Will Springboks hand debut to surprise player?

On the eve of the Springboks’ opening Rugby Championship Test against Australia, it was confirmed that Ox Nche had suffered a pectoral injury, and the big prop is only expected to return to fitness just before the World Cup.

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At the time, the real surprise was the fact that former Junior Springbok prop Gerhard Steenekamp was drafted into the national squad, and even travelled to New Zealand to provide cover during the game against the All Blacks.

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Steenekamp made his senior debut for the Bulls in 2020, and has become an important member of the Pretoria-based team, but he was not viewed as someone who was on the national radar.

Nevertheless, the 26-year-old has remained part of the squad, and it would stand to reason to see him afforded game-time against Argentina this Saturday, perhaps with a role on the bench.

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Springboks preparing for challenging battle

Assistant Deon Davids has said they certainly expect to be given a run for their money against Argentina.

“Argentina are a team that play with a lot of pride, and they don’t go away,” said Davids. “They fought until the end against Australia and earned the win, and against New Zealand, they started slowly, but went on to win the second half. So, it’s going to be a grind from the start, but we have to be accurate and play in the right areas of the field.”

“They have a massive set piece, and they have extreme speedsters in the backline, so if you concede possession against them it could count against you.”

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