Sacha starts for Boks as stalwarts return for Los Pumas Test

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus on Tuesday included a host of stalwarts who will all make a timely return from injury for the one-off Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

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These players include captain Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Morne van den Berg – in a quality match-23 to face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Andre Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker, who picked up niggles during the Nations Championship last month, also make a welcome return in a starting team that shows 13 changes to the side that ran out against Wales in the Boks’ last Test.

Seven players who featured in the 43-0 victory over Wales in Durban retained their places in the matchday 23, only two of whom are in the starting lineup in Aphelele Fassi and Cobus Reinach.

The other five players – Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese and Gerhard Steenekamp have been named on the replacements bench.

The starting team includes a completely new pack, with Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit packing down in the front row with Johan Grobbelaar.

Etzebeth will join forces with De Jager at lock, with Kolisi, Elrigh Louw, and Cameron Hanekom taking over the reins in the loose trio.

In the backline, Reinach and Feinberg-Mngomezulu are the halfbacks, while Esterhuizen will partner Canan Moodie in the midfield.

Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe, and Fassi form an exciting back three.

“This match is the perfect occasion for players like Siya, Eben, Lood, Sacha, Morne and the other players returning from injury to get a tough Test under the belt and get back into full swing at international level, as Argentina are a formidable team, who will push us to the limit,” said Erasmus.

“The guys have been working very hard to return from injury, and there is no better test to measure where they are than facing the Pumas in Argentina.

“The other players in the squad also all deserve their places and have been waiting patiently as we tested combinations in the last few matches, and one can sense the excitement in the group to get back onto the field.”

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Erasmus added: “The Argentineans are very similar to South Africans in many ways. Their passion and patriotism for their country and people, and the way they give everything on the field and keep fighting, is a testament to the type of Test match we are expecting this weekend.

“They have beaten us twice in Argentina before, and they delivered brave performances in their Nations Championship matches, and will have a point to prove on Saturday, so we are fully aware of the challenge ahead.”

Erasmus was excited to see what the fresh mix of experienced and talented rising players could deliver against a quality Argentina team.

“This squad includes a bunch of Rugby World Cup winners and extremely talented young players who have been looking forward to playing again for a while, and others who have been working hard week in and week out to play more regularly.

“They have all adapted very well to the time zone and showed true grit at training, so we have full faith that they will rise to the occasion.”

Zooming in on Los Pumas, Erasmus said: “They are a quality team with players who play in several different competitions and countries, and they are well coached under the guidance of Felipe Contepomi, so we have to be sharp from the outset, accurate in our execution, and convert the chances we create into points if we want to get the desired result.

“They have a strong forward pack and dangerous backs, and they will have a very passionate crowd behind them, so we will have to be at our best to win this match.

“We’ve had to grind out results against them on several occasions in the past, so it will take a proper 80-minute effort this weekend, and we are looking forward to the challenge.”

South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Handre Pollard

Date: Saturday, August 8
Venue: Estadio José Amalfitani, Buenos Aires
Kick-off: 16.00 ART (21.00 SAST; 19.00 GMT)
Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)
Assistant referees: Luc Ramos (France), Craig Evans (Wales)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)