The Blitzboks were knocked out of the Cup race in Dubai after a defeat to Argentina in their final pool match on Saturday.
The 19-14 loss saw South Africa finish last in Pool A.
The Blitzboks made a promising start to the match, controlling possession early before Argentina struck through Marcos Moneta, who finished out wide.
Injury stoppages disrupted the flow for both teams, with neither able to build consistent phase pressure. Argentina, however, were more composed with ball in hand and came close to extending their advantage when a knock-on spoiled a clear try-scoring chance.
REPORT: Fiji batter Blitzboks in Dubai
The pressure eventually told before half-time. A sharp flick-on pass to Luciano Gonzales created space behind the Blitzboks’ defence, and Santiago Mare finished under the posts to give Argentina a 12-0 advantage at the break.
The Blitzboks responded well early in the second half. A powerful surge from Zain Davids created front-foot ball, and Ronald Brown broke through to score, reducing the deficit to 12-7. But repeated handling errors halted South Africa’s momentum and kept the contest tense.
A massive scrum effort swung the match briefly in the Blitzboks’ favour. Zander Reynders picked up cleanly from a dominant shove and sliced through to put South Africa ahead 14-12 with just over two minutes remaining.
REPORT: Blitzboks make winning start in Dubai
The lead lasted only seconds. From the restart, Argentina exposed a defensive lapse as Juan Patricio Bazaq broke clear for a decisive long-range try, restoring their five-point advantage.
The Blitzboks pressed late but were unable to regain possession, with Argentina holding out.
The Blitzboks miss out on the semi-finals
Defeats at the hands of Argentina and Fiji means South Africa finish bottom of Pool A in Dubai.#SSRugby | #HSBCSVNS pic.twitter.com/ABzHUdxad2
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) November 29, 2025
Photo: Martin Dokoupil/Getty Images
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The Blitzboks were knocked out of the Cup race in Dubai after a 19-14 defeat to Argentina in their final pool match on Saturday.
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