The Springboks avenged that defeat by beating the Pumas 26-12 in their final World Cup warmup in Buenos Aires a week later and now want to rebound from their 20-18 semi-final loss to New Zealand at Twickenham last weekend.
You don’t have to be mad to be a World Cup rugby coach, but South Africa’s Heyneke Meyer believes it definitely helps.
“I had to get the guys up after last week, we only had one training session”. We have given our hearts and souls to the Boks for the last six months, so third place would be acceptable.
“He’s a guy who really motivates you in the way he presents himself, the way he speaks to you”, said the No 8.
South Africa lock Victor Matfield will captain his side against Argentina on Friday in what will be his final Springboks appearance.
Meyer’s future – as well as the possible global retirements of various senior players, including Fourie du Preez, Schalk Burger, Bryan Habana and captain Victor Matfield – has been the main talking point ahead of a match traditionally seen as one of the least glamorous in world rugby.
“I just love my country and my people and if I can a difference, so be it but I must say it’s a very tough job”.
“Argentina are the best example of how a rugby team can evolve”, Thinus Delport told Sky Sports.
The Springbok lineout looked shaky for the first time in the tournament (they even had to employ Eben Etzebeth as a jumper in order to secure ball) and you just feel that Matfield would have hoovered up those crucial lost throws. They lost to Argentina on home soil and they have stagnated by sticking with players who had passed their sell by date. “I think we were right up there amongst the top try-scoring teams in the competition and hopefully there will be opportunities to attack tomorrow”.
“I’d love to go on with him, he’s a guy that I’ve learned a hell of a lot from and hopefully I can still do that”, said the No 8.
This week Meyer suggested the current New Zealand side were the greatest team rugby had known.
The Springboks, whose coach Heyneke Meyer had described the third-place playoff as akin to kissing your sister, dominated the game from the outset, finishing with two tries in the match between the two beaten semifinalists.
Schalk Burger says he’s undecided, but hinted quite strongly that the Olympic Park game will be his swansong as an global player.
“And you think “why the hell do you want a signature from me, I’ve just cost the country the biggest trophy in the world”. Juan Imhoff, the hat-trick hero against South Africa at the Rugby Championship, is perhaps the most glaring omission.
Replacements: 16-Adriaan Strauss, 17-Trevor Nyakane, 18-Jannie du Plessis, 19-Lood de Jager, 20-Willem Alberts, 21-Rudy Paige, 22-Pat Lambie, 23-Jan Serfontein.
Replacements: 16-Lucas Noguera, 17-Juan Pablo Orlandi, 18-Juan Figallo, 19-Guido Petti, 20-Facundo Isa, 21-Martin Landajo, 22-Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23-Juan Pablo Socino.
