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Tweaks for Pumas and Springboks in Salta clash

The Rugby Championship
Rudy Paige will start for the Springboks. Photo: Getty Images
Rudy Paige will start for the Springboks. Photo: Getty Images
AFP
by AFP

South Africa have made one injury-enforced change from the team that defeated Argentina last weekend for the Rugby Championship return match in Salta Saturday.  

An ankle injury rules out scrum-half Ross Cronje and experienced Francois Hougaard comes off the bench to replace him in the starting line-up. 

Rudy Paige has been promoted to the replacements' bench as scrum-half cover with the Springboks seeking a fifth consecutive victory this season.


"Francois has played a lot of Test rugby, his work ethic is second to none and he has been working hard until now since joining the squad," Coetzee told reporters in Buenos Aires.

"Rudy made a good impact in the third Test against France and I expect the same from him this weekend."

Before a 37-12 Championship victory over Los Pumas in Port Elizabeth last Saturday, resurgent South Africa completed a 3-0 Test series whitewash over France during June.

John Connolly believes Tomas Cubelli holds the keys to Brumbies success. Photo: ARU Media/Stu WalmsleyCoach Allister Coetzee had a horror debut season last year, losing a calendar-year record eight Tests out of 12, including a first to European rugby lightweights Italy.

The 54-year-old former provincial scrum-half and coach of Super Rugby outfit Western Stormers said he was thrilled by the healthy competition for places.

“The players outside of the match 23 are all knocking on the door and that is a great position to be in."

Argentina has reshuffled its backline, with former Brumbies halfback Tomas Cubelli and Juan Martin Hernandez starting over Martin Landajo and Nicolas Sanchez.

 South Africa and Argentina have met twice in northwestern city Salta with the Springboks winning 33-31 three years ago and Argentina turning the tables with a 26-24 victory last season.

Argentina hosts South Africa in their second Rugby Championship match in Salta, kicking off on Sunday morning at 5:40am AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS.

TEAMS

South Africa to take on Argentina

1. Tendai Mtawarira

2. Malcolm Marx

3. Coenie Oosthuizen

4. Eben Etzebeth

5. Franco Mostert

6. Siya Kolisi

7. Jaco Kirel

8. Uzair Cassiem

9. Francois Hougaard

10. Leton Jantjies

11. Courtnall Skosan

12. Jan Serfontein

13. Jesse Kriel

14. Raymond Rhule

15. Andries Coetzee

Reserves

16. Bongi Mbonambi

17. Steven Kitshoff

18. Trevor Nyakane

19. Pieter-Steph du Toit

20. Jean-Luc Du Preez

21. Rudy Paige

22.  Curwin Bosch

23. Damian De Allende

Argentina to take on South Africa

1. Lucas Noguera

2. Agustin Creevy

3. Ramiro Herrera

4. Matias Alemanno

5. Tomas Lavanini

6. Pablo Matera

7. Tomas Lezana

8. Juan Manuel Leguizamon

9. Tomas Cubelli

10. Juan Martin Hernandez

11. Emiliano Boffelli

12. Jeronimo de la Fuente

13. Matias Orlando

14. Ramiro Moyano

15. Joaquin Tuculet

Reserves

16. Julian Montoya

17. Santiago Garcia Botta

18. Enrique Pieretto

19. Marcos Kremer

20. Javier Ortega Desio

21. Martin Landajo

22. Nicolas Sanchez

23. Matias Moroni

Filed under
The Rugby Championship South Africa Argentina
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