Boks look to keep building
CLEARLY with an eye to building themselves up into a team that will hopefully be formidable enough in facing the All Blacks, the Springboks have selected a side with just one change for their latest Test: Francois Hougaard replaces the injured Ross Cronje at scrumhalf as the Bok pack looks to front up on hostile turf against Argentina, in Salta tomorrow (kick-off 9.40pm).
It was a good start from the Springboks as they followed up their successful June series against the French with another win on home soil against the Pumas last week.
This trip to Salta will be the first time the class of 2017 gets to show they have moved beyond the nightmare that was 2016 by beating a team renowned for putting on a show for their home fans.
Salta was the venue for the Springboks’ second loss against the Pumas as a number of factors heap against the visitors in playing at the Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena. The field is smaller, and the fans are rowdier as they pack the tall grandstands.
But more so, Salta is a little off the beaten track and the Boks only arrived in the town yesterday.
As a team that is fragile in its rebirth, these additional factors will test the ability of the Boks to beat adversity while they prepare for a backlash from the wounded Pumas.
Having one change in the team, however, will help the Springboks in their quest to make it a double against the Pumas, something they last did in 2014. Hougaard will provide a different feel to the team, especially from the important position of No 9, but for coach Allister Coetzee it is the scrumhalf’s experience that he is grateful for.
“Francois has played a lot of Test match rugby, his work ethic is second to none and he has been working hard since joining the squad,” he said.
“Rudy made a good impact in the third Test against France and I expect the same this weekend.”
The challenge for this game is also going to be very different according to Coetzee. A lot of that must have to do with the travel schedule that saw the Boks leave for South America during the week, and arrive at the ground with a day before the Test.
However, Coetzee has taken a pragmatic approach to this somewhat unstructured preparation week.
“This is going to be a different challenge, but I have no doubt the players will benefit and grow from every tough experience,” said the Bok coach. “Our approach and preparation will be the same as when we prepared for all our home Tests, and to control whatever we can control. We must again show patience, hunger and the desire to execute our game plan.”
The Springboks will look to make it two wins from two against the Argentinians with victory in Salta before taking a week’s break and then turning their attention to Australasia. The Springboks then travel to Perth and Albany to take on the Wallabies and All Blacks respectively.