Springboks wary of letting Argentinian crowd into game in Buenos Aires

Siya Kolisi and Mzwandile Stick have warned the Springboks they cannot afford to allow Argentina’s passionate home support to influence Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash in Buenos Aires.

Last time out for Los Pumas was a fiery Test against England, where passion got the better of several players in a bad-tempered encounter which they ultimately lost, with a late try controversially disallowed.

Meanwhile, the Boks completed their preparations for the Test at Estadio José Amalfitani on Friday, with captain Kolisi and assistant coach Stick both highlighting the challenge posed by Los Pumas on home soil.

Saturday’s encounter marks Kolisi’s first Test appearance of the year, while Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and replacement scrumhalf Morne van den Berg are also set to return to international action.

Kolisi admitted he is relishing the chance to pull on the Springbok jersey again after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

“I’m very excited,” said Kolisi. “It’s been tough watching from the sideline, but there’s a couple of us getting an opportunity now.

“It’s been so good to see the depth in this team, with guys who have taken over and carried on the momentum. So, I’m really excited to get the chance to play again this weekend. It’s a tough place to come and play, but that’s exactly what we need as a group.”

The South Africa skipper praised the players who have stepped up in his absence and said those returning from injury are eager to contribute.

“It’s hard to train and not play, or not be involved, so we all just want to add value to the team and play our part,” he said. “Getting our jerseys this morning was very special.”

Stick echoed that enthusiasm, particularly for the players returning after injury layoffs.

“There’s a lot of excitement in our squad, especially among the guys who are getting an opportunity,” said Stick.

“If you look at the players coming back from injury, those are guys who have worked very hard with the squad back in Johannesburg through all the camps we’ve had. They’ve waited for their chance, and now they’ve got it.”

Despite confidence in South Africa’s preparations, Stick acknowledged the scale of the challenge awaiting the world champions.

“We are pleased that our preparations have gone well, but playing Argentina away from home is always tough,” he said. “They are very passionate people, much like us, so it’s going to be a tough game.”

Kolisi expects another fierce contest after two closely fought encounters between the sides.

“Their last two games have been very close, and they could have gone either way, so it’s never easy coming here,” he said. “We did as much preparation as we could back home last week, and this week here with the smaller group, and we know how tough they’re going to be.”

The Springbok captain also pointed to the energy generated by Argentine supporters as a key factor.

“The crowd plays a big role as well,” said Kolisi. “The people here are very passionate. It’s very similar to South Africa. That’s why it’s always great coming here, but we know how tough this battle is going to be.”

Stick was even more direct in his assessment of the threat posed by both Argentina and their supporters.

“The thing about Argentina at home is that if you don’t turn up physically and mentally, you’ll bring their crowd into the game,” he said.

“But if you turn up with the right intent, you’ll have a better chance of controlling the game.

“We’ve played against them many times, and we’ve had our bad and our good days, but as a team, we fully understand what needs to be done to execute against them away from home.

“The stands will be vibrating, and it’s going to be a good show, especially for our people back home,” he said.