The Springboks have taken the lead at the top of the Rugby Championship standings following their big win against Argentina in Salta, writes JON CARDINELLI.

The Boks claimed a 41-23 bonus-point over Argentina on Saturday. Allister Coetzee’s side outscored the Pumas by five tries to two.

Earlier in the day, the All Blacks were made to fight tooth and nail for a 35-29 win against the Wallabies in Dunedin. The result was an important one in the context of the Boks’ Rugby Championship title ambitions.

The Wallabies led 17-0 after 15 minutes. They looked to be on the verge of a famous win before Beauden Barrett crossed the line in the dying stages.

A Wallabies win would have suited the Boks. It would have meant a four-point lead at the top of the log after two rounds of the Rugby Championship.

That said, the Wallabies did enough to stop the All Blacks from claiming a bonus point win in Dunedin. It’s for this reason that the Boks will go into the third round of the tournament with a slender lead.

The Boks and All Blacks have both accumulated nine log points. The Boks, however, boast a points-difference of 40 while the All Blacks have 26.

That may change in the coming weeks, though. The tournament will resume on 9 September when the All Blacks tackle Argentina, and the Wallabies host the Boks.

Photo: Juan Mabromata/AFP Photo