Moerat back to lead Boks against Argentina

Lock Salmaan Moerat will again captain South Africa when they take on Argentina in the penultimate round of the Rugby Championship in Santiago del Estero on Saturday evening.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made 10 changes to his starting team for the match which would see the Boks claim the Championship title for the first time since 2019, should they avoid defeat to the in-form Pumas.

Also returning to the starting line-up are fullback Aphelele Fassi, wings Kurt-Lee Arendse and Makazole Mapimpi, scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, loose-forwards Ben-Jason Dixon and Marco van Staden and prop Thomas du Toit.

Five players are retaining their starting places from the team that defeated New Zealand in Cape Town 10 days ago.

They are prop Ox Nche, lock Ruan Nortje, number eight Jasper Wiese, flyhalf Handre Pollard and centre Jesse Kriel.

Centre Lukhanyo Am and hooker Malcolm Marx are promoted to the run-on 15, while lock Eben Etzebeth goes the other way, to join the bomb squad on the bench which has a six-two split.

Etzebeth will equal Victor Matfield’s Springbok record of 127 Test appearances if he takes to the field on Saturday.

Kick-off is at 11pm South African time.