Rassie Erasmus says the Springboks mustn’t forget that Argentina gave them a hiding in 2018 when the two sides meet in the rematch in Salta on Saturday.
South Africa ousted Argentina 34-21 at home last year, but succumbed to a humiliating 32-19 defeat by Los Pumas a week later in Mendoza.
Speaking ahead of their all-important rematch in Salta this weekend, Erasmus has urged the South African players to use that shock loss as motivation to get a different result this year.
‘For us the bigger picture is that Argentina beat us comfortably last year; they gave us a good hiding. We know it’s going to be a tough match if we want to win the Rugby Championship,’ Erasmus said.
‘But it doesn’t help we’ve got our eye on the Championship [title] and we forget what they did to us last year. So yes, it would be great to win the Rugby Championship, but hell, we’re up against a team that gave us a hiding and [reversing] that is going to be the challenge.’
Erasmus was coy when asked which one between the Championship and World Cup South Africa are prioritising, saying that it is mini battles within a match that win titles.
‘Winning creates self-belief and momentum, so I guess the Rugby Championship will do that for us. But then again, there’ll always be a next game where you can pick up some momentum.
‘Against the All Blacks, we weren’t great at the lineouts and our scrums were only pretty good once the front row [who is starting this week] came on. The only way to win is if we improve on all the different facets of the game. We have to break it down into small battles; it’s the only way you win championships and World Cup titles.’
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