Cheika explains 'mental break' changes for Springbok contest steeped in history

Michael Cheika has made a handful of changes as Los Pumas continue to work on consistency.

Hat-trick hero in their last win in South Africa, Juan Imhoff returns to the starting XV in a ground that is very close to Argentina’s rugby folklore. Ellis Park, the hallowed Johannesburg ground which, in the words of Pumas’ coach
Michael Cheika will be a “cauldron”, was where Argentine rugby came of age in 1965, beating the Junior Springboks in the first-ever overseas tour.

That win opened international rugby doors for the national team that on that trip coined the nickname they still use to this day: Los Pumas.

José Luis Imhoff, father of Juan, was on that tour. His son returns to the team he last played for in this same fixture a year ago, in Durban. Winger Juan, a star in French rugby, scored a hat trick when the Springboks were first beaten in Durban in 2015.

He is one of five changes to the starting fifteen, which includes the selection of Santiago Chocobares and Juan Cruz Mallía, the Toulouse duo that won this year’s Top 14.

“We had to force them to take breaks, more than anything a mental break,” explained Cheika of the commitment of a group of players he is “loving.”

“I am really enjoying my time (with Los Pumas). They are lovely people, they’ve become close friends which is not easy when as a coach you need to make hard decisions.”

With a Rugby World Cup squad naming fast approaching and only 160 minutes left to come up with those 33 names, time is of the essence.

The timely return of the Toulouse players, Imhoff, and having Lautaro Bazán Vélez starting, are good signs. Bazán Vélez, after an Olympic medal with Los Pumas 7s in Tokyo, stuck with XVs and he is now ready, according to the coach.

“He is more comfortable now; he understands his role better. He was unused on the bench against Australia but worked really hard and I see him in a very good shape.”

The fifth change is forced by injury, with Matías Alemanno nursing a knee ligament knock he collected in Parramatta two weeks ago. Lucas Paulos, born in Argentina and a former Spanish age-grade international, plays his twelfth test.

Seven players will be playing their first rugby after the end of the European season, three in the starting XV and four in the bench including hooker Ignacio Ruiz, prop Joel Sclavi, loose forward Facundo Isa and flyhalf Tomás Albornoz.

The Northern Hemisphere season is an issue when your international agenda is a Southern Hemisphere one, but that doesn’t upset Cheika. Quite the contrary.

“When obstacles come, you try to enjoy them,” he said. “We have tried to be good at enjoying the tough times when they come.”

Tough times could come in the form of a South African team that will try to straighten their road map after losing to the All Blacks in Auckland.

“South Africa has high quality, fantastic, players. We have been very focused on our basics, on our defence. We want to keep more possession and attack more. I think we are on a good track, there is still a lot of work before Rugby World Cup.”

“We are thinking about ourselves, Argentina hasn’t played in Ellis Park in a long time. It is going to be a great experience.”

“Not many people think we can win but we are here to work on self-belief, to work on consistency and improve from week to week. If the fundamentals that are important to us and our identity are there, then we’ll be ok.”

Argentina’s rugby heritage is forever connected to South Africa; they have been best friends for some sixty-plus years off the field. On it, only three wins and a draw since the first test in 1993 is a scant reward as they play their 35th contest and only third full international at Ellis Park.

“Some of us played here with the Jaguares in Super Rugby, but this will be totally different,” said returning fullback Mallía, who is “delighted to be back in the team.”

“Playing at Ellis Park is a huge challenge but we had a very solid preparation. We have to be very disciplined as the Springboks love playing on your half of the field, forcing you close to your in-goal all the time.”

Cheika added: “Mentality is not something that changes from week to week, it is about doing the work and not about the results on the field. The final score is the result of the work done in the week, of how we prepare. It is about being the best we can be.”

“The Springboks are a pretty formidable team, with a lot of players they can call on. They are going to be right up there.”

“But,” he concludes, “I am focused on my team. We are bringing players back into the fold, playing their first game of the year. It is about integrating them and giving them opportunities.”

“Results are important as they are a consequence of what and how we do things.”

Argentina’s team to face South Africa

1. Thomas Gallo (15 caps)
2. Julián Montoya (captain; 87 caps)
3. Francisco Gómez Kodela (29 caps)
4. Lucas Paulos (11 caps)
5. Tomás Lavanini (80 caps)
6. Pablo Matera (93 caps)
7. Santiago Grondona (12 caps)
8. Juan Martín González (22 caps)
9. Lautaro Bazán Vélez (4 caps)
10. Santiago Carreras (33 caps)
11. Juan Imhoff (41 caps)
12. Santiago Chocobares (11 caps)
13. Lucio Cinti (14 caps)
14. Mateo Carreras (9 caps)
15. Juan Cruz Mallía (24 caps)

Reserves:

16. Ignacio Ruiz (4 caps)
17. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (77 caps)
18. Joel Sclavi (9 caps)
19. Pedro Rubiolo (2 caps)
20. Facundo Isa (44 caps)

21. Gonzalo Bertranou (51 caps)
22. Tomás Albornoz (3 caps)
23.  Matías Moroni (71 caps)