Salmaan Moerat named captain as Boks make 10 changes for Argentina

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made 10 changes to his starting team for their penultimate Rugby Championship clash against Los Pumas in Santiago del Estero on Saturday.

 Lock Salmaan Moerat leads a new-look team in a match that would see the Boks claim the championship title for the first time since 2019 should they avoid defeat by the in-form Pumas.

 The five players retaining their starting places from the team that defeated New Zealand in Cape Town 18-12 are prop Ox Nché, lock Ruan Nortje, No 8 Jasper Wiese, flyhalf Handré Pollard and centre Jesse Kriel.

Centre Lukhanyo Am and hooker Malcolm Marx are moved from the bench to a starting position from that match 23. Lock Eben Etzebeth goes the other way to join the retained Bomb Squad of props Vincent Koch and Gerhard Steenekamp, loose forwards Elrigh Louw and Kwagga Smith, and scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse.

 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (hooker) and Manie Libbok (utility back) come in to complete a bench once again consisting of six forwards and two backs.

Etzebeth will equal Victor Matfield’s Springbok record of 127 Test appearances if he takes the field.

Returning to the starting line-up after previously appearing in the competition are: Aphelele Fassi (fullback), Kurt-Lee Arendse and Makazole Mapimpi (wings), Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf), Ben-Jason Dixon and Marco van Staden (loose forwards), Thomas du Toit (prop) and Moerat.

“It would be amazing to wrap up the Rugby Championship title this weekend but it won’t be easy and we have a bigger picture in mind, too, which is to build squad depth with an eye on the 2027 World Cup,” Erasmus said.

“The only way we can do that is to expose the younger players to tough opposition in difficult circumstances and so far all of them have risen to that challenge.

“We’re excited about this squad and to see what the younger players can do in pretty tough playing conditions with such a passionate support base in Argentina and also at a new stadium.

“That Los Pumas are still in the running for the title for the first time will drive their team and supporters even more. We have no doubt we will be tested to the limit both as a team and the players as individuals, and we are excited to see how they deal with the pressures that come with playing here.”

Erasmus opted to rest seven players for the trip: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Frans Malherbe and Bongi Mbonambi.

The team features a new-look front row of Nché and Du Toit (props) and Marx, while Moerat will pair up with Nortje in the engine room. Erasmus also named a physical loose trio of Van Staden, Dixon (both flankers) and Wiese, while Reinach and Pollard will dictate play at halfback.

 In the backline, Kriel and Am will provide firepower in the midfield, while the back three will see Arendse, Mapimpi and Fassi make their presence felt with their hard running and skilful play.

“This group features players who have played either against New Zealand, Australia or both, so they have come up against tough opposition in the past few weeks, and this weekend will be equally demanding both physically and mentally, and it excites us as a group,” Erasmus said.

“Many of these combinations have played together this season and they all know how tough Argentina can make things for you on the day if you do not pitch up sharp and battle ready,” he said. 

 A win would be the sixth in succession in the Rugby Championship, which would be the Boks’ longest winning run in the competition (or its Tri-Nations forerunner), exceeding five consecutive victories recorded in 2009.

Springbok team to face Argentina in Santiago del Estero:

15 — Aphelele Fassi (Sharks) — 7 caps, 15 points (3t)

14 — Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls) — 20 caps, 85 points (17t)

13 — Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) — 75 caps, 80 points (16t)

12 — Lukhanyo Am (Sharks) — 38 caps, 35 pts (7t)

11 — Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks) — 44 caps, 150 points (30t)

10 — Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers) — 75 caps, 739 points (7t, 100c, 163p, 5dg)

9 — Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) — 35 caps, 65 pts (13t)

8 — Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) — 29 caps, 5 points (1t)

7 — Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers) — 4 caps, 5 points (1t)

6 — Marco van Staden (Bulls) — 22 caps, 10 pts (2t)

5 — Ruan Nortje (Bulls) — 4 caps, 0 points

4 — Salmaan Moerat (captain, Stormers) — 9 caps, 0 points

3 — Thomas du Toit (Bath) — 20 caps, 0 pts

2 — Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) — 71 caps, 100 points (20t)

1 — Ox Nché (Sharks) — 35 caps, 0 points

Replacements:

16 — Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls) — 2 caps, 5 points (1t)

17 — Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls) — 6 caps, 0 points

18 — Vincent Koch (Sharks) — 56 caps, 0 points

19 — Eben Etzebeth (Sharks) — 126 caps, 30 points (6t)

20 — Elrigh Louw (Bulls) — 8 caps, 0 points

21 — Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) — 47 caps, 45 points (9t)

22 — Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks) — 16 caps, 12 pts (2t, 1c)

23 — Manie Libbok (Stormers) — 16 caps, 91 pts (1t, 28c, 10p)

Reuters