The Springboks proved they are on track with their Rugby World Cup preparations as they delivered a strong second-half performance to overpower Argentina 24-13 in the first of three warm-up games at Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
Springbok captain and hooker Bongi Mbonambi praised his charges for their fighting spirit and the way they put up their hands with an eye on the announcement of the Rugby World Cup squad on Tuesday.
“The one thing the coaches made sure of was to give as many players as possible a chance to play,” he said.
“The guys showed today they are ready to build to the Rugby World Cup. There’s no doubt the players have made it tough for the coaches (in terms of squad selection).
“We tried a lot of things in the first half and the outcomes didn’t go our way, but we knew if we kept pressing and believing, it would come in the second half. And that certainly paid off.
“We spoke about backing one another all week, and the players certainly did that.”