Springboks Land in Argentina 2026: Team News Update

The Springboks are on Argentine soil. South Africa's world champions touched down in Buenos Aires in the early hours of Sunday morning after a long-haul journey routed via São Paulo, Brazil, arriving at their hotel with both travelling groups checking in within an hour of each other after midnight. The mission: prepare for Saturday's Test against Los Pumas at Estadio José Amalfitani.

Springboks Arrive in Buenos Aires

Rassie Erasmus confirmed the squad travelled in two separate parties and was direct about the toll of the trip. 'It was a long journey, and there is a fair time difference between the countries, so the players will have time to rest and acclimatise today, and then we'll return to the training field tomorrow,' said the Springbok head coach. The squad gets Sunday off before resuming work on Monday, which is standard Erasmus-era practice when crossing multiple time zones.

The good news is the groundwork is largely done. Erasmus confirmed that a training camp in Johannesburg earlier in the week gave his 26-man squad — which includes Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth — a solid foundation to build from. 'We are on track in terms of our preparation for both this match and the New Zealand tour,' Erasmus added. The confirmation that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will feature against Argentina adds another layer of intrigue to what promises to be a fiercely contested encounter.

Training Camp Preparations Complete

On the team announcement front, Erasmus will consult his coaching staff on Sunday before deciding when to release the matchday squad. In recent campaigns he has favoured a Monday reveal, and there is no reason to expect a deviation from that pattern here.

The players who stayed in South Africa to prepare specifically for Rugby's Greatest Rivalry against the All Blacks will reassemble later Sunday and also return to training on Monday. That series — beginning at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday, 22 August — is the real prize, and Erasmus is clearly managing both campaigns in parallel without compromising either. Argentina is a serious Test in its own right, but it doubles as the final sharpener before the All Blacks come calling.