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Springboks Set For Rugby Championship Encounter In Argentina

Springboks Set For Rugby Championship Encounter In Argentina

The Springboks will be in action this coming weekend for their second Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash with Argentina, and South African coach Allister Coetzee is expecting a tough encounter against the Pumas.

The Test will be played in Salta, Argentina on Saturday night, following last weekend’s game in Nelspruit, South Africa, where the Springboks managed to come from behind to win 30-23 for their first points in the southern hemisphere competition.

Coetzee has chosen the same starting fifteen which emerged victorious last weekend, despite the early struggle before they managed to turn things around.

The only change in the starting side will be Vincent Koch in the No 3 jersey, as he is drafted in for the injured Julian Redelinghuys.

On the bench veteran Morne Steyn has been included as kicking cover for starting flyhalf Elton Jantjies, and with Steyn coming to the rescue two years ago when the Springboks managed a narrow 33-31 victory in Argentina thanks to cool-headed and accurate kicking, his experience gives Coetzee’s side further depth.

“We expect the Pumas to try and put us under pressure with their tactical kicking,” Coetzee told the media, according to SuperSport.

“Morne is an experienced player with good kicking attributes, and he will provide an additional kicking cover for us,” the coach added.

The game will be the Springbok coach’s first away encounter since replacing Heyneke Meyer in the South African national team.

The other two teams involved in the tournament, New Zealand and Australia, will clash this weekend, with the Wallabies travelling to face the world champion All Blacks in New Zealand.

The All Blacks have already made their mark on the competition, defeating the Aussies 42-8 in Sydney last weekend. That result means that New Zealand top the standings on five points, with South Africa trailing them on four points.

Argentina have a single point, with Australia bottom of the standings on zero points after a single matchday.

 

Springbok Squad for Argentina match in Rugby Championship

Johan Goosen, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe, Damian de Allende, Bryan Habana, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Warren Whiteley, Oupa Mohoje, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Tendai Mtawarira.

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Lourens Adriaanse, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jaco Kriel, Rudy Paige, Morne Steyn, Jesse Kriel.