Proud Pumas a force to be reckoned with, warns Bok coach
Stakes are high for both matches
The Springboks will take on Los Pumas in a crucial Rugby Championship match in Buenos Aires on Saturday (9.10 pm), and Bok coach Jacques Nienaber says Argentina are a proud team and that’s what makes them difficult to beat.
The stakes are high in the Rugby Championship, and the Boks plan on going all out in the two remaining matches against Argentina. The first one will be on Saturday and the finale will be in Durban next weekend at the Kings Park Stadium,
Given the magnitude of the two games, the Boks are approaching them as a semifinal and final. Nienaber named an unchanged starting team for the encounter in Argentina, as he believes that the side that won in Australia can deliver.
The Boks won’t get a free pass in the land of Diego Maradona, they will be up against an Argentina side that has pulled off impressive victories against Australia and New Zealand this campaign.
Nienaber and his troops are very much aware that they are next on the Los Pumas list.
"They are a proud team, they have a lot of struggles and challenges to overcome. They are a tough team that’s hard to break down. They are a formidable team, well coached and have experienced players in their squad and that’s what makes them tough,” said Nienaber.
“This is a game they will target. We are under no illusion in terms of what we are going to get. We are going to get a fired, physical Argentinian side that has knocked off Australia and New Zealand, and they would love to knock us off. That’s something they will target, that’s why we are saying it’s probably going to be a semifinal.
“It’s good for us to test players to see how they handle this pressure situation because there will be a lot of pressure in this game, there will be a lot of heat in this game. This is the ideal game to see if players are good enough to handle this hostile and pressured environment.”