Durban – If anyone is in any doubt as to the scale of the dogfight that is going to occur in Buenos Aries tomorrow when the Pumas host the Springboks, consider this statistic: the Argentinians have made significantly more turnovers at the breakdown than any other team in the Rugby Championship, although the South Africans come in second, some distance ahead of New Zealand and Australia.
This was going into the penultimate round of the competition, and before the All Blacks and Wallabies had played each other to a standstill in Melbourne yesterday (the Kiwis sneaked a 39-37 win), it explains why the Pumas destroyed the All Blacks’ attacking game in Christchurch and won the match.
It also explains why the Pumas thrashed the Wallabies 48-17 by ruthlessly turning over ball at the breakdown and then counter-attacking efficiently with possession.
It was with this in mind that Bok back Andre Esterhuizen said that the breakdown battle was going to be key to victory.
“I think the gain-line battle will be the key to the outcome on Saturday,” the burly centre said. “Creating front-foot ball is vital, and with them being such a good defensive side, we need to be as physical as possible and really on our game.”
Fortunately for the Boks, they have some of the best breakdown bullies in the business in Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitshoff, while loose forwards Siya Kolisi, Jasper Wiese and Franco Mostert – all known more for their ball carrying than anything else – are going to have to up their game in this department.
As Esterhuizen added: “To get over the gain line we are going to have to outwork them. They are tough, especially in Argentina, but if we are up for it – which we are – it will be all good!”
The Pumas are going to come out firing in front of their home crowd after the humiliation of conceding 50 points to the All Blacks in Hamilton in their last game, a hiding that diminished much of the glory of their shock win in Christchurch, and they are going to throw the kitchen sink at the Boks at a sold-out 42 000-seater Estadio Libertadores de America.
The Pumas have won three of their last five home Rugby Championship matches, and two of their last four home matches against the Springboks, after having won none of their previous 11 home matches against the Boks, so they are clearly getting stronger at home.
Adding perspective, the Boks have only won three of their last eight Rugby Championship matches, so they are going to have to pick up where they left off in that fine win in Sydney, and not slump back to the weak showing in Adelaide.
According to tighthead prop Frans Malherbe, though, the Boks know exactly what is coming.
“The Pumas are a very good rugby side. They are very successful at home,” Malherbe said. “They are very passionate people and they are very passionate about their country, and their home crowd definitely gets them going.”
“It will definitely be a tough battle up front, like it always is against them. I don’t think their scrumming mindset or culture will change under (coach) Michael Cheika. It’s going to be a tough day come scrum-time, and we will have to be up for it.”
Kick-off: 9.10pm