Pumas want world recognition
2005-11-02 21:47
Herbert Pretorius
Buenos Aires - The Pumas feel left out as far as international rugby competitions are concerned and the best way to make the rugby bosses sit up and take note is to beat the Springboks.
This warning to his charges came from Bok coach Jake White when he announced his team for the one-off Test against Argentina in the Velez Sarsfeld stadium.
White said: "Argentina's players are very frustrated because they don't fit into the international rugby set-up.
They are the only country in the top 10 on the world rankings that are not in action in an annual international competition.
"There was talk that they would play with us, New Zealand and Australia in a Four Nations tournament and after that there was talk they could possibly take part as a franchise in the Super 14 series.
"Nothing came of that. Just look at how Italy's rugby has improved since they are participating in the Six-Nations tournament in Europe and that after everyone said Italy's involvement would be one big failure."
White said if Argentina should beat South Africa, they would have even more ammunition when they put their case to the International Rugby Board.
"I don't want my team to lose to them, but Argentina deserve being involved in an international competition."
The Bok coach said a Test against Argentina is viewed in the same serious light as a match against the big guns in world rugby.
Premium on physical game
"We don't view this as a warm-up for our European tour. We place a high premium on our physical game in contact situations and to dominate up front. The Pumas follow the same rugby philosophy and that's why the Tests against them are always very challenging."
Bok captain John Smit, who will lead the team on to the field in his 49th Test, said a half-hearted performance will not be good enough against the Pumas.
"Their forwards showed against the British Lions earlier this year how effective their rolling mauls and drives are. If we want to stop that, we won't just have to be well prepared, but our commitment must also be top notch."
As expected, White included the Sharks Solly Tyibilika in his starting lineup.
Tyibilika is one of four changes to the team that played the All Blacks in Dunedin on August 27.
Apart form Tyibilika, Conrad Jantjes (right wing), Bolla Conradie (scrumhalf) and Jacques Cronje (eighthman) were not in that starting lineup.
White emphasised again on Wednesday that Tyibilika was competing with Schalk Burger for the open-side flank berth.
"He must work harder than most of the other players to replace someone of Schalks' calibre. Schalk is big and strong and that's why Solly is working hard on physical conditioning."
White has also talked to the loose forward about his discipline on the field.
"The last time he played for the Boks (against Australia at Ellis Park earlier this year), I replaced Solly with Schalk because the referee had warned him twice in one half about inadmissible play.
"He knows this and I don't think it will be a problem on Saturday," the coach said.
The Bok team: Percy Montgomery, Conrad Jantjes, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Andre Pretorius, Bolla Conradie, Jacques Cronje, Juan Smith, Solly Tyibilika, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, CJ van der Linde, John Smit (c), Os du Randt.
Replacements: Hanyani Shimange, Eddie Andrews, Albert van den Berg, Schalk Burger, Michael Claassens, De Wet Barry, Brent Russell.
- Die Burger