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2025 FloRugby Athlete's Lounge - Oct. 4

Springboks And Pumas Collide In Rugby Championship Finale At Twickenham

Springboks And Pumas Collide In Rugby Championship Finale At Twickenham

South Africa meets Argentina at Twickenham in The Rugby Championship decider, with Siya Kolisi leading the Boks’ charge for back-to-back titles.

Oct 2, 2025 by Philip Bendon
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Twickenham stages a finale that is part decider and part examination of identity. 

South Africa strode in from Durban after a 10-try statement that reminded everyone of the team's ability to turn pressure into points in violent bursts. 

Argentina arrives with a reset, wounded but not broken, and with a selection that suggests width, ambition and a refusal to accept that last week defines them. 

There is history in this ground for both. 

South Africa has banked big wins here and usually looks at home on the broad surface. 

Argentina have tasted victory over England at this stadium and understands the rhythm of the place. 

The equation is simple. 

South Africa wants to roll its maul, bully the scrum and let a young fly-half conduct things. Argentina wants to stand up at set-pieces, keep discipline and hit space through speed.

2025 FloRugby Athlete's Lounge - Oct. 4


Argentina vs. South Africa Rugby Team News

Rassie Erasmus sticks to a strong core and makes smart tweaks. 

Ox Nche returns at loosehead to join Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit. 

Eben Etzebeth partners Ruan Nortje in the second row, with Siya Kolisi, Pieter Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese in a back row built for collisions. 

Cobus Reinach starts at No. 9, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu continues at 10 after his record-breaking outing in Durban. 

Damian de Allende and Canan Moodie form the midfield, Cheslin Kolbe and Ethan Hooker start on the wings, and Damian Willemse is at fullback. 

The bench brings impact in line with the Boks' 'Bomb Squad' mantra with Bongi Mbonambi, Jan Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok and Jesse Kriel.

Felipe Contepomi responds with seven changes for Argentina. 

Santiago Carreras moves to fullback to stabilize the back field and add a second playmaker. 

Juan Cruz Mallia starts on the wing, Justo Piccardo comes into outside center and Bautista Delguy returns on the right.

Geronimo Prisciantelli is given the No. 10 jersey beside Simón Benitez Cruz. 

In the pack, Guido Petti and Pedro Rubiolo pair at lock, and Santiago Grondona comes in at No. 8. 

Julian Montoya continues as captain and reaches a remarkable landmark for caps as skipper. 

The bench features Ignacio Ruiz, Boris Wenger, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Franco Molina, Juan Gonzalez, Joaquin Oviedo, Agustin Moyano and Rodrigo Isgro.

Los Pumas vs. Springboks Key Matchup

Start with the scrum. 

Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit against Mayco Vivas and Joel Sclavi will set the tone before the clock ticks past five minutes. 

Durban tilted when South Africa established dominance at the set-piece, and two of those penalties became immediate points. 

Nche has the low-body angle and hip power to drive straight. Du Toit is a pressure athlete who can turn one strong engagement into a trend. If Argentina cannot anchor here, Los Pumas will be forced into a kick-only strategy, and that invites South Africa to play in the right areas with the scoreboard ticking.

Then consider the No. 10s. 

Feinberg Mngomezulu was the story of Round 5 - three tries, a flawless goal-kicking ledger and a calm orchestration that belied his age.

He does not play like a pure distributor or a pure runner. He plays like a conductor who understands when to accelerate and when to let the pack crush the air out of a contest. 

Prisciantelli is stepping into the deepest of waters. He has the skill to clip long passes across a rushing defense, and he has a good feel for the kick pass to the edges. His challenge is time. The Springbok rush denies it. If he creates some, Argentina can challenge. If he cannot, the pressure will compound.

Finally, the back rows. 

Kolisi and Pieter Steph du Toit bring the standard South African work rate and heavy collisions, while Wiese ensures momentum through the tackle. 

