pumas

South Africa retained its lead at the top of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship after unconvincingly edging Argentina 33-31 in Salta on Saturday. The Pumas will look back on the test as a missed opportunity to record their first victory ever over the Springboks.

The Springboks battled to a 13-6 victory over Argentina at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on the weekend to go top of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship after the opening round following a 12-12 draw between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney.

The Springboks battled to a 13-6 victory over Argentina at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on the weekend to go top of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship after the opening round following a 12-12 draw between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney.

The Springboks take on the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday with a clean bill of health and a one-point lead in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship after a stunning 38-12 victory over Australia at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

By Anne Taylor
19 August 2013

More than 60 000 fans showed up for the inaugural Nelson Mandela Sport and Culture Day at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg this weekend – and they were thrilled by what they saw: both the Springboks and Bafana Bafana won their matches.

After the sporting derby, the celebrations continued with musicians such as Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Zahara, DJ Black Coffee, Toya Delazy and Mafikizolo rocking the stadium.

The occasion was put together to honour former president Mandela, whose passion for sport was legendary. "Sport," he once said, "has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does."

The Springboks opened their four-nations Rugby Championship campaign with a grind-it-out 27-6 victory over Argentina in Cape Town on Saturday, but it came at a cost as hooker Bismarck du Plessis suffered a serious knee injury which will likely keep him sidelined for the rest of the season.

For many South Africans, rugby is a serious matter, a source of bursting pride - or shattering disappointment. The country has traditionally fared well on the world stage, and SA fans expect the national team to win every game they play.