Unstoppable Sacha breaks record as Boks surge to victory over Los Pumas in Durban

The awareness and vision of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu saw him score a hat-trick of tries, set up others too and break the individual record for the most points for South Africa in a Test as he led the Springboks to a 67-30 victory over Argentina in their scintillating Rugby Championship Test at Kings Park on Saturday.

The young flyhalf scored two tries in the first half to lift the blushes of a Springbok team who were error-ridden and largely outplayed by the Pumas, allowing the home team to go into the break 25-23 up.

The first half-hour of the match was scrappy as Argentina tore into the Springboks in open play, flooding the breakdown and generally just haggling and hassling.

South Africa's discipline also let them down as they gave flyhalf Santiago Carreras three successful shots at goal, while Feinberg-Mngomezulu converted both of his two kicks at goal.

A rolling-maul try by hooker Malcolm Marx, who was back to his rampaging best, gave the Springboks the first five-pointer and an 11-9 lead.

An inexplicable moment of laxity by wing Cheslin Kolbe gifted Argentina their first try in the 37th minute. Having gathered an unsuccessful penalty attempt by Carreras, Kolbe dotted the ball down and then casually drop-kicked it towards his team-mates under the poles. But the ball skewed off his boot and over the tryline, allowing Pumas centre Santiago Chocobares to pick it up and score the easiest of tries.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu turned severe embarrassment into joy as he then threaded a long kick into space in a corner of the field where there were no defenders. Showing his blistering pace, he got to the ball first and gathered and dived over in one movement.

There were more problems for the Springboks thereafter as Marx was yellow-carded for side-entry at a ruck and a penalty try awarded as the ball-carrier landed on top of him and couldn't ground the ball.

Argentina were 23-18 up as the halftime hooter went, but Feinberg-Mngomezulu wouldn't even give them the benefit of a lead at the break as he jinked his way over for his second try, Pieter-Steph du Toit having earlier burst through tackles to take the Springboks into the Pumas' 22.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu then set up Kolbe for a try with a superb crossfield kick over most of the width of the field, straight into his arms, ensuring the Springboks increased their lead just three minutes into the second half.

The 23-year-old was not done yet as he then produced a pinpoint up-and-under that came down just outside the Pumas' 22, where Carreras dropped it and then conceded a penalty. From the lineout, the Springboks worked their way to under the poles, where Feinberg-Mngomezulu, filling in at scrumhalf, picked up at the base, threw an outrageous dummy and ducked under two tackles to complete his hat-trick.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu also succeeded with 10 of his 11 kicks at goal for a huge tally of 37 points, beating Percy Montgomery's previous record of 35 points against Namibia in 2007.

By scoring nine tries to Argentina's three, South Africa also earned them a bonus point that takes them to the top of the Rugby Championship standings by one point over New Zealand.

Next week they take on the Pumas at Twickenham in London with a win surely being enough to defend their title due to their far superior points-difference.

Replacement scrumhalf Morne van den Berg had not been on for long when he scored, followed by a fine individual try by Manie Libbok and a second dot-down for Du Toit.

Much like in the first 20 minutes at Ellis Park against Australia and the second half against the All Blacks in Wellington, when the Springboks game clicks into gear, they make all opposition look weak.