Argentina counters with the ferocity of Marcos Kremer and the nous of Pablo Matera, who remains the tone setter when he is on the field. 

The team that wins the first three rucks of a possession sequence will create the chances they want. The team that loses those rucks will be trapped in its own half by the Bok boot.

Argentina vs. South Africa Rugby Key Stats From Round 5

Durban was not subtle. 

South Africa scored 10 tries and ran the Pumas off their feet after a competitive first half. 

Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu broke an 18-year Springboks record for individual points in a test and did so while looking like the most relaxed player on the field. 

Malcolm Marx and Pieter Steph du Toit also were on the scoreboard, and the Springboks bench arrived to slam the door. 

Argentina had moments, especially through Joaquin Oviedo, who carried with edge, and through Juan Cruz Mallia, who found seams from the back, but they could not stitch enough phases together to sustain pressure.

The trends from across the Championship tell the same story. 

South Africa has been the most efficient team when entering the opposition's 22, and the Spring Boks have conceded the fewest clean breaks. 

Argentina has lived on the edge in discipline, conceding more penalties than anyone else and feeding opponents a diet of field position that good teams feast on. 

Line-out accuracy also has been a pressure point for the Pumas. 

When Julian Montoya hits his jumpers, they can build, but the misses have been costly. 

The Springboks, by contrast, have turned line-out possession into maul platforms and then into tries in almost every round.

What History Tells Us About Los Pumas vs. Springboks

The rivalry favors green and gold. 

South Africa has won the vast majority of meetings between the teams and has been especially strong away from home. 

Argentina has taken notable scalps in this Championship and in recent seasons, including in New Zealand and against the British and Irish Lions, but the Springboks remain the hardest puzzle. 

The only previous meeting between these teams in London was the bronze final of the 2015 World Cup, where South Africa won with control. 

Twickenham, therefore, carries good memories for Kolisi’s side. For Argentina, it is a chance to redraw that picture against the most physically complete team in the sport.

Argentina vs. South Africa Tactical Focus

Erasmus will keep the menu simple - dominate the scrum and maul. Kick to the corners. Strangle territory. Then, give the back line permission to play once the defense narrows. 

Reinach will snipe only when the guard is late. Feinberg Mngomezulu will drop in and out of first receiver to free Willemse and de Allende to carry hard lines. Kolbe will search for mismatches and short-kick space behind a rushing wing.

 If South Africa reaches a plus penalty count early, the rest will look inevitable.

Contepomi will ask for variety. Contest the line-out through Guido Petti. Aim for longer exits that find touch and remove South Africa’s counterattack. 

Look for Chocobares to attack the inside shoulder of the first forward guard and for Delguy to test the edges when the Springbok line widens. 

The Pumas must choose the right times to run. If they turn over possession in the middle third, South Africa will turn it into points in three phases. If they pick their moments, they have the athletes to stress the Bok defence.

Argentina vs. Springboks Prediction

The Springboks are built for days like this, and their form backs the selection. 

Expect the scrum to bite early, the maul to draw penalties and the points to come in steady waves through the third quarter. 

Argentina has threats and will produce moments, but unless the Pumas find unexpected parity at set-piece, the gap will widen. 

Call it South Africa 38 to Argentina 23, and a second straight title sealed with authority at Twickenham. South Africa by 15. 

South Africa Rugby

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.

Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Jesse Kriel.

Argentina Rugby 

15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Justo Piccardo, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Juan Cruz Mallía, 10 Gerónimo Prisciantelli, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz, 8 Santiago Grondona, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Mayco Vivas.

Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Juan González, 21 Joaquín Oviedo, 22 Agustín Moyano, 23 Rodrigo Isgró.

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Dallen Stanford Brings A Springbok Flair To The Athlete’s Lounge

Stanford is one of the best rugby broadcasters and analysts in the world today. 

The South Africa-born commentator, who now calls the United States home, played for USA Rugby Sevens and has covered multiple Rugby World Cups. He also was the first American lead commentator for the Rugby World Cup.

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