Los Pumas to go all out against the Springboks at Kings Park

By the time they take on the Springboks at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday, Argentina may be eliminated from the race to win the Rugby Championship, but coach Michael Cheika has vowed they will go all out regardless of the situation.

A win or a bonus point loss by New Zealand against Australia in the other match at Eden Park on Saturday morning will eliminate Los Pumas from the race to win this competition.

Speaking at their base in Umhlanga while they prepared for the Test match at the Shark Tank, Cheika said everyone in their camp knows the importance of representing the country with pride.

“Number one, we must represent the country with pride. Number two is to make sure we back each other up,” he said.

“We are away from home and we have to support each other in what is going to be a difficult environment. When it’s tough, they must enjoy the difficult moments because that’s what you have to do when playing away from home against people like this and against a team like this ”

Australian-born Cheika, who surprised SA journalists with his good command of Spanish, said they are always motivated to make the country proud.

“We are always motivated every week, I don’t think one week’s motivation leads to another. We are motivated by many things in relation to where we want to end up as a team.

“We have a lot of drive as a team. Yesterday (Wednesday) we probably had our best training session of the whole time we have been together since the start of July. I don’t want to get the bigger picture here, I just want to get the expression that this is an opportunity at a full house in Durban against the world champions and it is a chance to take.

“You have to go out there and try to take it. We must have the first half like the second half of the first Test in Buenos Aires. Obviously as an Australian I am hoping Australia win (against New Zealand). That goes without saying.

“ I think they have a good chance but the thing about these games is that you will never know what is going to happen beforehand. Tipping is futile. It is what you hope happens or what might happen.”