Starting Etzebeth: South Africa vs Argentina, key match in Rugby Championship

Springboks Face Pumas in Rugby Championship

The South African Springboks will face Argentina’s Pumas in the Rugby Championship, in a match to be played in Durban this Saturday. Boks coach Rassie Erasmus has decided to maintain confidence in the team that achieved a resounding victory over New Zealand two weeks ago. The Boks secured a 43-10 victory over the All Blacks in Wellington, keeping the excitement alive in the Rugby Championship standings with two matchdays remaining. So far, the Boks have suffered two defeats in four matches, one against Australia (who leads the standings) and another against the Kiwis in Auckland. Eben Etzebeth and Damian Willemse have been included in the starting team, replacing Lood de Jager and Aphelele Fassi, who did not play in Wellington. Consequently, Damian de Allende and Canan Moodie will form the center pairing.

This is a vital match for both us and the Pumas, and considering they beat New Zealand and Australia in the first four rounds of the championship, as well as the British & Irish Lions earlier in the season, there is no doubt that we will give them the respect they deserve.

Rassie Erasmus

Erasmus also highlighted Argentina’s evolution: “They have taken great strides in recent seasons and have a shrewd coach in Felipe Contepomi, so we know they will give it their all. In addition, they have a solid pack of forwards and backs with a lot of talent, so they represent a threat on all fronts.”

The Boks coach also stated that his team is prepared for the challenge: “We’ve had good training sessions since we met last Thursday, and the players know what they will face.” “Like us, Argentina is a tremendously proud and passionate team, and they give everything for their country. They know that two good results could put them in a decent position to win the championship, so it will be a very tough match.” “As things stand, any team could win the title, so we need to take advantage of the opportunities to score points that we create and play for the full 80 minutes if we want to achieve the desired result.” “Besides that, we’ve faced them in Durban three times, and they’ve beaten us once, and that, combined with their self-confidence, means that the historical results between the teams will be of no importance in the match.” “They are also in sixth place in the world ahead of the Wallabies, so we don’t underestimate them.”

Springboks Lineup

• Damian Willemse
• Cheslin Kolbe
• Canan Moodie
• Damian de Allende
• Ethan Hooker
• Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
• Cobus Reinach
• Jasper Wiese
• Pieter-Steph du Toit
• Siya Kolisi
• Ruan Nortje
• Eben Etzebeth
• Thomas du Toit
• Malcolm Marx
• Ox Nche

Substitutes

• Jan-Hendrik Wessels
• Boan Venter
• Wilco Louw
• RG Snyman
• Kwagga Smith
• Morne van den Berg
• Manie Libbok
• Andre Esterhuizen