Davids expecting tough grind against Los Pumas

Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids said on Monday they were ready for a gruelling challenge against Argentina when the teams meet in their one-off Test in Buenos Aires on Saturday, and quashed suggestions that the Boks see this match as a warm-up Test for the forthcoming Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR) series against New Zealand.

The Boks arrived in Argentina in the early hours of Sunday morning and resumed their preparations for the match with their first field training session on Monday.

“It’s a big Test match for us,” said Davids.

“It has never been easy, especially in Buenos Aires, so it's important that we improve on the areas of our game in which we would like to.

“We are also very clear in terms of what we want to achieve, so our focus will be on ourselves and trying to play the way we want to against a formidable opponent.”

Davids added: “I've been very clear about this, our focus is on Argentina. We want to do our best to win a Test match for South Africa, while at the same time improving our game and continuing to build for the rest of the season.

“That is the most important thing for us. We are not focusing on any other game for the rest of the year right now. This week it's all about Argentina, and we don't approach any game as a warm-up. Every Test match is important for our country and what we stand for as a team.”

Zooming in on the threat Los Pumas poses, Davids said their hosts will bring a different challenge to the table on Saturday.

“They are a very passionate team, especially at home and it has always been a case of grinding it out right until the end against them,” he said.

“It's never easy. If you come to Argentina with the mentality of seeing it as a warm-up game, you would make a big mistake. They have their own goals. They want to win the game, improve and prove they belong on the biggest stage.

“They also want to build their team depth with their brilliant youngsters coming through, so it's going to be a passionate, gutsy Test match and a good challenge and we're really looking forward to it.”

With Springbok stalwarts Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager back from injury, Davids was pleased with the boost it offered them in the lock department, saying: “It's fantastic to have Eben and Lood back, and also the other players who were injured and haven't played in a while, such as Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) and the other guys. They're experienced players and they mean a lot in our system.

“Fortunately, we had a very good build-up to this game at our camp in Johannesburg last week, so this is a fantastic opportunity for them to play, and it is important as we build towards the rest of the season.”

Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, who is also one of the players returning from a spell on the sidelines, was thrilled to return to the Bok squad and said it was a massive privilege to be back.

“The injury was obviously tough, especially with the Boks playing, but it gave me a lot of motivation to work hard to be here,” said Van den Berg.

“I’ve had some incredible people on my side who helped me a lot and I'm feeling really good.”

Of the competition at scrumhalf in his absence, Van den Berg said all he could do was his best: “Those things are completely out of my control. The other players put in the effort and they were rewarded.

“Personally, I can only face what's in front of me. The injury afforded me the opportunity to upskill and get fit, so I made the best of the situation. That said, to be back and compete with those guys is incredible. At the end of the day, you serve the Springboks and you do whatever it takes to make the team better.”

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will announce his matchday squad for the encounter on Tuesday. The match, which will be hosted at Estadio José Amalfitani, kicks off at 9.10pm (SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

Springbok squad (in alphabetical order)

Forwards: Lood de Jager, Ben-Jason Dixon, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Cameron Hanekom, Siya Kolisi, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Zachary Porthen, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Boan Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cobus Wiese.

Backs: Andre Esterhuizen, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker, Quan Horn, Herchel Jantjies, Canan Moodie, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Edwill van der Merwe.