Exciting Springbok side targets Rugby Championship title

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named an exciting side featuring a good blend of youth and experience, with them looking to seal the Rugby Championship title in their clash against Argentina in Santiago del Estero on Saturday.

Ten changes in total have been made to the Bok starting XV, from the one that beat the All Blacks at the Cape Town Stadium a week and a half ago, but it is still a formidable lineup that has been selected.

The experienced Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche, Jasper Wiese, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard, Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am and Jesse Kriel will provide calm heads to go with a number of exciting up and coming future stars.

Inexperienced rising talents

Players such as Aphelele Fassi, Ben-Jason Dixon, Ruan Nortje and captain Salmaan Moerat all have less than 10 caps for the Boks and will be eager to take their chance to shine.

All the players in the match 23 have featured for the Boks at various stages this season and they will be eager to continue the team’s winning run, which stands at five straight games currently.

“This group features players who have played either against New Zealand, Australia or both, so they have come up against tough opposition in the last few weeks. This weekend will be equally demanding both physically and mentally, and it excites us as a group,” said Erasmus.

“Many of these combinations have played together this season and they all know how tough Argentina can make things for you on the day if you do not pitch up sharp and battle ready.

“It’s also good to have this mix of youth and experience, while at the same time having a squad that boasts the physicality and X-factor that we need against the Pumas.

“We are excited to see what the likes of Jan-Hendrik (Wessels), Manie (Libbok), Aphelele and Ben-Jason, among others will bring to this match.”

Erasmus is also well aware of the challenge that Los Pumas will pose, especially at home after they thrashed Australia by a record 67-27 in their previous match, while they have to win to keep their chances of claiming the Rugby Championship alive.

Force to be reckoned with

“Argentina are a force to be reckoned with at home and they’ll be even more charged up for this match knowing that a bonus-point victory or victory could keep them in the race for their first ever title, so we know they will not give us an inch,” said Erasmus.

“They are a quality team with strong forwards and talented backs, and they like to keep the ball alive, so we need to be accurate in every aspect of our game and deny them from stamping their authority, but rather enforcing our style of play on them.”

The Boks will also be fired up to clinch the Rugby Championship with a game to go, which would make the final game against Argentina in Mbombela next weekend more of a victory parade than a do-or-die encounter for the title.

“Our players understand the importance of this match in every respect, and one could see from our training sessions in Stellenbosch last week and since yesterday that they are switched on and ready to give their all, as this match is equally important for both teams,” explained Erasmus.

“We have no doubt it’s going to be epic and could come down to the wire, but we live for these moments as a team and hopefully we can deliver on what we set out to do and get the desired result.”