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Springboks call in Hougaard for Salta showdown

By Tom Webber
(Photo by Getty Images)

Francois Hougaard will start in place of the injured Ross Cronje when South Africa take on Argentina in the Rugby Championship in Salta.

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Cronje sustained an ankle injury as the Springboks began their campaign with a 37-15 victory over the Pumas in Port Elizabeth and Jano Vermaak was selected as his replacement in the squad.

It is Hougaard who gets the nod at scrum-half in South Africa’s only change, with Allister Coetzee pleased to be able to call upon the experience of the Worcester Warriors back.

“Francois has played a lot of Test match rugby, his work ethic is second to none and he has been working hard up to now since joining the squad,” Coetzee said of Hougaard, who will make his 44th Test appearance in Argentina.

“This is going to be a different challenge but I have no doubt the players will benefit and grow from every tough experience.

“Our approach and preparation will be just the same as when we prepared for all our home Tests, and to control whatever we can control.

“We must again show patience, hunger and the desire to execute our game plan.”

With Hougaard moving into the starting XV, Rudy Paige has been included among the replacements.

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South Africa: Andries Coetzee, Raymond Rhule, Jesse Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan, Elton Jantjies, Francois Hougaard; Tendai Mtawarira, Malcolm Marx, Coenie Oosthuizen, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi, Jaco Kriel, Uzair Cassiem.

Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Trevor Nyakane, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Rudy Paige, Curwin Bosch, Damian de Allende.

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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