Salmaan Moerat returns as captain of a Springbok side that features 10 changes to the starting lineup for the penultimate Rugby Championship clash with Argentina in Santiago del Estero on Saturday.

Moerat leads a new-look team in a match which would see the Boks claim the title for the first time since 2019, should they avoid defeat by the in-form Pumas.

The five starters retained from the team that beat New Zealand 18-12 in Cape Town are Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Jasper Wiese, Handre Pollard and Jesse Kriel.

Lukhanyo Am and Malcolm Marx are promoted from the bench, while Eben Etzebeth goes the other way to join the Bomb Squad of Vincent Koch, Gerhard Steenekamp, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith and Jaden Hendrikse.

Jan-Hendrik Wessels, covering hooker, and Manie Libbok come in to complete a 6-2 bench.

Etzebeth will equal Victor Matfield’s Springbok record of 127 Test appearances if he takes the field.

Returning to the starting line-up after previously appearing in the competition are Aphelele Fassi at fullback, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Makazole Mapimpi on the wings, Cobus Reinach, Ben-Jason Dixon and Marco van Staden in the back row and Thomas du Toit, along with Moerat.

The team features a new-look front row of Nche, Marx and Du Toit, while Moerat pairs up with Nortje in the second row. Erasmus also named a physical loose trio of Van Staden, Dixon and Wiese, while Reinach and Pollard will dictate play at halfback.

In the backline, Kriel and Am provide firepower in the midfield, while the back three will see Arendse, Mapimpi and Fassi make their presence felt with their hard running and skilful play.

Springboks – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Subs: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Manie Libbok.

Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images