A Look at The Springboks Final Rugby Championship Fixture

The Springboks look to cap off their Rugby Championship campaign this weekend with a win over Argentina this Saturday (29 July) in Johannesburg at 16:05 (GMT). The Springboks are still in the running ti clinch the title just as they did in 2019, if the the Wallabies can upset the All Blacks in Melborne in their final round fixture set to take place earlier in the morning (10:45, GMT) also on Saturday. 

However, as Springbok coach Jaques Nienabar stated at their team announcement press conference, “There are only four more matches before we kick off our Rugby World Cup campaign so it’s a fine balancing act to give all the players a chance to stake a claim for places while selecting teams that we believe are best equipped for the opposition we’ll face, and we’re pleased with the way we’ve managed that process up to now,".

South Africa have great depth in their saquad, which may be good thing as they look to defend their title in France. The down side of having such rich depth is the inevitible omission of certain players from the possible world cup sqaud.

In the lead up Saturday's fixture, Coach Jacques Nienaber has made nine changes to the starting team that went down 35-20 against the All Blacks in Auckland two weeks ago, 

Today Ultimate Rugby takes a look at some of the "Possible and Probabable" omissions at various postions in the South African camp. 

Flyhalf

Manie Libbok will make his second start of the championhsip against Los Pumas, having also started in the first round against Australia. Damien Willemse who has also been a strong option for Nienabar started against the All Blacks in Auckland.

South Africa's numebr one option at 10 Handre Pollard remains sidelined due to a calf injury, but is believed could be fit and ready for the defending world champs in their final two World Cup warm-up fixtures.

Meanwhile veteran fly-half Elton Jantjieswas recalled for the Rugby Championship after Pollard re-injured the calf strain he sustained with Leicester Tigers. However, it does not look to good the former Lions Fly-half, having not recieved any game time throughout the championship.

Scrumhalf

Grant Williams will make his first start for South Africa against Argentina. The fight for the number nine jersey is also one that will be tightly contested with first choice Faf de Klerk starting in Auckland, while Cobus Reinach started a week earlier in Pretoria against the Wallabies. With Reinach impressing in the first fixture and Faf as the number one option, it will be on Williams to .

Wing

Perhaps another position where the world champs are spolied for choice. Kurt-Lee Arendse – who scored a hat-trick against Australia – will start in place of Makazole Mapimpi, who did not have the best of performances against the All Blacks. Ther is no questioning Kolbe's position in the team. 

Other changes to the pack of forwards were at hooker, with Malcolm Marx taking over from Bongi Mbonambi, raising the question of, "Where does that leave Joseph Dweba". Lock Marvin Orie comes in for Lood de Jager.

while experienced centre Jesse Kriel will make his first appearance of the season in the midfield alongside vice-captain Damian de Allende.

Nienaber also rotated his loose forwards with the trio of Vermeulen (picked over Jasper Wiese) and flankers Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden, who started the opening match of the competition against the Wallabies, returning to the run-on team.