Boks brace for physical assault from Argentina

The Springboks are bracing for an even bigger assault from Argentina in Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Gqeberha.

The Boks, who comfortably vanquished the same team at the same venue last weekend, expect the visitors to up the ante with their physicality after the visitors made significant changes to their forward pack.

The considerable frame of regular lock Guido Petti will now be deployed on the side of the scrum, which means there is room for the robust Tomás Lavanini to slot into the second row. Apart from an additional tower in the line-out and more bulk in the scrum, it gives Los Pumas greater ball-carrying capability and they should pack greater punch in the collisions.

And while their coach, Mario Ledesma, would like to see his players taking the challenge to the Springboks by not taking a backward step, those gains can be offset by the presence of the combustible Lavanini.

Discipline may be a deciding factor.

“They have named a strong and experienced squad,” noted Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick. “We know Lavanini. He is one of the tough guys in that side. Argentina always bring that physical challenge. They are very, very emotional. Everything they do as a country, you can see there is passion behind it.

“It is one of our focus points. If we have to stand a chance of winning the game, physically we need to pitch up,” said Stick about confronting the challenge head on.

“We know it will be a physical game but I think the team that is going to be more disciplined on the physical side of the game will have a good chance to win the game.”

In the vastly experienced Eben Etzebeth the Boks have a lock well versed in the rough and tumble of Test rugby’s close combat. In lock partner Marvin Orie they have a player with similar qualities and though he is in the starting team for the first time, it is hoped he doesn’t start something the team will regret.

The Bok locks’ proximity to Lavanini may be one of the points of interest in Saturday’s clash. Etzebeth does not allow emotion to dictate him terms and if the red mist is to descend it is more likely the tourists that will see red.

Etzebeth was simply colossal in last week’s Test and the Boks will be hoping for similar industry from the boiler room.

Stick was keen to remind that the Boks aren’t just a band of brutes, they are capable of a soft touch or two.

“It is something that we also enjoy if you look at the balance we have in our squad. We have players that finish well. Players like Makazole (Mapimpi) and Cheslin (Kolbe) and we have good physical players.”

That has often been the area that has set the Boks apart when they are in an arm wrestle. The pressure applied upfront eventually forces the foreigners into folly. It is then that their backs pounce creating opportunity for their wings to excel.

The build-up to the match has been dominated by the uncertainty around the playing roster for the remainder of the tournament. Captain Siya Kolisi said his team is undeterred and focused on the job at hand.

“That is all we can do. We can’t control everything, What happens, happens,” said Kolisi, who added he would love to see the remainder of the competition played in SA.

If that is the case it will regrettably be in empty stadiums.

Though they have to operate in a bubble and cannot engage face-to-face with the locals in the Windy City, Stick says they have felt the energy.

“We feel the buzz and the support on the social networks,” he said. “The people sometimes are outside when we are on our way to training. I get goose bumps when they hoot at us from their cars. We feel the buzz, the love, the vibe.”

Teams

SA — Willie le Roux; Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi; Handré Pollard, Cobus Reinach; Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (captain); Lood de Jager, Marvin Orie; Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Trevor Nyakane. Substitutes: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Kwagga Smith, Dan du Preez; Jaden Hendrickse, Damian Willemse.

Argentina — Juan Cruz Mallía; Ignacio Mendy, Santiago Chocobares, Jerónimo de la Fuente, Santiago Carreras; Domingo Miotti, Gonzalo Bertranou; Rodrigo Bruni, Guido Petti, Pablo Matera; Tomás Lavanini, Matías Alemanno; Francisco Gómez Kodela, Julián Montoya (captain), Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Substitutes: Facundo Bosch, Facundo Gigena, Santiago Medrano, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martín González; Felipe Ezcurra, Nicolás Sánchez, Lucio Cinti.

Referee: Carl Dickson (England)

Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (SA), AJ Jacobs (SA).

TMO: Tom Foley (England).