Heyneke Meyer

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is set to use a very different starting line-up when his team face off with Argentina in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship return fixture in Salta on Saturday.

While the Loftus Versfeld monsoon did little to answer questions ahead of the bigger clashes in this year’s Championship, it did at least give the Boks a solid start to the campaign and much food for thought ahead of the traditionally tough return fixture in Argentina.

Following a narrow win last year and a draw in 2012, the Boks know all too well how difficult the Argentinean experience will be for them, and are likely to bolster their squad with a number of senior players when they make their team selection on Wednesday.

The side arrived in Sao Paulo safely en route to Buenos Aires and will get there Monday evening South African time, meaning there will only be time for two training sessions before they transfer to Salta later in the week for the game.

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With this in mind, coach Heyneke Meyer is unlikely to tinker too much, rather bringing back experience to the squad to ensure that the Boks get another victory to continue their quest for this year’s title.

If the Loftus Versfeld clash did one thing, it underlined the importance of the Bok setpiece to the momentum Meyer wants his team to build. With a relatively new lineout combination, driving rain and tough contest in the lineouts, the Boks will be far from happy with their return at Loftus and will look to bolster their lineouts when it comes to team selection.

Chances are that if Victor Matfield is ready he will return to the side, after he missed out on the Loftus game through a minor injury. Matfield made the trip along with the rest of the squad, meaning he is set to return to the five lock spot with immediate effect as Meyer will want his experience and leadership in the side.

The impressive return of Eben Etzebeth makes him also a likely starter at lock, and while the Pumas tried to get under his skin in the game, his physicality and presence around the field is worth its weight in gold.

This means that Lood de Jager may drop to the bench with Bakkies Botha missing out on the 23 altogether, while the front row is hardly likely to change.

There remains a questionmark about Juan Smith’s fitness and a choice will need to be made between him and Teboho Mohoje for Willem Alberts’ spot, as Meyers’ comments after the game indicate he is hardly likely to go into the match with two openside flankers once again.

The loss of Alberts meant a loss of both a ball carrier and lineout option, and the Boks will be keen to replace this as soon as possible.

Ruan Pienaar’s experience in the wet possibly worked out better than the Boks had expected, and it is likely he will keep his spot for the Argentinean game, although it is widely expected that Meyer will return to his banker – Morne Steyn – instead of Handre Pollard for the Salta showdown.

Pollard made a few mistakes at Loftus but will learn from them, and while some may feel he was poor, the conditions hardly allowed the youngster time to recover from his own mistakes. The Boks are hardly likely to be as unforgiving as some in the crowd, and will continue to back Pollard, but Steyn looks set to resume his role as the No 1 flyhalf for now.

Out wide it is unlikely there will be more tinkering with the backline, and it is expected that Damian de Allende will get a second chance to show his worth after the weather negated any chance to impress in Pretoria.