Rugby
Boks brace for challenging Test and hostile crowd─── MORGAN PIEK 12:59 Mon, 16 Sep 2024
“It’s definitely hostile in Argentina. But we don’t find them to be hostile in the sense of fear and stuff like that. It’s more really about the passionate support from the crowd for their team.”
The Springboks are braced for a tough day at the office when they tackle Argentina in Santiago del Estero on Saturday in the Rugby Championship.
The Boks are just one win away from winning the Rugby Championship for the first time in five years, however, the Argentines are also still in the running for the title.
‘The Pumas stunned the All Blacks and thrashed the Wallabies’
The back-to-back World Champions are the only remaining unbeaten team in the competition following consecutive wins against the Wallabies in Australia, while they also beat the All Blacks in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The Pumas, in turn, stunned the All Blacks with a 38-30 win in Wellington, while in their most recent Test, they thrashed the Wallabies 67-27 in Santa Fe.
Should the Pumas manage to beat the world champions this week and next weekend in Nelspruit, they could be the ones lifting the trophy.
The Springbok coach, Rassie Erasmus, warned that it’s going to be a tough two weeks and both teams are hungry and determined. “It doesn’t matter how you look at it – you don’t want to lose to Argentina,” said Erasmus.
“They don’t want to lose to us, and they must firmly believe that they are still in the running for the cup. But, at the end of the day, if we beat them by four points or if they beat us, both teams will still be very hungry.”
Makazole Mapimpi. Photo: Morgan Piek
Erasmus added that they will play in front of a hostile crowd who are passionate about their team.
“It’s definitely hostile in Argentina. But we don’t find them to be hostile in the sense of fear and stuff like that. It’s more about the passionate support from the crowd for their team.”
Saturday’s Test between the Los Pumas and Springboks at Estadio Unico Madre de Ciudades in Santiago del Estero kicks off at 23:00. At 07:35, the Wallabies will tackle the All Blacks at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
Springbok squad in Argentina:
Props – Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, Ox Nche, Gerhard Steenekamp, Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Hookers – Johan Grobbelaar, Malcolm Marx
Locks – Eben Etzebeth, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortjé
Loose-forwards – Ben-Jason Dixon, Siya Kolisi, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese
Scrumhalves – Jaden Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach, Grant Williams, Morné van den Berg
Flyhalves – Manie Libbok, Handré Pollard
Centres – Lukhanyo Am, Jesse Kriel
Outside backs – Kurt-Lee Arendse, Aphelele Fassi, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie
