The Springboks return to the Republic having slipped to a one-point defeat in Argentina last week. Now they face the South Americans on home soil with a chance to wrap up the 2024 Rugby Championship title. Here’s everything you need to know.
Big guns return for Mbombela Test with Etzebeth set to break SA record
Rassie Erasmus has recalled his big guns for Saturday’s Rugby Championship decider against Argentina in Nelspruit. Of course, it’s advantage for the Boks in the race for the title. The only way the South Americans can lift their first Rugby Championship title is by claiming a bonus-point win over the World Champions while also denying them any log points. Unlikely.
Last week’s loss was a strange one for South Africa. Despite exploding out the blocks and racing to an early 17-point lead, they were spectacularly pegged back by the South Americans. Kurt-Lee Arendse’s yellow card for a high shot and some uncharacteristically poor defence not helping the South African cause as Argentina scored 26 unanswered points to turn the game around.
You can be assured that a lot of the issues that plagued the Boks in defence and at line-out time will be worked on this week, with a host of returning double World Cup winners sure to shore things up in both departments.
In terms of individual milestones, all eyes will be on Eben Etzebeth who will break Victor Matfield’s record of 127 Test matches for South Africa when he takes to the Mbombela pitch. The Bok enforcer has been one of the planet’s standout players over the last few years and is one of Sila Kolisi’s most trusted on-field lieutenants.
Elsewhere, the likes of Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Cheslin Kolbe all return to the mix while Manie Libbok gets a first start since the one-off Portugal Test earlier this year.
Unlike last week, there is nothing experimental about this matchday 23. In addition to the 13 World Cup winners in the run-on side, Rassie Erasmus can call on the experience of players like Malcolm Marx, Vincent Koch, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard and Lukhanyo Am from the bench.
Five trophy lifts so far in the Rugby Championship 🏆
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 23, 2024
But the big one will be lifted in Nelspruit this weekend.. pic.twitter.com/BoMmXQ97sc
How to watch?
We revert back to the traditional South African kick-off time of 17:00 this week. The game will be broadcast on SuperSport Grand Stand (channel 201 on SuperSport) and SuperSport Rugby (channel 211). Keep in mind that Grand Stand won’t broadcast the build-up due to the Bulls’ URC clash against Edinburgh.
Instead, you can get the build-up on channel 211 at 16:00 with the live crossing at 16:50.
Betting odds
The Boks remain heavy favourites this week despite last Saturday’s narrow loss. Here at Hollywoodbets, we make the World Champions 18.5 favourites out in Mbombela – one of the biggest handicaps we’ve seen in the Rugby Championship this season. Take a look at the match betting and handicap spread below:
To Win Match
South Africa 1/16 | Draw 40/1 | Argentina 15/2
Handicap
South Africa (-18.5) 9/10 | Argentina (+18.5) 9/10
Mbombela Stadium
The Mbombela Stadium was constructed ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Stadium plays host to the Airlink Pumas in the Currie Cup, while the Springboks have played at the venue four times, winning on each occasion.
The first of these came back in 2013 with JJ Engelbrecht and Jan Serfontein scoring in a 30-17 win over Scotland. They’d go on to edge Wales 31-30 a year later at the ground. In 2016, tries from Warren Whiteley, Ruan Combrunck and Johan Goosen saw the Boks beat Argentina at Mbombela. Nelspruit would have to wait another six years for the next time the Green and Gold came calling with the Boks putting in a clinical display to beat the All Blacks 26-10.
Last meeting & head-to-head
You needn’t cast your mind too far back for the last meeting between the two sides. Manie Libbok’s late penalty miss sealed the Springboks’ fate at Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades last week. That one-point defeat was their first of the Rugby Championship and the first Test defeat against Argentina since August 2018.
- 21 August 2024: ARG won 29-28 in Santiago del Estero
- 5 August 2023: SA won 24-13 in Buenos Aires
- 29 July 2023: SA won 22-21 in Johannesburg
- 24 September 2022: SA won 38-21 in Durban
- 17 September 2022: SA won 26-20 in Buenos Aires
Teams
Springboks
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Elrigh Louw, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Lukhanyo Am.
Argentina
15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Matais Moroni, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Santiago Grondona, 6 Juan Martín Gonzalez, 5 Tomás Lavanini, 4 Pedro Rubiolo, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya, 1 Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Lucio Cinti, 23 Juan Cruz Mallia
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