Both teams will be confident after picking up good wins last time out in the competition.
The Springboks host Argentina in round five of the 2025 edition of the Rugby Championship in Durban on Saturday (5pm) in what promises to be a thrilling rugby match.
Both teams have won twice and lost twice this season and both are still very much in the running for this year’s title, as are Australia and New Zealand, who have the same records in this year’s competition.
The Boks go into the Durban match on the back of a record win against the All Blacks, while Argentina beat Australia in Sydney.
Here then are five things to look out for in the Durban Test.
Bok game-plan
A lot has been said about the Boks’ strong aerial game, which New Zealand pundits referenced as the big difference between the teams in the Wellington match.
The Boks have certainly grown in this area and with a number of players in their team who jump high to contest for kicks, they’re sure to employ the same tactics against the Pumas. Or, will they?
The Pumas are equally effective in the air and are most dangerous with loose ball in open play, so the Boks will have to think hard about how they go about their business.
Kicking on from Wellington
It’s fair to say that the second half performance by the Boks against the All Blacks in Wellington, when they scored five tries and a truckload of points against none by their hosts, was one of the best halves of rugby seen by the Boks in many years.
They clicked and everything they did came off beautifully … and it resulted in a lethal, destructive performance. If that is what the Boks are capable of, then that is what the fans and coaching staff should expect every time the players run on to the field for a Test match.
So, will they be able to follow it up on Saturday?
Key selections
Injuries continue to hamper the Boks, with several first-choice players ruled out, but Damian Willemse gets a go at fullback, Ethan Hooker has been retained on the wing, Canan Moodie goes again in midfield, while Sacha-Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cobus Reinach are the halfbacks, as they were in Wellington.
They all delivered then and they all have a chance again against Argentina to get further right ticks behind their names.
Eben Etzebeth is back after missing out the last time and he’ll be keen to show he is still a force to be reckoned with and belongs in the set-up. Thomas du Toit also has another opportunity to cement his place as the first-choice No 3, while Malcolm Marx will hope to build on a better showing in Wellington.
Bok bench
With Ox Nche ruled out, Boan Venter gets a start, and what an opportunity for him, but more interesting is how that change has impacted the bench – Jan-Hendrik Wessels is no longer a hooker replacement but a prop substitute, with Marco van Staden brought in as back-up hooker. Coach Rassie Erasmus is certainly up to something again.
But, elsewhere, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman and Kwagga Smith will be keen to make a big impact from the bench, and so, too, scrumhalf Morné van den Berg, who gets a rare chance, while Manie Libbok and André Esterhuizen will be keen to build on their Wellington performances. But where will Esterhuizen feature – centre or flank? Or both?
Dangerous Argentina
The Pumas are to be taken very seriously … in fact they’re possibly more dangerous right now than New Zealand and Australia. They’re a team on the rise … if they haven’t been for years already … and stand as good a chance as the Boks of winning in Durban, and of going all the way and winning the competition.
They’ve already beaten the Wallabies and All Blacks this year and they should have won both Tests against the Aussies. Anyway, they’re a hugely dangerous team who go for the full 80 minutes and ask questions all over the field.
They’ve also pushed the Boks hard in recent years with not too much separating the teams. And just last year tasted victory against the Boks in Santiago del Estero.
