Rassie Erasmus has named a starting XV shorn of almost every player who beat Wales a fortnight ago, sending Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu back into Test rugby at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani on Saturday.
There are 13 changes to the side that ran out in Durban. Only Aphelele Fassi and Cobus Reinach keep their starting places from the 43-0 win over Wales; the entire pack is new. Boan Venter and Thomas du Toit pack down either side of Johan Grobbelaar, Etzebeth and De Jager reunite in the second row, and Kolisi captains a loose trio completed by Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom.
For Erasmus the selection is straightforward. This is the Springboks' only fixture before the four-Test Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against New Zealand opens at Ellis Park on 22 August, and he needs his injured players hardened before it.
"This match is the perfect occasion for players like Siya, Eben, Lood, Sacha, Morne and the other players returning from injury to get a tough Test under the belt and get back into full swing at international level, as Argentina are a formidable team, who will push us to the limit," Erasmus said.
"The guys have been working very hard to return from injury and there is no better test to measure where they are than facing the Pumas in Argentina."
He was careful not to frame Saturday as a run-out. Argentina have twice beaten South Africa at home, and pushed them close in the Rugby Championship a year ago.
"The Argentineans are very similar to South Africans in many ways. Their passion and patriotism for their country and people, and the way they give everything on the field and keep fighting is a testament to the type of Test match we are expecting this weekend," Erasmus said.
"They have beaten us twice in Argentina before and they delivered brave performances in their Nations Championship matches, and will have a point to prove on Saturday, so we are fully aware of the challenge ahead."
Feinberg-Mngomezulu's return is the headline. The 24-year-old has not played since late May after ankle surgery, missing the whole Nations Championship while Handre Pollard and Manie Libbok covered. Pollard is on the bench in Buenos Aires.
Planet Rugby's Colin Newboult argued the fly-half offers something the others do not, describing him as bringing an extra sprinkling of stardust that will be very useful with the All Blacks on the horizon — and noted the timing is tight, with this the only match before the series opener.
The bench is a study in Erasmus's versatility obsession. Marco van Staden is a back-rower who can play hooker, Jan-Hendrik Wessels a hooker who props, Ben-Jason Dixon a flanker who covers lock, and Cobus Wiese a lock who has played number eight in a Test. Wilco Louw, Herschel Jantjies and Quan Horn are the three from the 26-man travelling party to miss out entirely.
Argentina arrive at the fixture under a different kind of scrutiny. It is the country's first international sporting occasion since a July week in which its footballers were investigated by FIFA for offensive behaviour after the World Cup final and fly-half Tomas Albornoz was charged by World Rugby for making physical contact with referee Angus Gardner at the end of the Nations Championship defeat to England.
Federico Mendez, the 74-cap Pumas great who was himself sent off as a teenager at Twickenham, told Planet Rugby the standard is not negotiable.
"As rugby people, we know that what the referee says is the last word," Mendez said. "This is rugby rules. You have to behave. You have to control yourself. It's been the bottom line since rugby started."
Ben Youngs, England's most-capped player, called the Albornoz incident "totally disgraceful, unforgivable behaviour" and said he hoped bans followed.
Mendez is not expecting a repeat of last year's near-miss against these opponents, even while rating Felipe Contepomi's set-up the best the Pumas have had.
"South Africa will be tougher, they are the best team in the world and have the strongest scrum in the game," he said. "Last year was the best level of rugby I have ever seen from Argentina. Felipe has created the best set-up the Pumas has ever had. But we are up against by far the best team in the world."
Contepomi has named 10 uncapped players across his squad for the Springboks and Wallabies fixtures. "These three upcoming matches are very important for us," he said when the group was announced. "We'll be hosting the two-time world champions and playing a series against the Wallabies, which always presents very challenging encounters."
Frenchman Pierre Brousset referees. Kick-off is 16:00 local time.
South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter. Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Handre Pollard.
