Springboks superstar Cheslin Kolbe will play his first-ever match for the national team at Ellis Park if selected to face Argentina there on Saturday.
Kolbe, who has represented South Africa in 24 Tests prior to this Rugby Championship match, has never played at the home of South African rugby.
Kolbe is quoted by SA Rugby’s website as saying: “I’ve never played at Emirates Airline Park as a Springbok, so if I get the opportunity to play, it would be fantastic.
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“The atmosphere at the stadium is electric and we’d love it if people come out in numbers and support us. It’s our last home game before we leave for the World Cup, so it would be special to play in front of a passionate crowd.”
Chasing the All Blacks, who are four points above them heading into the final round of a shortened Rugby Championship, Kolbe knows they will have to up their game under the high ball.
The Springboks struggled in this department in their 35-20 defeat to the All Blacks in Auckland last time out and the 29-year-old winger says: “The aerial contest and battle for dominance is going to be big. Argentina showed in their last two matches what they can do, and with players in their backline that have played on the Sevens circuit, they’ll pose challenges.”
Argentina are current in third place on the log - one point behind SA - after beating Australia 34-31 in their last meeting.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber, meanwhile, will name his matchday squad for the final match in South Africa before the team departs for the World Cup in France in September today.