Boks coach Rassie Erasmus has been bold in his team selections for the Castle Rugby Championship showdown against Argentina. Now those Next Gen Boks must deliver and reward their coach with a performance the equal of what was produced in Wellington against the All Blacks, writes Mark Keohane.
Erasmus, who has averaged seven changes in his run-on XVs this season and 12 in his match 23, from one Test to the next, resisted tampering with the winning formula from Wellington.
There were only two enforced swaps, both through injury and on Friday two became three when loose-head prop Ox Nche was ruled out with a niggle.
Earlier in the week Erasmus entrusted 13 of the starting XV from Wellington, New Zealand, to start against Argentina.
Eben Etzebeth, the most capped player in Bok Test history, is back in the engine room, Damien Willemse, a back to back World Cup winner, moves from inside centre to fullback and the veteran double World Cup winner Damian de Allende returns to the midfield in the No 12 jersey.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu starts at No 10, with the option to move to 15 in the last quarter.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been beset with injuries in the past 12 months and he needs time in the saddle. He needs to make it through 80 minutes. Durban is his stage.
Canan Moodie gets another opportunity to showcase his skill set at outside centre and Thomas du Toit’s mobility is preferred as a starting option at tighthead, with Wilco Louw to bring the heat at scrum time in the second 40.
Erasmus has picked a power pack, led by Siya Kolisi.
Argentina will test the Boks
Pumas coach Felipe Contepomi, who played 87 times of Argentina, has turned the Pumas into more than bruisers. Their backs are sharp, their counter-attack lethal, their pack no longer a second-tier act. They’ve beaten New Zealand in Wellington, run riot against Australia, and edged South Africa in Argentina a year ago.
They will not fear Durban.
But Saturday is not about them.
It is about the next wave of Boks – Sacha, Moodie, Willemse, and the younger forwards. It is about continuity and not nostalgia. It is about proving that the world champions have the depth to stay world champions.
Discipline will matter and Durban’s match conditions invariably are a leveller.
Australian Angus Gardner’s whistle has hurt the Boks before, and the Boks have to take Gardner’s interpretation out of the equation with a compelling performance.
Keo’s prediction: Springboks 37–25 Argentina.
Zel’s prediction: Springboks 30-20 Argentina
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