‘We learned our lessons’: Springboks refuse to underestimate Argentina
· Citizen
Despite an overwhelmingly positive record against Argentina, and the narrative of their one-off Test in Buenos Aires on Saturday being a “warm-up” for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, the Springboks refuse to underestimate their mercurial opposition.
Instead, they are focusing on their most recent defeats and tough clashes with the South American nation.
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The Springboks are on an 11-Test winning streak. They have also won their last three matches against Argentina and 11 of their last 12 meetings.
‘Quality side’
However, coach Rassie Erasmus strongly opposed the idea that the game was a warm-up for the series against the All Blacks.
He referred to their 32-19 away defeat to Argentina in 2018 as “the biggest hiding our coaching team had here”.
Erasmus also said their most recent meeting, a 29-27 Springbok victory in London in October, pointed to a tough contest on Argentina’s turf on Saturday night (kick-off 9pm).
Flanker Elrigh Louw likewise reflected on South Africa’s 29-28 defeat in Argentina in 2024, which he was part of.
“They are a real physical, quality side. So I think we learned our lessons, and we were well prepared,” Louw said.
Both teams will be without key players as South Africa left a contingent behind to train for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series – starting with the first Test in two weeks – and Argentina are without several core players due to European club commitments.
Argentina will field four debutants in the game.
Inexperienced Springboks front up for Argentina
Erasmus has named five Springbok players returning from injury, including Siya Kolisi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morné van den Berg, Eben Ezebeth and Lood de Jager.
The last two have each only played one match for their franchises in 2026.
Furthermore, eight Springbok players have fewer than 10 caps, and 11 have 14 caps or fewer under their belts.
Cobus Wiese, the second-least capped Springbok with just four Tests two his name, said he had learned much from the vastly more experienced Etzebeth and De Jager, who have 141 and 73 caps respectively.
Elrigh Louw giving his all for the Boks
Louw, with just 14 Tests, scored a try in his only Test for the Boks so far this year – against Scotland in the Nations Championship.
He said he was glad to be back in the Springbok picture after a career-threatening knee injury that kept him out of action for 10 months.
“It was quite a big injury and devastating for me at the time,” he said.
“But there was a lot of support behind me. At home, the family helped me get back. Obviously, medical staff, etc, helping me at rehab.
“The motivation to be back in the Springbok squad was more than enough for me to continue working hard and [then] play rugby to the best of my ability.”