Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said the team were ready for what is going to be a brutal battle against the Pumas at Estadio Velez Sarsfield in Buenos Aires on Saturday in the first of three Rugby World Cup warm-up games.
The Pumas are renowned for their physicality and passion, and Stick and Mbonambi expected an even bigger challenge from the South Americans on their home patch this weekend, especially with replacement hooker Agustin Creevy set to become the first player in their history to reach 100 Test caps.
It may be a big occasion for the home side, but Stick said the Boks were equally driven to produce a quality performance as they build toward the World Cup and to make it a memorable day for Mbonambi, who will lead the national team for the first time, and replacement prop Gerhard Steenekamp, who is in line to make his Test debut.
“The important thing for us is to improve on the way we want to play and to give ourselves a strong foundation before the Rugby World Cup,” said Stick.
“There’s a lot we want to improve on, but the message is clear, we have to pitch up on the day. We are expecting a hostile game in front of a passionate crowd, so it’s going to be brutal.”
With the Springboks three matches away from kicking off the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, Stick said: “I don’t think we are anywhere close to the final product we want to be in the World Cup, but we are on track.”
