Boks Test in Argentina: Who’s on stage for the final audition?

When the Springboks take on Argentina at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani in Buenos Aires on Saturday in their first Rugby World Cup warm-up matchthere will be players who will look to stake a final claim for a place in the 33-man squad going to France next month.

The Boks have 42 players in the squad at the moment, and on Tuesday it will be trimmed down to 33 when the team that will be heading to France for the global showpiece will be announced.

Places up for grabs

Though coach Jacques Nienaber and Co have already established their core, the spine and the leadership group, which includes many from the 2019 Rugby World Cup winning team, there are still places up for grabs.

Inside centre Andre Esterhuizen missed out on the 2019 World Cup and is determined to see his name in the squad heading to defend the Webb Ellis Cup this time round. After struggling to oust regular No 12 Damian de Allende over the last few years, Esterhuizen, who’s honed hiss rugby game in England, seems to have come into his own in the green and gold.

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He arguably played his best game in a Bok jersey in the 43-12 win over the Wallabies at Loftus last month and a good showing against Los Pumas on Saturday should be enough to see him into the World Cup-bound squad.

Scrumhalf and hooker

Scrumhalves Cobus Reinach and Herschel Jantjies will also get a final chance to state their case for selection. The competition at No 9 is immense; Reinach and Jantjies are competing with Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse and Grant Williams.

Indications from statements made by Nienaber in the media are that De Klerk, Hendrikse and Williams will be the three scrumhalves going to France, but the duo playing in BA on Saturday seem to have an outside shot, and they will look to make the most of their chance.

The Boks are mandated to have three hookers at the World Cup, and Bongi Mbonambi, who will captain the team on Saturday, and Malcolm Marx, fill two of the spots.

Deon Fourie and Joseph Dweba will fight it out for the third spot as things stand.

Fourie, who’s in the team as a utility forward who plays at hooker and flank has the versatility that gives him an advantage, but Dweba is an out-and-out hooker with a physical presence. It’s a tough call to make for Nienaber and Co.

Prop Trevor Nyakane will also be relishing running out on Saturday to show what he can do. The Boks have six props in their squad, but the other five don’t have what Nyakane has, and that’s the ability to play as a loosehead prop and at tighthead. Does this give him an advantage?

Displaying his qualities in this final audition might get him a ‘yes’ from the judges.