Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Boks’ journey to World Cup starts with Pumas clash
THE Springboks’ long-term plan is to win the Rugby World Cup next year and the road to Japan starts this evening with the immediate objective of beating Argentina at Kings Park in the first match of the Rugby Championship.
“There are 15 matches to the World Cup and we have to make every one of them count,” said Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus. “There will be hiccups along the way as we try to balance winning and building depth in our squad, but it is very important that we start well after the break from the June internationals.”
Erasmus hit the ground running as the Boks’ new coach when the series against a powerful England team was won in style and now, after a six-week hiatus, losing is not an option for the rejuvenated team.
For further motivation, the Springboks will be intent on exorcising demons of the past when they kick off against the Pumas at 5pm. It is almost three years to the day that the Boks lost to the Argentineans at Kings Park, the first time the Pumas had won on South African soil.
Rain is forecast for this evening but surely lightning will not strike twice for the Boks. After all, history favours the South Africans. This will be the 27th meeting between the countries and the Springboks have lost just two of the past 26 encounters.
The Pumas have had a tough time since joining the Rugby Championship in 2012. They have lost their last six away games in the competition and in June sank to dispiriting home losses to second-string teams from Wales and Scotland, prompting a change in coach. Mario Ledesma, the man they call “Super Mario” in Argentina because of his success both as a player and coach, is now in charge of the Pumas and he knows exactly what buttons to press to ignite his team’s fiery Latin temperament.
But this is a revitalised Springbok team and they will fight fire with fire. Inspirational captain Siya Kolisi said: “It’s really important to win at home, and make a good start to this competition and so we just want to ensure that we play with plenty of energy and intensity.”