AUCKLAND – The Springboks resumed training on Wednesday morning in Auckland, New Zealand, after a short break as they kicked off their preparations for next week’s showdown with Argentina.
The two teams will meet in Salta on Saturday, August 10, in the third and final-round of the truncated Rugby Championship.
Following a well-deserved break from training and some team-building exercises after the thrilling 16-16 draw with the All Blacks in Wellington, the Springbok squad got back into their training regime.
Marvin Orie (lock) and André Esterhuizen (centre) slotted in seamlessly with their Bok colleagues on the training pitch, after the pair linked-up with their national teammates late on Monday evening (NZ time).
Aled Walters, the Springboks’ Head of Athletic Performance, took the players through the usual thorough warm-up drills before the squad proceeded with an hour-long field session under the watchful eye of coach Rassie Erasmus and the Springbok assistant coaches.
After the lively team session, the players were split into forwards and backs for more unit sessions. The big men worked on their scrumming and maul drills, followed by some lineout work.
On the other side of the pitch, the backs polished their moves while a soft and brief drizzle came down from the overcast Auckland sky.
The players had a break over lunch to refuel, before they took off to a nearby gymnasium to continue with the daily training programme, forwards first and then the backs.
The Springboks are currently leading the Rugby Championship standings after two matches, with a one-point advantage over defending champions New Zealand, and they can secure the trophy with a bonus-point victory over Argentina in Salta.