Winger Kurt-Lee Arendse, author of three tries against Australia but not retained to challenge New Zealand, was recalled to the XV of South Africa, whose composition was communicated on Wednesday, for the reception of Argentina during the last day of the Rugby Championship, Saturday in Johannesburg. Arendse, ex-star of rugby sevens, is the new phenomenon of South African rugby union: he scored ten tries in eight test matches with the Springboks, and is one of the nine changes made by coach Jacques Nienaber to the South African XV compared to that largely dominated by the All Blacks (35-20) last Saturday in Auckland.
These changes relate equally to the back lines (4 changes out of 7) and the pack (5 changes out of 8), with an entirely new third line, made up of N.8 Duane Vermeulen and flankers Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden.
Nienaber is carrying out a broad review of the workforce in view of the World Cup, organized in France from September 8 to October 28, where the Springboks will defend their title acquired in 2019 in Japan. “The result in New Zealand was very disappointing, but we are going into this season with a plan which I hope will allow us to select the best possible group, at their peak of form at that time, for the World Cup”, confirmed the South African coach.
Composition of the XV of South Africa against Argentina:
Le Roux – Kolbe, Kriel, de Allende, Arendse – (o) Libbok, (m) Williams – du Toit, Vermeulen (cap), van Staden – Orie, Etzebeth – Malherbe, Marx, Kitshoff
Substitutes: Mbonambi, Nyakane, Koch, Smith, Snyman, de Klerk, Am, Willemse
