Consistency is key after All Blacks win as Springboks brace for Argentina challenge

The Springboks delivered a statement performance in Wellington, dismantling the All Blacks in a manner few could have anticipated.

It was a victory that reignited belief in Rassie Erasmus’ plans ahead of the next Rugby World Cup in Australia and kept the Springboks’ Rugby Championship hopes alive.

It was also the first real sign this year that the Boks’ evolution is on track, as they combined their physicality and top-class kicking with brilliant decision-making and clinical finishing with ball in hand.

But now comes the real test for the Springboks — consistency. It’s time to deliver that sort of performance on a regular basis after a few Jekyll-and-Hyde displays over the last few months.

Erasmus has admitted that the constant rotation of his matchday squads could be the reason why they have blown hot and cold this year. Those inconsistencies have even featured in the same match, with the Boks blowing a 22-0 lead against the Wallabies at Ellis Park to lose 38-22 in their Rugby Championship opener.

It’s why the next two Rugby Championship matches against Argentina are not just about log points — they’re about backing up brilliance against a team in the mix for a maiden title.

Los Pumas present exactly the kind of banana peel fixture that could undo much of the good work achieved in Wellington. There is no room for error in Durban or in London. Erasmus and his coaching team will know this. Argentina are fierce competitors these days, having beaten both the All Blacks and the Wallabies this year.

Their set-piece is solid, their pack physical and disruptive, and they have a backline as good as any in world rugby right now.

Argentina love to flood the breakdown and cause all sorts of chaos. This is an area where the Boks had struggled prior to the win against the All Blacks. The Boks will have to impose themselves early and be ruthless in the collisions and at set-piece time.

The two Tests will also be a measure of the Boks’ depth and adaptability. Injuries to key players such as fullback Aphelele Fassi, lock Lood de Jager, and loose forward Jean-Luc du Preez will certainly influence selection. Veteran fullback Willie le Roux was also left out of the squad for the two Tests, sparking rumours that his Bok journey may soon come to an end.

The Boks, however, showed they can adapt on the field when injuries hit, having to play musical chairs after a plethora of injuries in the game in Wellington.

Damian Willemse is likely to start at fullback next week in Durban after a generational performance against the All Blacks. He was very good at inside centre, but Fassi’s injury could see veteran Damian de Allende return to the starting line-up, while André Esterhuizen also put his hand up at the Cake Tin.

It will also be interesting to see who the Boks go with at flyhalf, following Manie Libbok’s strong performance in Wellington.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu started the Test brightly but left the field with what looked like a concussion and never returned after his head injury assessment.

Veteran Handré Pollard didn’t have the best game in the Eden Park defeat, but he remains a key member of the Bok squad as we head towards the 2027 World Cup.

Momentum matters at this point in the season for the Boks. The All Blacks win was a reminder of the level this team can reach when they’re at their best — but now they must deliver week in and week out.