Bok battering ram is back
The Boks have only played four matches since the Test season began but in all of those the Boks have started with two flanks better known for their fetching skills than their ball carrying.
"We lacked a ball-carrying loose forward in Durban owing to injuries, used two ball 'scavengers' instead, and were outmuscled," Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said in Durban.
Willem Alberts, whose 'bone collector' nickname leaves little to the imagination, is a fearless but injury-prone blindside flank who will attack the Pumas.
"It has been a while since I played a Test, and this was also a frustrating year with a couple of injury niggles but there was some good off time and time to work hard," Alberts said.
"Normally the blindside flank is the ball-carrier, it is something that I like to do and also just part of my job.
"So I will try to get the ball in my hands and also on defence just make sure I slot into the defensive structures and make my one-on-one tackles and do my part to help the team.
"I am just there to use my chance and do my job, same as every other guy that gets a chance to wear the green and gold, you always go out to do your best and play your part and do your role with what is needed of you in the team.
Alberts makes his first appearance of the season and in another significant change, Meyer has picked Patrick Lambie at flyhalf instead of Handre Pollard, who was booed in Durban.
Lambie has impressed on previous northern hemisphere tours and a good showing this weekend could push him to the front of the World Cup playmaker queue.
While Meyer and his men in green and gold would happily accept the underdogs tag in Buenos Aires, Argentina insist the country who won the 1995 and 2007 World Cup finals are favourites.
"We anticipate a much tougher match than last weekend and are definitely not the favourites," coach Daniel Hourcade told reporters.
"The Springboks are a very good team and are prepared for a backlash after what happened in Durban. We must be ready for a battle."
Experienced loose forward Juan Manuel Leguizamon agreed: "Winning this weekend is going to be more difficult because second Tests against the same opponents always are."
Veteran centre Juan Martin Hernandez said "victories are short-lived and we must look ahead, be humble, train passionately and take heed of what our coaches say".
Scrum dominance was instrumental in the Pumas' historic Durban triumph and hooker and skipper Agustin Creevy was unamused by post-match Springbok claims that the South Americans used illegal tactics.
"Maybe it was a technique issue for them (South Africa)," he responded.
Argentina have retained the Marcos Ayerza-Creevy-Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro front row that tormented the Springboks, who have picked a new trio of Trevor Nyakane, Adriaan Strauss and Marcel van der Merwe.
South Africa will be defending a near-prefect record in Argentina having won nine Tests and drawn one while scoring 352 points and conceding 212.
@rugby365com & AFP
