Mbonambi skippers Boks against Pumas, prop Steenekamp set for debut

The Springbok team to take on Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday shows 13 changes from the one that scraped a win over the Pumas by a point at Ellis Park last week.

One of those changes sees uncapped prop Gerhard Steenekamp named on the bench, while hooker Bongi Mbonambi will captain South Africa for the first time.

A host of changes to the #Springboks team as more players are given a run in Buenos Aires - more here: https://t.co/EZ6M5JIKt7 ????#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/ySCA8FpAJv

Mbonambi, who will earn his 60th Test cap this weekend, takes over the captain's responsibilities in the absence of regular skipper Siya Kolisi, who is making encouraging progress following surgery to his knee, and stand-in captains Eben Etzebeth and Duane Vermeulen, who remained behind in South Africa with a group of players in a conditioning camp. 

Steenekamp, who has progressed through the South African rugby ranks in the past few seasons after representing the Junior Springboks and after making a strong statement for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship, will become Springbok No 933 when he comes off the bench.

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber named a vastly different matchday squad to the side that defeated Argentina 22-21 in Johannesburg last week, with only two players retaining their places in the starting team: flyhalf Manie Libbok and lock Marvin Orie.

Nienaber also named a rejigged bench, with utility forward Jean-Luc du Preez and scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies donning the jersey for the first time this season.

Mbonambi will form a solid front row with props Trevor Nyakane and Thomas du Toit, while Jean Kleyn will earn his second start in a lock combination with Orie. 

Lood de Jager has come down with illness and has not been