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This year’s Rugby Championship will conclude on Saturday. In the final round Australia host New Zealand in Perth while Argentina are at home against South Africa in Salta. The latter sees the hosts chasing their first win while the visitors are looking to win the title.
The fixture itself is to be the first of two back-to-back clashes between Argentina and South Africa. The second will be played in Pretoria on Saturday, August 17. As such this coming Saturday’s match is to be Los Pumas’ final home match before RWC 2019.
For this Saturday’s fixture Argentina Head Coach Mario Ledesma has made five changes from the previous round against Australia. Four of the alterations come in the forwards and one in the backs.
In the pack Agustín Creevy is back from injury to start at hooker. He will join Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, and Juan Figallo in the front-row. The trio are positioned to be the formation used by Ledesma in Japan.
The extremely high workload of Tomás Lavanini, and Guido Petti has seen a double change. With it the second-rowers starting in Salta are to be Matías Alemanno, and Marcos Kremer. Of them the former is to start just his second rugby match of 2019.
In the back-row Pablo Matera will again captain the side from flanker, and Facundo Isa will play at No8. In a change from Brisbane Tomás Lezana makes way for Javier Ortega Desio who is a natural flanker despite starting for the Jaguares at the back of the scrum. He is to be the key jumper in lineout against South Africa.
The one change to the backs comes at fullback wherein Joaquín Tuculet drops to the bench and Emiliano Boffelli returns to start. Having been rested against Australia Boffelli will now form an explosive back-three with Ramiro Moyano, and Santiago Cordero.
There are also alterations among the replacements with all three backs being different. Involved for the first time this year is Gonzalo Bertranou who will make his comeback from injury while Benjamín Urdapilleta returns for his first cap since 2013.
The Springboks go into the match with three changes to the starting line-up. All three of the alterations come in the front-row. Tendai Mtawarira will start at loose head prop; Bongi Mbonambi at hooker; and Trevor Nyakane at tight head prop.
The remaining twelve players have been retained from South Africa’s 16-16 draw against New Zealand in Wellington in their most recent match, on July 27. This means that Duane Vermeulen will again captain the side from his No8 position.
There have been 28 prior test matches between Argentina and South Africa. The Springboks have irrefutable dominance with 24 wins compared to Argentina’s 3. In the first ever Rugby Championship match in Argentina the teams competed to a 16-16 draw in Mendoza while in Salta the teams have played twice before, each side having claimed one win.
Prior to the Rugby Championship the one win from Argentina over South Africa came in the form of the 1982 tour in which Argentina played as ‘South America, Jaguares’ due to apartheid. Argentina’s official three wins came in 2015 in Durban; 2016 in Salta; and 2018 in Mendoza.
South Africa enter Saturday’s match as favorites. They are coming off a dominant win over Australia, and an away draw against New Zealand. Los Pumas were out of sorts against Australia though are expected to be much better in Salta. South Africa are favorites to win by 5 points.
ARGENTINA
1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustín Creevy, 3 Juan Figallo, 4 Matías Alemanno, 5 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera (capt.), 7 Javier Ortega Desio, 8 Facundo Isa, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 10 Nicolás Sánchez, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 12 Jerónimo de la Fuente, 13 Matías Moroni, 14 Santiago Cordero, 15 Emiliano Boffelli
Replacements: 16 Julián Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Tomás Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Bertanou, 22 Benjamín Urdapilleta, 23 Joaquín Tuculet
SOUTH AFRICA
1 Tendai Mtawarira, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Franco Mostert, 6 Kwagga Smith, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Duane Vermeulen (capt.), 9 Faf de Klerk, 10 Handré Pollard, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 12 Damian de Allende, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 15 Willie le Roux
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Jesse Kriel
Date: Saturday, August 10
Kick-Off: 16:40 local (12:40 Pacific, 15:40 Eastern)
Venue: Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant Referees: Matthew Carley (England), Karl Dickson (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)
Broadcasts: ESPN
