Former Wallabies Morgan Turinui and Justin Harrison have lauded South Africa’s scary depth and brutally effective style as the Springboks eye a second Pumas scalp on Sunday (1.05am kickoff AEST, live on Stan Sport).
In a frightening illustration of their strength and depth, the Springboks thrashed Argentina 32-12 last weekend despite playing with a second-string backline.
But the world champions will roll out a near full strength team for the second straight Test in Port Elizabeth.
Coming back in to start are five-eighth Handre Pollard, wingers Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi and centres Lukhanyo Am and Damian de Allende.
“I was hugely impressed with this result,” Turinui said on Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven.
“I thought Argentina, played Romania, two Tests against Wales, settled preparation – you’ve got to think the Boks, a huge amount of changes, emotional let-down from the heights of the week before, the attrition rate we talk about from a Lions series and they won that comfortably and impressively.
“That squad depth is looking brilliant, they come over here brimming with confidence.
“How good will it be to see the All Blacks take on the world champion, Lion tamers.”
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Harrison warned that the Springboks were only going to get better as they hit top form following a long stint on the sidelines thanks to COVID-19.
South Africa have been criticised for a dull playing style but there is no questioning its effectiveness.
Incredibly, the Springboks have only conceded four tries in their last 10 Test matches.
New Zealand has copped 15 and Australia 26.
“They’re on a growth curve of cohesion, they’re a team that’s starting to get their rhythm,” Harrison said.
“The Argentinian side, trying to get some combinations working… the South African team are only going to get better which is alarming when they… meet the All Blacks and Australia.
“One thing that we do know that the South Africans always deliver is physicality and that’s a key ingredient for Test rugby.
“That’s their strategy, they starve you of broken field moments, isolate the moments where you get your hands on the ball – which is most often set-piece, which is most often the most comfortable place to defend and then make sure you frustrate teams out of the game. It’s a great style for them.”
https://twitter.com/StanSportAU/status/1428129583451230218?s=20
SPRINGBOKS (15-1): Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (c), Lood de Jager, Marvin Orie, Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Trevor Nyakane
Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Nicolaas van Rensburg, Kwagga Smith, Dan du Preez, Jaden Hendrikse, Damian Willemse
PUMAS (15-1): Juan Cruz Mallia, Ignacio Mendy, Santiago Chocobares, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Santiago Carreras, Domingo Miotti, Gonzalo Bertranou, Rodrigo Bruni, Guido Petti, Pablo Matera, Tomas Lavanini, Matias Alemanno, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya (c), Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Reserves: Facundo Bosch, Facundo Gigena, Santiago Medrano, Marcos Kremer, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Felipe Ezcurra, Nicolas Sanchez, Lucio Cinti