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South Africa play host to Argentina tomorrow. The round one Rugby Championship fixture is to be the first of two matches between the countries in 2017.
The home side enter the fixture with the better record both in 2017 and overall against Los Pumas. Saturday’s match in Port Elizabeth sees the Springboks entering with a 4-1 home record against Argentina in the Rugby Championship.
Head Coach Allister Coetzee is looking to kick-on from the successful home series against France. In June the Springboks defeated France 3-0, humbling the Europeans and gaining tremendous confidence.
The series triumph silenced a number of critics. Following the Springboks’ losses against Italy in 2016 and Japan in 2015 there had been claims of doom-and-gloom for South Africa’s test side. Such fears have now seemingly been put to rest.
Coetzee has gone for two changes in the forwards. Cheetahs back-rower, Uzair Cassiem earns a start at No 8, replacing Jean-Luc du Preez. Cassiem’s one prior test match was away to Wales last November.
Up front veteran Coenie Oosthuizen comes into the starting lineup, taking over from Ruan Dreyer. The 28-year-old Oosthuizen will earn his 27th test cap but just his 5th start for his country.
The backline named by Coetzee sees Super Rugby sensation Ross Cronjé named at scrum-half. He returns to take over from Francois Hougaard. Cringe started the first and second test matches against France in June.
Hougaard drops to the bench to face Los Pumas. He is to be joined by newcomer Curwin Bosch and veteran Damian de Allende as the replacement backs. Of the replacement forwards only Trevor Nyakane and Pieter-Steph du Toit have more than 20 caps.
Argentine Head Coach Daniel Hourcade has made three changes from the side that defeated Georgia in Jujuy in June. In the forwards regulars Tomás Lavanini and Pablo Matera return to start. They replace Matías Alemanno and Rodrigo Báez respectively.
The one change to the backline sees utility Matías Moroni replaced by Emiliano Boffelli. The Rosarian had an impressive debut against England in June and is coming off a strong Super Rugby season. He joins Ramiro Moyano as the starting wingers. This sees a tactical move with the hard-workers in while there are no spots for Manuel Montero or Santiago Cordero.
On the bench there is an additional tactical surprise from Hourcade. The young Marcos Kremer has been preferred to the established Alemanno as Argentina’s replacement lock. With Javier Ortega Desio also on the bench the South Americans have mobility to come on in the second half.
At scrum-half Martín Landajo is preferred to Tomás Cubelli. As such he adds to his permanent selection under Hourcade. Landajo mas played in all 43 tests coached by Hourcade.
The Springboks enter the match as favorites. Not only has the team managed to impress in 2017 but the visiting Pumas are yet to play at the level that took them to the Semi Finals of Rugby World Cup 2015.
SOUTH AFRICA
1 Tendai Mtawarira, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 4 Eben Etzebeth (capt.), 5 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi, 7 Jaco Kriel, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 9 Ross Cronjé, 10 Elton Jantjies, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 12 Jan Serfontein, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Raymond Rhule, 15 Andries Coetzee
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Damian de Allende
ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy (capt.), 3 Enrique Pieretto, 4 Guido Petti, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Tomás Lezana, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 9 Martín Landajo, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Matías Orlando, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 15 Joaquín Tuculet
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera Paz, 18 Ramiro Herrera, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Tomás Cubelli, 22 Juan Martín Hernández, 23 Matías Moroni
Date: Saturday, August 19
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Kickoff: 17:00 local, 12:00 Argentina, 11:00 Eastern
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
Assistants: Pascal Gaüzère (FFR) & Nic Berry (ARU)
TMO: Glenn Newman (NZRU)
Broadcasts: ESPN Sur, ESPN 3, TSN Go
