South Africa’s 63-9 rout of Argentina was a confidence booster for the Tri-nations clash with the All Blacks next weekend, coach Peter de Villiers said on Saturday.
De Villiers said the win, which featured nine tries without reply, was useful, but facing New Zealand in Cape Town on Saturday would be an entirely different matter.
”The win helps to build our confidence, which is a great thing and we will enjoy the win, there are no buts about it,” De Villiers said.
”But we know what a step up next week against the All Blacks will be and we have the ability to make that step,” he told a news conference.
”We know the first half was not good, but it is always good to see a team go out again, do it right and use their opportunities.”
South Africa were trailing 9-0 until the 36th minute.
Springboks captain Victor Matfield felt the victory had its foundations in the set-pieces.
”Argentina were very physical at the breakdown points, but we were happy with the way we went in the lineouts and scrums.
”Argentina uses a lot of lineout drives but with the sacking rule coming in with the ELVs, it made it very difficult for them,” Matfield said.
Sacking refers to the ELV allowing teams to collapse a rolling maul, which was a key element of the Pumas’ game at the World Cup where they finished third after losing their semifinal to champions South Africa.
Argentina, with only three previous Test matches since the World Cup, had not previously played under the ELVs.
South Africa’s national teams manager Andy Marinos confirmed that lock Bakkies Botha and replacement centre Jaque Fourie would undergo scans later on Saturday for injuries to a knee and cheekbone respectively.
Replacement flanker Joe van Niekerk, who celebrated his 50th Test with two tries in two minutes immediately after coming on to the field, said he was delighted.
”It was unbelievable just to get on the field for the 50th time because it’s been a long road. I wasn’t really thinking too much once I was on the field, I was just running to the ball,” the 28-year-old said. – Reuters