Springboks have clear plan for players returning from injury ahead of Argentina clash

South Africa have a carefully managed plan in place for their key players returning from injury, assistant coach Deon Davids says, as the Springboks prepare to face Argentina on Saturday.

Several important members of the squad are set to make their return after extended periods on the sidelines during the Nations Championship campaign. Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu are among those back in contention.

The return of Etzebeth and de Jager is particularly significant for South Africa after their options at lock were tested during the Nations Championship.

“It’s fantastic to have Eben and Lood back and also the other players that were injured and haven’t played in a while,” Davids told reporters in Argentina.

The assistant coach believes the experience of Etzebeth and de Jager will immediately benefit the Springboks’ set-piece work, although he accepts that the players will need time to regain their rhythm.

“From a set-piece perspective, we know they are experienced guys, and we hope that they find their feet quite well.

“We had a very good build-up towards this game in our camp week. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to play, which is important, as build-up towards the rest of the season,” Davids said.

South Africa’s management team has also been monitoring how long each returning player has been out of competitive action. Davids said that information would determine the intensity of their involvement against Argentina and in the matches that follow.

The approach is intended to help the players regain match sharpness while also preparing the squad for the Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks.

“We take into account, in terms of what time, when last did they play a game. Obviously, we will let that lead us in terms of the intensity and how the game gets played.

“We do have specific plans in terms of how we want to manage. And then throughout the next couple of games, we understand that match fitness is a big issue and for them just to get into it, express themselves, play as hard as they can for as long as they can, that is important for us.”

Davids said the returning players had followed their rehabilitation programmes diligently and had convinced the coaching staff that they were ready to contribute.

“We believe that they are ready,” he said.

“They’ve worked very hard in the last couple of weeks to get themselves back onto the field, and they look forward to that.

“We also can’t wait to see them get going and to get a part of the mix going forward.”

The match against Argentina will therefore provide an important first step back into international rugby for South Africa’s returning players. The coaching staff will use the game, along with the next few matches, to build their fitness and gradually manage their workload as the season progresses.