RUGBY UNION Springboks ready to test their young against Argentina
Argentina’s muscular pack will present an excellent test of South Africa’s front-row form, according to Springbok forwards coach Matt Proudfoot, as the teams prepare to meet in their Rugby Championship opener at Kings Park on Saturday.
The Boks have already stated ahead of the southernhemisphere championship that they will test multiple players in various positions before the World Cup in Japan next year, and the forward challenge posed by Argentina will be an important part of their build-up.
South Africa’s player of the year Malcolm Marx, who missed the 2-1 home series win against England in June through injury, is almost certain to start at hooker, but Proudfoot wants to create competition and depth in the position with Bongi Mbonambi and Akker van der Merwe the other two options in the squad.
“If you look at [loosehead props] Steven Kitshoff and Beast [Tendai Mtawarira], and the decision over which one starts and which one comes off the bench, we are getting there with our hookers, too,” Proudfoot said.
“The process is to create that level where we have two or three guys for every position, and that come World Cup time, it will put us in a better position.”
While Marx is the No 1 choice, Proudfoot said Mbonambi and Van der Merwe were promising back-ups, who may be short on Test experience, but not ability.
Mbonambi has 16 Test caps, but just three starts. The more mobile Van der Merwe has won all of his three caps off the bench. This led to call-ups to the squad for veterans Bismarck du Plessis and Schalk Brits in the series against England.
“The two Test matches we won in June with Bongi [starting], and I thought he showed his quality there,” Proudfoot said. “It is also exciting for me to work with a player like Akker, someone who is just a little bit different to the other two.”
Proudfoot said that facing Argentina, a historically renowned scrummaging unit now coached by former national team hooker Mario Ledesma, would be an important challenge and benchmark for his team.
“When you play against a tough opposition like Argentina, that is exactly the environment you want to test your guys in,” Proudfoot said.
“Especially up front, it is probably one of the ultimate tests for a pack of forwards. You know if a guy comes through against Argentina, he can make it.”