As the Rugby Championship heats up, the Springboks just got a colossal boost with the towering Lood de Jager stepping back into the fray, right ahead of their crucial clash with Argentina at Twickenham this Saturday. Swapping out the South African sun for London fog, de Jager, a true titan of the game with more than 60 Test caps, is swooping in as a replacement for Franco Mostert, who is tending to a family bereavement back home.
De Jager, who’s bouncing back from a minor injury sustained in the Boks' resounding 43-10 triumph over the All Blacks, is raring to go. The team itself couldn't be riding higher, having bulldozed their way through New Zealand and Argentina in successive matches. Now, they stand a hair's breadth away from a historical moment—aiming to clinch the Rugby Championship title back-to-back for the first time ever, with only the Pumas standing in their way.
"This is a massive game, and we have no doubt Argentina will come out guns blazing,"
said coach Rassie Erasmus, whose strategic acumen has been pivotal in steering the Boks to the top of the standings. With everything to play for, Erasmus is all too aware of the stakes:
"We have a chance to win the competition back-to-back for the first time in history, so we have all the motivation we need this week."
The Boks' schedule in London includes a well-deserved recovery day, followed by resumed training on Tuesday. It’s also when Erasmus plans to unveil his squad for the high-octane showdown at Twickenham. As the clock ticks down to Saturday, the blend of nerves and anticipation is palpable, but one thing's for sure—the Boks aren’t just in London to see the sights. They're here to make history, and if the Pumas aren’t careful, they might just become a footnote in it.
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As the Rugby Championship heats up, the Springboks just got a colossal boost with the towering Lood de Jager stepping back into the fray, right ahead of their crucial clash with Argentina at Twickenham this Saturday. Swapping out the South African sun for London fog, de Jager, a true titan of the game with more than 60 Test caps, is swooping in as a replacement for Franco Mostert, who is tending to a family bereavement back home.
De Jager, who’s bouncing back from a minor injury sustained in the Boks' resounding 43-10 triumph over the All Blacks, is raring to go. The team itself couldn't be riding higher, having bulldozed their way through New Zealand and Argentina in successive matches. Now, they stand a hair's breadth away from a historical moment—aiming to clinch the Rugby Championship title back-to-back for the first time ever, with only the Pumas standing in their way.
"This is a massive game, and we have no doubt Argentina will come out guns blazing,"
said coach Rassie Erasmus, whose strategic acumen has been pivotal in steering the Boks to the top of the standings. With everything to play for, Erasmus is all too aware of the stakes:"We have a chance to win the competition back-to-back for the first time in history, so we have all the motivation we need this week."
The Boks' schedule in London includes a well-deserved recovery day, followed by resumed training on Tuesday. It’s also when Erasmus plans to unveil his squad for the high-octane showdown at Twickenham. As the clock ticks down to Saturday, the blend of nerves and anticipation is palpable, but one thing's for sure—the Boks aren’t just in London to see the sights. They're here to make history, and if the Pumas aren’t careful, they might just become a footnote in it.