South Africa is poised to secure the Rugby Championship title in Argentina on Saturday, but remains cautious about facing a motivated home team still in contention, according to Springboks loose forward Kwagga Smith.
The reigning world champions currently lead the standings by eight points over Argentina, and a victory in Santiago del Estero will mark their fifth championship title, the first since 2019.
However, the Argentine squad has recently recorded impressive wins, including a 38-30 triumph over New Zealand and a 67-27 rout of Australia, making the Springboks aware of the challenge ahead.
“This is a significant opportunity for us to win the Rugby Championship, but we cannot afford to look too far ahead,” Smith stated on Monday. “Argentina will be eager to earn five points for a potential final showdown in Nelspruit next week.”
Argentina’s performance has been notable, with the team scoring nine tries against Australia, bringing their season total to 15, the highest in the tournament.
Smith emphasizes the need for South Africa to maintain control during the game against the South Americans. “They have many players with Sevens experience who can create opportunities in their backline,” he noted, adding that their forwards possess the necessary experience to establish dominance. “We must be physical and perform our roles effectively.”
He also highlighted the importance of handling loose balls properly and maintaining team cohesion during Argentine attacks to avoid individualism during the game.
Smith mentioned that Argentine players like Pablo Matera bring significant experience, noting the high number of caps many of their forwards possess, which could influence the match.
Additionally, he pointed out that South Africa will need to improve their breakdown performance, having struggled against New Zealand in their recent 18-12 win in Cape Town. “New Zealand generated many turnovers that disrupted our momentum when we intended to attack. Argentina has several skilled players in stealing and fetching, making the breakdown a critical area to focus on,” he said.