Springbok forwards coach Deon Davids and hooker Malcolm Marx were on press conference duty from Buenos Aires on Monday evening, and it was a difficult media engagement as they avoided answering questions on the Elton Jantjies scandal.
Davids did declare that the Boks were intent on beating Argentina and will do their best not to be sidetracked by a story making headlines around the globe.
Davids stated, “We have handled the problem professionally (Jantjies and nutritionist Zeenat Simjee were sent home in disgrace), and our focus is entirely on the task at hand.” They are a difficult squad to defeat, especially at home, and this requires all of our attention.
Davids was asked whether Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus and head coach Jacques Nienaber understood the Springboks’ responsibilities to be excellent role models.
He stated, “This is an extremely difficult question… It is a tremendous honor for me to represent South Africa, and with that honor comes duty.”
Marx was asked the identical question, and he essentially responded in the same manner.
With two rounds remaining for all four teams, Davids stated that the Boks were in contention for the Rugby Championship crown.
“We must be crystal clear about our priorities if we want to win the Championship. The competition is so close (New Zealand has 10 points, while the other three countries have 9) but we can win if we maintain our effort and focus from our victory in Sydney,” he stated.
He continued, “The pressure of these games is wonderful preparation for the World Cup.” “If you look at next year’s schedule for France, it’s possible that we’ll cross paths with the other Rugby Championship sides again, so the experience and energy we gained in the Championship will serve us well… Everything is ultimately leading up to what we will experience in the quarterfinals or maybe the semifinals. It is beneficial for us to play these games.”
Davids stated that the Boks will want a bonus point on Saturday in an effort to catch the All Blacks in the standings.
“Our goal is to win the Championship, so we will attempt to earn as many points as possible, but we must not get ahead of ourselves; we must concentrate on the tiny steps first,” he explained.
To be in a position to go for the bonus point, we must be at our absolute best in all areas.
Davids noted that the Pumas had significantly improved since the Boks twice outclassed them in Gqeberha last year.
“The Pumas are really well-coached (by new head coach Michael Cheika), and they have modified their approach, as evidenced by their victories over Australia and New Zealand,” he remarked.
But, like the other four teams, the Pumas have been uneven; after defeating the All Blacks in Christchurch, they suffered a 50-point loss in Hamilton the following week.
“They’ve learned valuable lessons from playing Australia and New Zealand before to us.” Their forwards are incredibly physically imposing, and their back line has a great deal of talent. Their set pieces have improved and they have become a very well-balanced team.
“Of course, they are also playing in front of a strong home crowd, so they won’t lack motivation, so it will be difficult for us both on the field and off the field in terms of the audience.”