The Springboks are expecting a renewed ‘aerial bombardment’ from Argentina in Salta on Saturday.
Last year, the Boks’ suffered a historic first-ever defeat in Argentina, with the Pumas making the most of a broken-field contest that saw them enforce an astute kicking strategy.
With this in mind, the Boks expected to face a number of contestable kicks in Port Elizabeth this past Saturday, but in the end Argentina only put boot to ball on 13 occasions (compared to 19 from the Springboks).
Nevertheless, Coetzee suggested the Pumas may look to reinforce a tactical kicking game in an attempt to counter the Boks’ tight-knit defence.
‘I think it was a job well done in terms of how to defend against the Argentinians [last Saturday], and I think they would have seen that we are defensively tighter this year, so they may look to use the aerial game more,’ he said during SuperSport’s First XV show.
‘They did that last year, so we have prepared for another aerial bombardment to break down our defence, with little kicks over our defensive line.’
The Boks’ impressive ‘pillar’ and ‘post’ defence also nullified some of Argentina’s attacking threats around the breakdown at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, which is something they will be looking to replicate on Saturday.
‘We prepared well for them [Argentina] last week,’ Coetzee commented. ‘We knew where the threats would be around [scrumhalf Martín] Landajo, he normally initiates those sniping breaks next to the fringes, and then they come with the offloading game.’
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The Springboks only left for Argentina on Wednesday, with the team opting to spend a couple of days training in South Africa before making the long-haul flight on what would normally be their day off.
Coetzee said there were many unfamiliar and potentially disruptive factors that the Boks were looking to negate with careful planning this year.
‘There are lots of little factors that come into play and could become a frustration if you don’t know how to deal with it. So that was our focus this week to ensure that nothing fazes us … We must able to execute things and focus on the job at hand, and that for me is what away games are all about.’
Photo: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
