Springbok utility forwards Elrigh Louw, Cobus Wiese and prop Zachary Porthen were open about the challenge they expected against Argentina at Estadio José Amalfitani in Buenos Aires on Saturday. Kick-off for the match is at 9pm.
The trio said that they intended to give everything to contribute to the team against the Los Pumas in Argentina.
According to the Saru website, Porthen, who made his Springbok debut late last year and will play his first match in Argentina, expected an equally challenging forward battle against Los Pumas and said for him, it was a case of giving his best against a quality home pack.
“Personally, the biggest place I want to get my foot in the ground is at scrum time,” said the former Junior Springbok captain.
“Being a tighthead prop, I’m just hoping I can try and enforce a bit there and keep improving day by day at scrum time.”
Braced for gruelling Test match
Louw, who featured in the team’s 29-28 defeat against Argentina in Santiago del Estero in 2024 – the last time the teams met in South America – said they were under no illusions about the challenge ahead, and echoed the team’s sentiments that it would be another gruelling Test match.
“Argentina is a real quality side, and we learned our lessons from the last time we played here,” said Louw.
“We lost that game in 2024, so the focus for me is on doing my job, and to ensure that we match their physicality, so we certainly took our lessons out of that game and we have been preparing well this week.”
Louw thrilled to be back
Louw was also thrilled to be back in the squad after a serious knee injury kept him on the sidelines for an extended period last year.
“It was quite a big injury and it was devastating at the time. Fortunately, I had a lot of support through family and the medical staff who helped with my rehab.
“But the motivation to be back in the Springbok squad was more than enough for me to continue working hard and play rugby to the best of my ability,” Louw added.
Wiese praises Etzebeth’s influence
Wiese, in turn, spoke about the work ethic his farming background instilled in him, and he also praised the influence a player such as Eben Etzebeth, who will play his first Test match of the season this weekend, had on the team.
“I don’t want to take the farm boy thing totally out of proportion, but growing up on a farm, you work until the work is done,” said Wiese.
“There’s no quitting, and there’s a sense of responsibility, and a lot of different factors involved. It probably moulded me more as a person than as a player.
“Other players have their own values from how they were brought up, and at the end of the day you have to have a strong work ethic to make it in rugby. But I just keep reminding myself that I’m playing with world-class players and I try to follow their example.”
Of Etzebeth’s influence in assisting him to grow as a player, Wiese said: “Every time Eben puts a rugby jersey over his head he’s hungry and prepared to work incredibly hard. He’s been here 141 times and he gives the guys around him so much confidence, and if we can follow his example, I think the team will be ready.
“If you can pick players’ such as his brains in your preparation, then it’s a case of going out on Saturday and just expressing yourself.”
Springbok team to face Argentina in Buenos Aires:
15 Aphelele Fassi (Toshiba)
14 Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
13 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls)
12 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
11 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers)
9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers)
8 Cameron Hanekom (Vodacom Bulls)
7 Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls)
6 Siya Kolisi (captain, DHL Stormers)
5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights)
4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
3 Thomas du Toit (Hollywoodbets Sharks)
2 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls)
1 Boan Venter (Lions)
Replacements:
16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls)
17 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls)
18 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers)
19 Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers)
20 Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls)
21 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls)
22 Morne van den Berg (Lions)
-www.saru.co.za
- Springbok utility forwards Elrigh Louw, Cobus Wiese, and Zachary Porthen anticipate a challenging match against Argentina at Estadio José Amalfitani in Buenos Aires, kick-off at 9pm on Saturday.
- Zachary Porthen, making his first match in Argentina after debuting late last year, aims to make an impact particularly in the scrum as a tighthead prop.
- Elrigh Louw, returning from a serious knee injury, emphasized the importance of matching Argentina's physicality and learning from their 2024 defeat in Santiago del Estero.
- Cobus Wiese credited his farming background for instilling a strong work ethic and praised Eben Etzebeth's leadership and confidence as key influences on the team.
- The Springbok lineup for the match includes captain Siya Kolisi, with Eben Etzebeth playing his first Test of the season, and replacements like Zachary Porthen and Cobus Wiese ready on the bench.
