Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick remained humble about the prospect of possibly becoming the first Bok team to win back-to-back Castle Lager Rugby Championship titles when they line up against the Pumas in the grand finale of the competition at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, on Saturday at 15:00 (SA Time).
The Springboks hold a one-point lead over the second-placed All Blacks in the standings going into the final round, and they will know exactly what the permutations will be for them to lift the trophy for the second successive season by the time they take the field.
“Breaking records is nice, and so is winning competitions, but the quality of our performance will be the most important aspect for us because we also have a tough end-of-the-year tour coming up,” said Stick.
“So, our main focus is on the match against Argentina and ensuring that we deliver an 80-minute performance. Last week’s result (the Boks' 67-30 victory against the Pumas) is in the past, and we certainly learned a few things from that match after leading by only two points at halftime.
“Last week we scored, and then they would score, and we conceded penalties that kept them in the game, and if one looks carefully at Argentina, they beat New Zealand and Australia, so if we don’t learn from that and the errors we made last week, we’d be silly.
“They are a good side, they’ll be desperate, and they are a passionate rugby nation. They’ve also selected a team with world-class players, and some senior players surrounding the younger guys, so it will be important to lay a strong foundation up-front and for the backs to deliver a skilful performance.”
Zooming in on Argentina’s team, Stick said: “We went through their side and a lot of their players have a Sevens rugby background, so if we are not at our best, it will be a long day on the park.
“I have no doubt it’s going to be a grind, and much like some of our younger players in the last few months, their newer players will also look to grab their opportunity to play and make their presence felt.
“They are going to pitch up mentally and emotionally, and they also have supporters here, so if we do not deliver, we know they are a side capable of punishing the opposition.”