Mzwandile Stick says the Boks are ready for sweltering temperatures in Santiago on Saturday when they aim to seal the 2024 Rugby Championship title with a win against Argentina. DYLAN JACK reports.
A win at the Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades on Saturday will see the Springboks clinch their first Rugby Championship since 2019.
With local temperatures expected to rise into the high 30s, it will be a far from simple mission, but assistant coach Stick is confident the Boks have acclimatised and are ready to hit their straps.
“I think it’s good for us. I’ve already lost 2kg here,” Stick said with a chuckle. “It’s very hot and humid. Yesterday it was 40 degrees. Tomorrow it will be 37.
“In our preparation in Buenos Aires, it was also very hot. It was challenging for us a team, but the players have adapted really well.
“A lot of our players have played in this heat. They are used to these conditions. It will be challenging because the ball will be a little bit wet, but like everything, we are up for it.”
While continuing with a core of World Cup winners, the Springbok coaches have opted to use Saturday’s match to get some game time into the legs of some players who need it.
Salmaan Moerat will captain the team while Siya Kolisi sits in the coaches box, and the likes of Thomas du Toit, Jaden Hendrikse and Manie Libbok are also in the matchday-23.
“A lot of the players who are getting an opportunity now, when they have got them in the past, they haven’t let us down,” Stick said. “A lot of these players have been working for it.
“We want to build a strong squad going to 2027. The more trust we show in them, the better for us as a team. Every time Salmaan gets a chance to lead the team, he always leads by example.
“We won the World Cup with Manie Libbok. He’s always supporting Handre and Sacha, even when he’s not in the team. Thomas du Toit, everyone knows he’s a world-class player and every time he gets a chance, he brings that physicality.
“For them to get an opportunity to play against Argentina away, a game that we are treating like a final, it’s exciting to see. Hopefully they all do well tomorrow.”
Stick added that the Springboks are expecting no favours from Felipe Contepomi’s Pumas who have already proven they can bring down big prey, having feasted on the All Blacks and Wallabies this year.
“Contepomi is getting the right balance with how he presses the right buttons to get the best out of them,” he said. “It’s not just emotionally, but tactically, with the way they play. When they keep the ball in hand, they are a very, very dangerous side.
“They are a good side and it shows with their results. If you aren’t at your best on the day, they will punish you. To beat the All Blacks in New Zealand is a massive achievement and they’ve done it in the past. It shows the quality of side they are. They can punish anyone.
“From our side, we’ve got our goals. We are well prepared for this game. We are looking forward to the challenge in a place we haven’t played in before, Santiago del Estero. We are up for it.”
Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images
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