Boks talk up Pumas ahead of test opener

THERE has been a clear message from the Springbok camp this week – to talk up Argentina.

On Monday, Bok coach Allister Coetzee drew a distinction between the Jaguares poor inaugural Super Rugby season and the strengths of the Pumas in the test arena.

Coetzee rightly warned against reading too much into Super Rugby performances as a measurement of Argentina’s power.

The Jaguares squad had 32 capped Pumas internationals in it‚ yet they only won four out of 15 Super Rugby matches.

The Pumas‚ by contrast‚ made the World Cup semifinals last year.

Assistant Bok coach Johan van Graan sang from the same hymn sheet as Coetzee‚ talking up the Pumas for the Boks’ Rugby Championship opener in Nelspruit in 10 days.

“You just have to watch them when they sing the anthem, to see what it means to play for Argentina‚” Van Graan said.

“That’s what we take out of it. Once they put on that Argentinean jersey, they are a different team.

“They have world-class players in the team‚ and Super Rugby poses a different threat to test rugby.

“They’ve had a lot of time together‚ their head coach is back and obviously he has had some time in the background,” he said.

“They know South African rugby in the past few years, so they will be very well prepared against the Springboks.

“It’s test match rugby and we can’t wait to get going against them.”

South Africa suffered a surprise loss against the Pumas in Durban last year, but regained a tiny measure of revenge with a victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires a week later.

They backed up that win with another triumph in the World Cup bronze medal match in October.

Since Argentina’s inclusion in the Rugby Championship, the Boks have found it tough against the South Americans.

In Salta in 2014, the Springboks scraped home 33-31 and at Loftus, the same year the home team ground out a 13-6 win during a torrential downpour.

And in two visits to Mendoza, Argentina, the Boks have had a lucky 16-16 draw and a close 22-17 win.

There has been very little between the sides in recent years.

Van Graan believes that it will take more improvement to match the Pumas after the Boks beat Ireland 2-1 in a three-test series at home in June after losing the first test. “We can improve in all areas‚” Van Graan said. “We’re really happy with our set-piece‚ but our deliveries from our set-piece could be a lot better.

“We’ve been working hard with our ball-carriers because Argentina make a lot of leg tackles.

“We’ve learnt over the past few years‚ and in Super Rugby with the Jaguares‚ that the breakdown is a big fight,” he said.

“Your attacking shape and attacking mindset is also important. We’re working a lot on that too.”