while tighthead prop Dayan van der Westhuizen and a penalty try in the final minutes sealed a historic first away victory.

MORE: Boland rally to stun Pumas

“The team showed incredible character,” said coach Hawies Fourie.

“Coming back from an 18-point deficit with only 13 men on the field at one stage is massive for our playoff credentials.”

In Durban, the Sharks claimed a hard-fought 29-21 victory over Western Province, their first of the season. WP opened the scoring with two quick tries, but the hosts fought back before halftime and never looked back. Tries from prop Lee Mazibuko and Batho Hlekani, along with a decisive penalty from flyhalf Jean Smith, secured the breakthrough win and a much-needed morale boost for the coastal side.

Saturday in Bloemfontein belonged to the Cheetahs, who dominated the Lions 47-31 to move to the top of the log. The Free Staters raced to a 26-5 halftime lead, powered by early maul tries from hooker Marko Janse van Rensburg and a bonus-point effort from fullback Clayton Blommetjies. The Lions mounted a spirited second-half comeback, scoring three tries in quick succession, but a penalty try and late score from scrumhalf Jandre Nel sealed the Cheetahs’ win.

ALSO: Cheetahs survive Lions’ second-half surge

Griquas delivered another statement victory, downing the Vodacom Bulls 42-21 in Pretoria. Winger Gurshwin Wehr’s hat-trick highlighted the Griquas’ clinical performance, supported by flyhalf George Whitehead’s perfect kicking. Despite early dominance from the Bulls, the visitors’ relentless pressure and superior finishing ensured a fourth consecutive win, lifting them into third place on the log.