Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick expected a physical onslaught from Argentina and said they were bracing themselves for an epic encounter, especially given that if the Pumas win the match with a bonus point and deny the Boks a point, they would win the trophy.
“We have a lot of respect for Argentina and the way they are playing,” said Kolisi.
“They have a number of former sevens players in their set-up and a lot of experience on the bench. That said we are much better prepared for what lies ahead this weekend after facing them last week.”
Stick echoed his skipper’s sentiments: “They are a good side. One only has to look what they achieved this season to see what a force they are. They defeated the All Blacks in New Zealand, they put more than 60 points over Australia, and they beat us last week, so we know the magnitude of the challenge ahead.
“That said, we have an opportunity to rectify things this week, and it’s great to be here in Mbombela. We enjoyed the match we played here against the All Blacks, and we know the crowd will carry us this weekend again.”
Stick said the team would adopt a different approach to this match after taking the lessons learned last week: “We started well last week, which was one of our focus areas going into the game, but this week we have to ensure we maintain our intensity for the full 80 minutes.
“When Argentina gets momentum they capitalise on it, and they are a team that plays with a lot of passion and heart, so this will be a special occasion for both teams.”