Argentina have some “big dogs who know the dark arts” and like to go into “the dark places that other people don’t want to go to.”
For that reason, the Springboks will not take the Pumas lightly when they meet them in their Castle Lager Rugby Championship match at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
The words are those of Bok prop Trevor Nyakane, who calls Paris home these days and knows a few things about going into the gutters when things get tough up front.
Nyakane makes his first appearance this season off the bench on Saturday and is keen to put up his hand to try and cement his place in the Bok squad for the Rugby World Cup - especially now that the front row is under a bit more pressure following the injury to Ox Nche.
Nyakane’s versatility - he can play both sides of the scrum and has been listed in the past as the third hooker in a match 23 in case of emergency - gives him a good chance of making it.
But he knows the Bok front row has so much talent at the moment that he needs to ensure he is at his best if he wants to be in the final squad.
HEALTHY COMPETITION
“Personally I think everyone who gets the opportunity to wear the green and gold wants to put up their hand and put in a great performance. Competition in the team right now is very healthy and it is not just about me having a great performance but fulfilling a role in the team and making sure the machine we are working with is well oiled and functioning in the right way,” Nyakane explains.
“Obviously as a player you would like to go out onto the field and put on a great performance, but that being said you need to find a place in the team where you fit in, where you can contribute what you are good at and what you can offer to the team to make them better. So yeah, I’m excited for the opportunity - I really want to go out there and express myself and enjoy myself, but I’m out there with 14 other guys on the field who want to enjoy themselves. At the end of the day it is not just about Trevor but about the team.”
BIG DOGS AND DARK PLACES
Nyakane knows the challenge the Boks face up front on Saturday starts in the front row, and he knows that Argentina are no longer a side that will bow down for teams or who are a one-trick pony. Their game has evolved, along with their physicality.
“When it comes to Argentina you know it is going to be a tough challenge. I think they’ve come a long way from just being an Argentina who just want to be physical,” he smiles.
“They have a few moves now that keep you thinking. We all know that scrummaging is one aspect of their game that they really enjoy and if you are not aware they can put you under immense pressure. For us, we definitely know they are no slouches, they are not going to go away. They are going to keep coming the whole day, no matter how much you dominate them - they don’t give up, they don’t go away. Even if you dominate them in the first hit in the scrum, they’ve got it, they will come back and bite you.
“It is a very physical pack, a very forward-orientated game. They enjoy putting their heads in the dark places, where most people don’t like to go. That is the most difficult part of playing them because when you play other teams - if you keep imposing yourself physically they go away, but a team like Argentina don’t. Especially in the pack they have some real inspirational players - some big dogs who know the dark arts of the game. That will be the challenge for us, to make sure we apply as much pressure as possible.”
TOP 14 HAS CHANGED
Nyakane took a while to get used to French rugby but once he settled in, he started to enjoy it.
“French rugby has definitely evolved and changed. Back in the day when I thought of French rugby it was just a slow game that they played with physicality but lately it is just as quick - 80 per cent as quick as Super Rugby used to be, but physicality is second to none.
“It is a tough game to play in. In my experience the teams that hit you the hardest in Top 14 are teams ranked 13 and 14. You don’t just go and collect points. It is a tough league but I’ve learnt to embrace it. In the beginning it was tough but I’m starting to enjoy it now.”
His trademark moment was a try and a 40-metre break in the game against Toulon. The break was clipped and shared on social media, including an audacious sidestep that warranted questions if he would do the same for the Springboks if he got the chance.
The big man leaned back and smiled, and gave the trademark answer: “I’ll play what I see. At the Boks there are guys like Doogs and Cheslin who will be there in support. The moment I break the line, I’ll look left and right and I’ll give them the ball because I know what they are good at.”
But don’t discount that smile returning if he sees open space in front of him and decides to pin his ears back and run.