Springbok team doctor Craig Roberts today declared a clean bill of health for the team ahead of their Castle Lager Rugby Championship opener against Argentina at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. Roberts also gave details of the nature of Victor Matfield’s knee injury which will keep the lock out of action for this weekend’s clash…….

Roberts said that he was happy with the progress that captain Jean de Villiers has made and that De Villiers is in the final stages of his rehabilitation and will in all likelihood be fit for selection…….

Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira has also been given the green light by Roberts after suffering a neck injury during the June internationals and Roberts says he is happy with Mtawarira’s fitness……

Roberts said that players have been treated differently especially in their final stages of rehabilitation with certain players requiring a game or two to get back into the swing of things while others can be thrust back into Test rugby without needing to regain match fitness. Roberts said he was satisfied with how Eben Etzebeth and Frans Malherbe had come through the Currie Cup match for Western Province against Eastern Province Kings over the weekend and that it will help boost their confidence ahead of the weekend’s Test……

Without Matfield running the Springboks lineout this weekend, Springboks forwards coach Johan van Graan believes that it will be an opportunity for either Lood de Jager or Eben Etzebeth to fill Matfield’s big boots………

Van Graan said they were expecting nothing new or different from Argentina on Saturday and that the Springboks have spent some time studying the players within the Pumas team……

Van Graan also said that there was a positive and festive environment within the Springbok team when they began training today after spending the weekend with their families. Van Graan is particularly pleased with the week’s training that the Springboks were able to utilize last week in Johannesburg and said it helped them focus on the smaller details in improving their game……Journalist: Vata Ngobeni