Pumas still confident
DURBAN: RECALLED WINGER IMHOFF HAS FOND MEMORIES OF 2015 SHOCK
Argentina, looking to pull off a second giant-killing act in this year’s Rugby Championship, have made two changes to their starting team for tomorrow’s Rugby Championship Test against the Springboks in Durban.
After shocking the New Zealand All Blacks and world rugby with their 25-18 win in Christchurch a few weeks ago, the Argentina Pumas will be looking for more of the same against Jacques Nienaber’s Boks at Kings Park in Durban.
They, however, will have to produce a far better effort than last time out, when they were out-played by the Boks in Buenos Aires last Saturday. On that occasion, the Boks dominated the encounter – bar for a 20-minute period at the start of the second half – and finished with a bonus point 36-20 win.
But, the Pumas will have fond memories of facing the Boks in Durban, and will believe they can strike it good for a second time this season.
In 2015, the Pumas shocked the Boks 37-25, with wing Juan Imhoff, with three tries, the big star on the day.
Imhoff didn’t feature in Buenos Aires last weekend, but he has been recalled for this match, replacing Lucio Cinti on the wing. It is one of only two changes coach Michael Cheika has made to the side that lost last weekend.
Centre Matias Moroni is also back in the starting team in place of Matias Orlando.
There are also three changes on the bench – tighthead prop Mayco Vivas, loose forward Pedro Rubiolo and winger Bautista Delguy replace Thomas Gallo, Rodrigo Bruni and Moroni.
Australia-born Cheika said the Pumas are desperate to atone for a poor showing in the Argentine capital last Saturday.
“The Springboks silenced our crowd and that was hard to bear,” he said yesterday. “Now we want to turn the tables and beat the world champions in front of their supporters.”
The Springboks, meanwhile, also made two changes to their starting team, bringing in Pieter-Steph du Toit at blindside flank, in place of Franco Mostert who moves to the bench, and Frans Steyn, who replaces the concussed Damian Willemse at flyhalf.
New Zealand and South Africa have 14 points each on the current log, Australia 10 and Argentina nine, entering the final round of the most exciting Rugby Championship since its launch 10 years ago.