The Springboks should/could/will become the first Springbok 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.
The Springboks have won 11 of their last 13 matches against the Pumas, dating back to 2018, with their only two defeats coming in Argentina: Santiago Del Estero (last season) and Mendoza (in 2018).
The teams have crossed paths in London only once before, in the bronze final of the 2015 Rugby World Cup, with the Springboks winning the match 24-13 at the Olympic Stadium.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus made four changes to the match-23 for Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship decider against the Pumas at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham in London, which will see the return of Ox Nche to the starting team, as well as Grant Williams, Jesse Kriel and Bongi Mbonambi on the bench.
Nche was a late withdrawal last week in Durban after he pulled up with a niggle, but the loosehead prop is back and will pack down in the front row with Malcolm Marx and Thomas du Toit, while the three new players on the replacements bench – which again feature a split of five forwards and three backs, are Williams at scrumhalf, Mbonambi at hooker, and Kriel as a utility back.
Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi made seven changes to the team that lost 67-30 against the Springboks in Durban.
Up front, Guido Petti replaces Franco Molina in the second row, while Pedro Rubiolo comes in for Lucas Paulos, and Santiago Grondona replaces Joaquín Oviedo, who drops to the bench.
At the back, scrumhalf Simón Benítez Cruz replaces injured Gonzalo García, and Gerónimo Prisciantelli is named as his halfback partner. Santiago Carreras shifts to fullback, Juan Cruz Mallía moves to the left wing, and Justo Piccardo takes over at outside centre from Lucio Cinti. Bautista Delguy returns on the right wing, with Rodrigo Isgró dropping to the bench.
Teams:
Argentina: 15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Justo Piccardo, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Juan Cruz Mallia, 10 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 9 Simon Cruz Benitez, 8 Santiago Grondona, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Mayco Vivas. Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wenger, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Juan Gonzalez, 21 Joaquín Oviedo, 22 Agustín Moyano, 23 Rodrigo Isgro.
Springboks: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Jesse Kriel.