FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union – South Africa Captains Run – Twickenham Stadium, London, Britain – November 2, 2018 South Africa’s Andre Esterhuizen during the captains run Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs
AUCKLAND (Reuters) – South Africa have added center Andre Esterhuizen and lock Marvin Orie to their squad for the final Rugby Championship clash with Argentina in Salta on Aug. 10.
The pair have flown to the Springboks’ training camp in Auckland, New Zealand, where the squad will train this week ahead of the trip to Buenos Aires at the weekend.
Coach Rassie Erasmus chose to stay in New Zealand rather than fly back to South Africa and then embark on another gruelling journey west to Argentina via Brazil.
Both Esterhuizen and Orie featured in the Boks 35-17 victory over Australia in Johannesburg on July 20, but did not travel with the squad that drew 16-16 with New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday.
Bok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, who was concussed in the second half against the All Blacks, will undergo a graduated return to play process after his failed head injury assessment and his availability for the Pumas game is in the balance.
His replacement, Herschel Jantjies, scored a last minute try to claim the draw for the Boks that leaves them a bonus-point win away from securing a first Rugby Championship title since 2009.
The squad will fly to Argentina in two batches over the coming weekend and will be based in Buenos Aires, before flying to Salta next Thursday.
They will then face Argentina in a one-off test in Pretoria on Aug. 17 before they fly to Japan for the Rugby World Cup.
Reporting By Nick Said; Editing by Christian Radnedge