Boks forced into late tour squad change

NEWS: South Africa has been forced into a late change to their tour squad for Argentina.

Morné van den Berg has been called up as an injury replacement for Grant Williams for the Springboks’ penultimate Rugby Championship match against Argentina at Estadio Unico Madre Ciudades in Santiago del Estero on Saturday, September 21.

Williams, who started at scrumhalf for the Boks against the All Blacks in Cape Town last weekend, was ruled out of the touring squad due to a knock to the arm.

Van den Berg – who joined the squad in Stellenbosch on Thursday – debuted against Portugal in Bloemfontein and earned his first start in the green and gold against Australia in Perth last month.

With Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus looking to give players in his expanded squad a chance to gain valuable game time against the top teams in the world and build squad depth for the 2027 World Cup in Australia, this will offer Van den Berg a valuable opportunity to measure himself against top opposition.

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“It’s always sad to lose a player to injury, and we feel for Grant who has been waiting patiently for his chance to start this season, which he finally achieved last week,” said Erasmus.

“But we have great squad depth, and if one player is injured it opens the door for another player to make a statement.

“Morné has only played two Tests so far, and facing Argentina at home is a completely different challenge to what he has faced, as is the case with many of the younger players in the touring squad.

“If he receives the opportunity to play, it will be a great way for the coaches to see how he handles that type of pressure, and it would also be a stern test for him.”

The Boks returned to the training field on Thursday after a few well-deserved days off and immediately sprang into action with a gym session and two field training sessions.

The squad will depart for Argentina on Saturday.

The Springboks will battle it out with Los Pumas for the Rugby Championship title in their last two matches of the competition in Santiago and at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday, September 28.

Erasmus said they are anticipating a battle of attrition in front of a hostile crowd in Argentina next weekend.

However, the South Africans will enter the last two rounds with a confidence-boosting eight-point buffer at the top of the standings.