Boks face Pumas before All Blacks ‘war of attrition’

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has described the forthcoming Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks as a war of attrition that will test both squads' depth, SuperSport reports. 

Given South Africa's deeper pool of proven international players, the Springboks should go into the series as outright favourites, even if there is little to separate the two sides' best 23 on any given matchday.

The gap is expected to show further down the squad, across four successive weekends of rugby between the world's top two teams, Gavin Rich writes.

Before that, though, the Boks face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday night, with Erasmus expected to prioritise getting his most experienced players through that match unscathed so they can front the series opener at Ellis Park on 22 August at full strength.

That group includes Eben Etzebeth, playing just his second Test since a suspension in the final match of 2025, alongside Lood de Jager and captain Siya Kolisi. It also includes Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who two years ago was a raw, uncapped flyhalf thrown into a Test against the All Blacks in Johannesburg but has since developed into the world's top-ranked player in his position.

Erasmus has acknowledged the Buenos Aires clash is likely to be a grind given how many key players are returning from lengthy absences, and said he'd simply be happy with a win. 

Argentina have historically pushed the Boks close – including a loss for South Africa in 2024 and a two-point margin in last October's Rugby Championship decider – but Saturday's Pumas side is considerably weakened, fielding four new caps and missing much of its foreign-based contingent. 

SuperSport's analysis suggests there is little depth in the Argentine ranks to mount a serious under-strength challenge, and the report tips the Springboks to win by 20 points or more.

The bigger picture, however, remains the All Blacks series, which kicks off in Cape Town on Friday night.

TEAMS

Argentina: Geronimo Prisciantelli, Rodrigo Isgró, Lucio Cinti, Faustino Sánchez Valarolo, Ignacio Mendy, Santiago Carreras, Simón Benítez Cruz, Joaquín Moro, Benjamín Grondona, Pablo Matera (captain), Tomás Lavanini, Guido Petti, Francisco Moreno, Ignacio Ruiz, Boris Wenger. Replacements: Leonel Oviedo, Mayco Vivas, Tomás Rapetti, Efraín Elías, Juan Penoucos, Juan Martín Scelzo, Agustín Moyano, Matías Moroni.

South Africa: Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Canan Moodie, Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Cameron Hanekom, Elrigh Louw, Siya Kolisi (captain), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Thomas du Toit, Johan Grobbelaar, Boan Venter. Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Cobus Wiese, Marco van Staden, Morne van den Bergh, Handre Pollard.

Referee: Pierre Brousset (France) Kick-off: 21:00 SA time Prediction: Springboks to win by 20 or more