On Tuesday it was confirmed that Bok coach Jacques Nienaber made solely two adjustments to his beginning staff for Saturday’s closing spherical Rugby Championship Test towards Argentina, whereas he additionally opted to title six forwards and two backs on the replacements bench.
The notable adjustments amongst the replacements are the return of hooker Bongi Mbonambi, who makes a welcome return from a knee damage, and Kurt-Lee Arendse, who has accomplished his suspension following a harmful sort out final month.
BREAKING: FRANS STEYN TO MAKE RARE TEST START AT FLYHALF
Mbonambi will likely be joined by sturdy reinforcements in Vincent Koch (prop) and Duane Vermeulen (No 8), who be part of Mostert and Kwagga Smith because the forwards on the bench.
Faf de Klerk and Arendse, in the meantime, will present cowl amongst the backs, with De Klerk earmarked because the back-up scrumhalf and flyhalf cowl, whereas Arendse will cowl fullback and wing relying on how the match unfolds.
STANDINGS: WHAT BOKS NEED TO WIN RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP
“We know what challenges Argentina will pose and we feel that this would be the best option for us for this match specifically. We have a group of hungry and talented players serving in the bomb squad this week and every player in the match day squad knows what is expected of them if we want to win the Rugby Championship,” Nienaber commented
“We viewed last week as a semi-final and this week as a final, but Argentina are a team that do not give an inch, and they never stop fighting as we saw last week. They defeated New Zealand away from home against the odds and they registered a convincing victory against Australia at home, so we know we are in for a massive battle.
“There will be a few keys to victory this week, and these include set piece dominance, using our opportunities and ensuring that we do the right things in specific areas of the field.
“It is all or nothing for us this week, and we have a team with several players who have won the Rugby World Cup and the British & Irish Lions Series, so they know it will take nothing less than a quality 80-minute effort to win this match and the competition.”
The Springboks are at present degree on 14 log factors with New Zealand on the Castle Lager Rugby Championship log and path the All Blacks by 13 factors on factors’ distinction. The Boks, nonetheless, will know precisely what they want to do within the match to clinch the title once they take the sector because the All Blacks will host Australia in Auckland earlier within the day.
RATINGS: MARX, DE ALLENDE, HENDRIKSE SHINE FOR BOKS
Boks staff to face Argentina in Durban:
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 78 caps, 65 pts (13t)
14 – Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 2 caps, 5pts (1t)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 55 caps, 60 pts (12t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 65 caps, 45 pts, (9t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 32 caps, 110 pts (22t)
10 – Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs) – 77 caps, 156 pts (11t, 10c, 24p, 3d)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 9 caps, 10 pts (2t)
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 17 caps, 0 pts
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 63 caps, 15 pts (3t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 70 caps, 35 pts (7t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 63 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 105 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 53 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 54 caps, 65 pts (13t)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 66 caps, 5 pts (1t)
Replacements:
16 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 51 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks) – 14 caps, 0 pts
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) – 36 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 58 caps, 10 pts (2t)
20 – Duane Vermeulen (Ulster) – 64 caps, 15 pts (3t)
21 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 26 caps, 15 pts (3t)
22 – Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles) – 41 caps, 25 pts (5t)
23 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 2 caps, 5 pts (1t)
STATS & FACTS
Springbok document towards Argentina in South Africa:
Played 15, Won 14, Lost 1; Points for 550, Points towards 272, Average rating 37-17; Tries scored 65, Tries conceded 25; Highest rating 73, Biggest win 60 pts (73-13), Win % 93%
Springbok document at Hollywoodbets Kings Park (total):
Played 34, Won 21, Lost 10, Drawn 3; Points for 835; Points towards 601; Tries for 87; Tries towards: 59.
Springbok staff data at Hollywoodbets Kings Park:
Biggest win: 101-0 v Italy on 19 June 1999
Most tries: 15 v Italy on 19 June 1999
Most conversions: 13 v Italy on 19 June 1999
Most penalty targets: 8 v New Zealand on 1 August 2009
Most drop targets: 3 v South America on 3 May 1980 and v Ireland on 6 June 1981
Milestones:
- Eben Etzebeth will prolong his run as essentially the most capped Springbok participant towards Argentina with this match marking his 19th Test towards Los Pumas from 2012 to 2022.
- Following his two tries final weekend, Malcolm Marx is now the Springbok hooker with essentially the most Test tries – 13. Bongi Mbonambi is second on the record with 11 Test tries.
Miscellaneous:
- The whole Test caps for the Springbok beginning line-up is 809.
- There are 318 caps within the backline with 491 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are an additional 292
- The common caps per participant within the backline are 46, the forwards 59, whereas the gamers on the bench common 36.