The Springboks — both men and women — are set for an action-packed week as they face Argentina and Spain in Test matches later this week.
South African rugby fans can look forward to an exciting week of international fixtures, with both the Springbok men’s and women’s teams returning to the Test arena. Although it won’t be a double-header like the recent match at Cape Town Stadium, where the Springbok Women played before the men’s clash with the All Blacks, having two days between their upcoming Tests provides plenty of action for supporters.
The Springbok Women will take on Spain at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Thursday, while the Springbok men travel to Argentina for a potentially Rugby Championship title-deciding match against Los Pumas in Santiago del Estero on Saturday.
Springbok Women vs. Spain Details:
The Springbok Women’s team to face Spain has already been announced, with performance coach Swys de Bruin making two changes to the starting lineup and three adjustments to the bench following their dominant 59-17 victory over the Barbarians.
Libbie Janse van Rensburg and Azisa Mkiva have been promoted from the bench and will start at fullback and tighthead prop, respectively. Roseline Botes, Catha Jacobs, and Shaunique Hess have been named among the replacements, after not featuring in the Barbarians match.
De Bruin’s squad for this Test boasts 438 combined caps, with this being their second clash against Spain this year. South Africa narrowly defeated Spain 15-13 in Valladolid on March 23. At that time, the Springbok Women had a squad with 287 caps, but only 10 of those players will be involved again on Thursday. The match kicks off at 17:00 (SA time).
Springboks vs. Argentina Test:
The Springboks have rested several key players for their tour to Argentina, with Rassie Erasmus expressing confidence in the depth of his squad. The final team selection will be announced on Tuesday at around 20:00 (SA time).
Saturday’s match will kick off at 23:00 (SA time), and a victory for the Springboks could secure the Rugby Championship title with one round still to play.
