On Tuesday, August 4th, 2026, South Africa announced the recall of several World Cup-winning players for their upcoming one-off rugby test against Argentina in Buenos Aires scheduled for Saturday, August 9th, 2026. Notably, captain Siya Kolisi and lock Eben Etzebeth will make their first appearances of the year after returning from injury.

Mercurial flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will also feature in the match, marking his first Springboks appearance in 2026. The backline is further strengthened by the inclusion of wing Ethan Hooker, centre Andre Esterhuizen, and scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, combining power and pace.

The back row will see number eight Cameron Hanekom and flanker Elrigh Louw joining Kolisi, while Etzebeth will partner with veteran Lood de Jager, who is aiming to overcome persistent shoulder injuries. Johan Grobbelaar will start at hooker, flanked by props Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit.

Coach Rassie Erasmus has opted for a bench with a 6-2 split between forwards and backs, including flyhalf Handre Pollard and scrumhalf Morne van den Berg.

Starting Team:

Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Zachary Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Cobus Wiese, Marco van Staden, Morne van den Berg, Handre Pollard.

This test match in Buenos Aires is a key fixture as South Africa looks to leverage the experience of their World Cup winners to challenge Argentina.

Sources