Erasmus opts for consistency in team to face Pumas at Kings Park

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus opted for consistency in selection for their penultimate Rugby Championship match against Argentina at Kings Park on Saturday.

The Bok coach made minimal changes to the side that secured a record 43-10 victory against the All Blacks in Wellington less than two weeks ago.

Only two personnel changes were made to his starting XV, which will be led by Siya Kolisi in what will mark his 97th Test, with the experienced Eben Etzebeth and Damian Willemse taking over from the injured Lood de Jager and Aphelele Fassi at lock and fullback. As a result, Damian de Allende returns at inside centre alongside Canan Moodie in an exciting midfield combination.

The three changes on the replacements' bench, which again feature five forwards and three backs, are the inclusion of Boan Venter at prop, which sees Jan-Hendrik Wessels serve as the replacement hooker. Scrumhalf Morné van den Berg takes over from Grant Williams, who has a niggle.

Previously against Los Pumas ⚡️

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“We were very pleased with the way the team rose to the challenge against the All Blacks in Wellington and looking at the Pumas and their strengths, we believe this would be the best team for this specific match,” Erasmus said.

“The makeup of this team not only allows us consistency in selection but we’ll also have the vast experience of Eben and Damian de Allende in the starting team, who are excited to get back on the field again.

“On the bench, Jan-Hendrik covers prop and hooker equally efficiently, so Boan gets another chance along with Morné.”

Erasmus expects a monumental battle against the Pumas (nine points), who trail the top-placed Wallabies (11 pts) on the Rugby Championship standings by only two points, while the Springboks are in second place and the All Blacks third, level on 10 points.

“This is a vital match for both us and the Pumas, and if one takes into consideration they beat New Zealand and Australia in the first four rounds of the competition and the British & Irish Lions earlier in the season, there’s no doubt we’ll treat them with the respect they deserve,” Erasmus said.

Minor tweaks to the #Springboks team for Saturday's clash against Argentina in Durban 💛💚

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— Springboks (@Springboks) September 23, 2025

“They’ve made big strides in the last few seasons and have an astute coach in Felipe Contepomi, so we know they are going to throw everything at us. Adding to that, they boast a strong forward pack and extremely talented backs, so they pose threats all around.

“As things stand, any team could win the title, so we need to capitalise on the point-scoring chances we create and play for the full 80 minutes if we want to get the desired result.

“Over and above that, we’ve faced them in Durban three times and they’ve beaten us once, and that, combined with their self-belief, means the historical results between the teams will have no significance going into the clash.

“They are also ranked sixth in the world ahead of the Wallabies, so we do not underestimate them.”

The match kicks off at 5.10pm.