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Cape Town - Pumas rugby legend Federico Mendez believes the Springboks have a lot more to prove in their Test against Argentina in Mendoza on Saturday.
The 40-year-old former hooker, who played 74 Tests for Argentina, is a familiar face to South African rugby fans. He won the Currie Cup with the Natal Sharks in 1996 and ended his career at Western Province in 2005.
"I watched Saturday's match in Cape Town (which the Boks won 27-6). I think the Boks have a lot more to prove. They gave about 60 or 70 percent in that game and the Pumas about 90 percent," he told Beeld.
"The Boks didn't really gain momentum with the ball. And they have all the players, potential and power to do it. I think Argentina did well to halt them."
He feels it will take Argentina - who only joined the Southern Hemisphere's premier competition this year - long to catch up to the other three big nations. (SA, Australia and New Zealand). "It will take about six or seven years - but only if Argentina gets a local professional competition - which they don't have."
Meanwhile, the Springboks made two changes and a positional shift to their side for Saturday's clash. Adriaan Strauss replaces the injured Bismarck du Plessis at hooker and takes over the vice-captaincy, while Jacques Potgieter is promoted from the bench to start at blindside flank. Willem Alberts moves to No 8 with Keegan Daniel shifting to the bench.
The Pumas also received a major blow on Wednesday when flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez was ruled out with a torn leg muscle.
The clash in Mendoza kicks off at 21:10 (SA time) on Saturday night.
Teams:
Argentina:
15 Martin Rodriguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 TBA, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Alvaro Galindo, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero
Substitutes (from): Marcos Ayerza, Martin Bustos Moyano, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Juan Imhoff, Martin Landajo, Tomas Leonardi, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Bruno Postiglioni, Nicolas Sanchez, Leonardo Senatore, Tomas Vallejos
South Africa:
15 Zane Kirchner; 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (captain), 12 Francois Steyn, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss), 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Patrick Lambie, 22 JJ Engelbrecht
The 40-year-old former hooker, who played 74 Tests for Argentina, is a familiar face to South African rugby fans. He won the Currie Cup with the Natal Sharks in 1996 and ended his career at Western Province in 2005.
"I watched Saturday's match in Cape Town (which the Boks won 27-6). I think the Boks have a lot more to prove. They gave about 60 or 70 percent in that game and the Pumas about 90 percent," he told Beeld.
"The Boks didn't really gain momentum with the ball. And they have all the players, potential and power to do it. I think Argentina did well to halt them."
He feels it will take Argentina - who only joined the Southern Hemisphere's premier competition this year - long to catch up to the other three big nations. (SA, Australia and New Zealand). "It will take about six or seven years - but only if Argentina gets a local professional competition - which they don't have."
Meanwhile, the Springboks made two changes and a positional shift to their side for Saturday's clash. Adriaan Strauss replaces the injured Bismarck du Plessis at hooker and takes over the vice-captaincy, while Jacques Potgieter is promoted from the bench to start at blindside flank. Willem Alberts moves to No 8 with Keegan Daniel shifting to the bench.
The Pumas also received a major blow on Wednesday when flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez was ruled out with a torn leg muscle.
The clash in Mendoza kicks off at 21:10 (SA time) on Saturday night.
Teams:
Argentina:
15 Martin Rodriguez, 14 Gonzalo Camacho, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Santiago Fernandez, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 TBA, 9 Nicolas Vergallo, 8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 7 Alvaro Galindo, 6 Julio Farias Cabello, 5 Patricio Albacete, 4 Manuel Carizza, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Rodrigo Roncero
Substitutes (from): Marcos Ayerza, Martin Bustos Moyano, Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino, Juan Imhoff, Martin Landajo, Tomas Leonardi, Juan Pablo Orlandi, Bruno Postiglioni, Nicolas Sanchez, Leonardo Senatore, Tomas Vallejos
South Africa:
15 Zane Kirchner; 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jean de Villiers (captain), 12 Francois Steyn, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Adriaan Strauss), 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Substitutes: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Pat Cilliers, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Patrick Lambie, 22 JJ Engelbrecht
