SIya Kolisi compares Argentina
South Africa’s Rugby Championship clash with Argentina in Durban is like a semi-final according to captain Siya Kolisi, which is a good thing for the Springboks, who have turned knockout rugby into an art form in recent years.
The penultimate round of this year’s competition, where the Springboks are the defending champions, sees them host Argentina at King’s Park, before a rematch with the same opponents next weekend at Twickenham in London.
“For us, it’s not about putting on a show,” Kolisi told reporters on Friday. “We are playing test rugby and this match is basically a semi-final. The focus is on getting the desired result.”
South Africa won their quarter-final, semi-final and final at the 2023 Rugby World Cup each by a single point, showing nerves of steel and the ability to grind out results.
Siya Kolisi believes this is like a semi-final (AP)
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 15:25
Felipe Contepomi makes three changes to the Argentina side that beat Australia in their last outing, all in the back five of the pack. Vastley experienced flanker Pablo Matera is joined by locks Franco Molina and Lucas Paulos in coming into the starting line-up, with plenty of quality on a bench that includes six forwards. Also among the replacements is fit-again fly half Tomas Albornoz, though Santiago Carrerras keeps the No 10 shirt.
Argentina XV: 1 Mayco Vivas, 2 Julian Montoya (capt.), 3 Joel Sclavi; 4 Franco Molina, 5 Lucas Paulos; 6 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 8 Joaquin Oviedo; 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 10 Santiago Carreras; 11 Mateo Carreras, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 13 Lucio Cinti, 14 Rodrigo Isgro; 15 Juan Cruz Mallia.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Boris Wegner, 18 Francisco Coria Marchetti, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Pedro Rubiolo, 21 Juan Martin Gonzalez; 22 Simon Benitez Cruz, 23 Tomas Albornoz.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 15:15
South Africa welcome back lock Eben Etzebeth, who missed the record win over New Zealand. He replaces an injured Lood de Jager in the second row while Aphelele Fassi’s ankle surgery prompts a backline reshuffle: Damian Willemse shifts to full-back from inside centre, with Damian de Allende partnering Canan Moodie in the centres. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu went off early in Wellington but is fit to start at fly half, keeping Manie Libbok on the bench.
There was a late blow for Rassie Erasmus, too, with Ox Nche ruled out – Boan Venter is brought into the starting side with Jan Hendrik-Wessels, initially named as hooker cover, now the back-up loosehead and Marco van Staden – who has covered hooker in the past – brought in to the No 16 shirt.
South Africa XV: 1 Boan Venter, 2 Malcolm Marx, 3 Thomas du Toit; 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Ruan Nortje; 6 Siya Kolisi (capt.), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese; 9 Cobus Reinach, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu; 11 Ethan Hooker, 12 Damian de Allende, 13 Canan Moodie, 14 Cheslin Kolbe; 15 Damian Willemse.
Replacements: 16 Marco van Staden, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Kwagga Smith; 21 Morne van den Berg, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Andre Esterhuizen.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 15:10
It looks a very pleasant day in Durban, rain forecast over the next few days but the weather seemingly set fair for this encounter. Let’s take a closer look at the two teams
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 15:07
Wilco Louw aiming to solidify Springboks scrum
The scrum is an area of traditional strength for Argentina, but the Pumas have struggled at times at the set-piece in recent years. They’ve made some strides again in 2025, mind, and Springboks tighthead Wilco Louw believes it could be a key contest today.
“They won a few scrum penalties against the All Blacks and Wallabies this year, and the set piece is an area they are very focussed on.,” Louw said. “They’ve also improved there quite a bit, so it will be a tight battle on Saturday.
“We all have a role to play as long as we can help the team go forward. It’s a massive privilege to just play, so it doesn’t matter if I can serve the team better by wearing the No 18 or No 3 jerseys. For me, it’s all about wearing that green jersey and serving the team wherever they need you.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 15:00
How that leaves the Rugby Championship table
So with just three fixtures to go in this year’s competition, the All Blacks (14 points) hold top spot by three points from Australia – but both South Africa (10 points) and Argentina (9 points) could vault to the top of the table with victory today.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 14:47
New Zealand hold firm against Australia as All Blacks extend Eden Park streak
We’ve already had one hefty helping of Rugby Championship action today, with returning scrum half Cam Roigard’s two tries helping New Zealand extend their unbeaten streak at Eden Park and ensure that the Bledisloe Cup remains out of Australian hands for another year.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 14:40
The two sides of Springboks enforcer Eben Etzebeth: ‘On the pitch, my mindset switches’
Eben Etzebeth is back in the Springboks side tonight, winning his 137th cap to extend his record tally. Last year, I went to meet him.
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 14:30
Siya Kolisi predicts brutal back row battle
Siya Kolisi believes he and his back row chums will have to be at their best today to match Argentina’s pack.
“They are a team that brings physicality and skill, so they are certainly not going to just give this game to us,” Kolisi said. “The Pumas are extremely professional on and off the field, and they always play with passion, so we are under no illusions about the challenge ahead.
“We want to do something we’ve never done before, and that’s to win back-to-back Rugby Championship titles, so we have a lot of motivation within this group as well.
“They have physical and very experienced loose forwards and we’ve been playing against them for years. But Jasper (Wiese), Pieter-Steph (du Toit), and I complement one another really well, and we know who needs to fulfil each role according to our strengths.”
Siya Kolisi and his Springboks take on Argentina today (REUTERS)
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 14:20
Argentina will hope to make it a hat-trick of wins against their southern hemisphere rivals for the second year in a row when they face defending champions South Africa in their penultimate Rugby Championship fixture at King’ Park on Saturday.
The Argentines have already defeated New Zealand and Australia in this year’s championship, results that have left the table finely balanced with two rounds to play.
Australia sit on top with 11 points, followed by South Africa and New Zealand on 10, while Argentina have nine.
But they have not beaten South Africa outside of Argentina in their last 10 meetings and face a Springboks side still bristling from an underwhelming campaign that was saved by their record 43-10 victory over New Zealand in Wellington.
Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi has beefed up his pack for what is expected to be a bruising contest in Durban with Pablo Matera returning at flank and Franco Molina and Lucas Paulos coming into the second row.
They have also gone with a 6-2 split between forwards and backs on the bench, a rare selection for Contepomi.
“We know about physical power, especially in the forwards, from South Africa,” he told reporters in Durban on Thursday.
“It is not the first time we go 6-2 against South Africa and it is a strategic plan that may or may not go well, but it is what we have chosen to do.”
(Getty Images)
Harry Latham-Coyle27 September 2025 14:10