Springboks assistant coach Deon Davids says South Africa are treating Saturday’s Test against Argentina as a significant contest in its own right, rather than using it as preparation for the upcoming series against the All Blacks.
Davids made his position clear on Monday ahead of the one-off match in Buenos Aires, dismissing suggestions that the fixture was simply a warm-up for the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
“I don’t think we approach this as a warm-up,” he said. “We approach every Test match as a game that is important in terms of what we want to achieve.”
The assistant coach said the Springboks’ standards meant each international provided an opportunity to improve and establish new benchmarks. He maintained that the team’s focus would remain firmly on Argentina, despite the wider attention surrounding the forthcoming visit of New Zealand.
South Africa arrived in Argentina on Sunday with a 26-man squad. A separate group of players remained in Johannesburg to prepare for the four-Test series against the All Blacks.
Davids warned that the split squad arrangement should not suggest the Springboks were taking Argentina lightly. He said the hosts would provide a demanding challenge, particularly in Buenos Aires, where matches have traditionally required teams to withstand sustained pressure and fight for every advantage.
“Argentina, especially in Buenos Aires, it’s always been a story of grinding it out,” he said. “If you come here with the mentality of seeing it as a warm-up, that’s a big mistake.”
Asked whether Saturday’s encounter could be regarded as a curtain-raiser for the All Blacks series, Davids again insisted that South Africa’s immediate priority was the Test against Los Pumas.
“Our focus is on Argentina, our focus is on this Test match,” he said.
The Springboks and Argentina will kick off at 21:00 SAST on Saturday night in Buenos Aires.
The All Blacks’ ‘Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’ tour will include seven matches in South Africa, comprising three Tests and four fixtures against provincial sides. A fourth Test will be played in Baltimore in the United States on 12 September.
South Africa’s decision to retain players in Johannesburg while sending a 26-man group to Argentina underlines the logistical demands of the schedule. However, Davids said the travelling squad’s responsibility was clear: to meet the standards expected of the Springboks and compete fully against Argentina.
The message from the coaching staff is that the Buenos Aires Test should be judged on its own importance, rather than by its place in the schedule before the All Blacks arrive.
