As the Springboks arrive in Argentina, coach Rassie Erasmus has emphasized the importance of being cautious about the challenges posed by the Pumas.
The Springboks departed for Argentina on Saturday, traveling via São Paulo before heading to Buenos Aires. From there, the squad will journey to Santiago del Estero on Wednesday night in preparation for their match at the Estadio Unico Madre Ciudades, which kicks off at 23:00 (SA time) on Saturday, 21 September.
Following this weekend’s game, the two teams will meet again at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday, 28 September, in what will be the closing match of the Rugby Championship, where the title winner will be determined.
“It’s definitely a tough environment over there, but we don’t view it as hostile in a fearful sense; it’s more about their passionate fans who love supporting their team,” said Erasmus.
“They have a few legends in their squad, and they’re a well-coached team. They’ve beaten the All Blacks and recorded their biggest-ever win over Australia, so there’s no doubt they believe they can beat us.”
Erasmus continued: “I think it will come down to preparation, who performs best on the day, and which team is more determined. There’s not much that separates us from Argentina.”
The Springbok coach was pleased with the two days they spent in Stellenbosch, which helped the team focus mentally for the upcoming challenge and allowed the coaching staff to lay the groundwork for the match.
“Camps are always valuable, especially when you’re testing players in different positions. The guys made the most of the time we had together,” Erasmus added.
“The trip to Argentina is long, but we’ve done some homework on them. Hopefully, when we arrive on Sunday, we’ll be ready to hit the ground running.”
Springbok squad for Argentina tour:
Props: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Ox Nche (Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls).
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Bulls).
Loose forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Utility forward: Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls).
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg (Lions).
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers).
Centres: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks).
Utility back: Canan Moodie (Bulls).
