Boks’ fringe players get chance to shine in ‘final’ against Argentina, says Stick

The Springboks are hoping to get the best out of their fringe players as they get an opportunity to shine in their Rugby Championship clash against Argentina in Santiago del Estero on Saturday (kick-off 11pm SA time).

A much changed team from the one that beat the All Blacks 18-12 in their previous match in Cape Town two weeks ago was named for the penultimate game of the competition, with a number of back-up players earning a shot to impress.

Players who have been in the Bok set-up for years, such as Marco van Staden, Lukhanyo Am and Thomas du Toit get a start, while Manie Libbok will look to make a big impact off the bench, while up-and-comers like Salmaan Moerat, who captains the team again, Ben-Jason Dixon, Ruan Nortje, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp and Elrigh Louw will continue to get game time.

Team evolution

Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick explained that it was part of the evolution of the team as they look to become more consistent while also building depth as they build towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

“As a coaching staff we have done a lot of research into how inconsistent we have been in the past, sometimes playing well the one week and then not the following,” said Stick at the team’s pre-match press conference.

“So I have to compliment Rassie (Erasmus) now in the way he is handling things and always keeping players excited for these opportunities. A lot of these players who are getting their chance have been waiting for it.

“I am excited for us to show our trust in them, which is what you need to do if you want to build a strong squad going towards 2027. I think the more trust we show in them (the fringe players) the better it is for the team.”

Stick continued: “Every time Marco van Staden gets an opportunity he has never let us down. Salmaan every time he gets an opportunity to lead the team he does so by example.

“A guy like Libbok, we have won the World Cup with him, and week in and week out, even when he is not in the match 23, he is always there to support Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) and Handre (Pollard). Thomas du Toit is a world class player, every time he plays he brings a massive physical impact.

“These guys now get an opportunity to play against Argentina away from home, in a game that we are treating like a final because they are still in the competition. I am excited to see how they do and hopefully they will all do well.”

Well prepared

Stick said that the team was as ready as they will ever be for an important match, that could see them clinch the Rugby Championship with a win, or head to Mbombela next week with the trophy still up for grabs.

“We are well prepared for this game. We had two extra days (training) in Stellenbosch where we were able to instil some of the things that we wanted to implement in this game,” explained Stick.

“So we are looking forward to the challenge. We are also in a new place, in Santiago del Estero, and we are as ready as we can be.”

Season goals

With two games to go in the competition, before the Boks break for a few months before closing out their international season with their end-of-year-tour to the UK, Stick says they are making plenty of progress on the goals they set out before the season started.

“At the beginning of the season, with the new coaching staff and new playing personnel, all we wanted to do was keep developing and improving our game. As everyone can see, it is clear the impact that Jerry (Flannery) and Tony (Brown) have had on our game,” said Stick.

“If you look at our defence in Cape Town, not conceding a try against the All Blacks is a massive thing. Also with our (new) attacking style of play, you can see the impact that Tony has on our system. So when it comes to our goals, we are getting there.”