Argentina claimed victory in their Rugby Championship clash against Australia when they sealed a hard-fought 34-31 win in Sydney on Saturday.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber immediately shrugged off their Rugby Championship defeat to New Zealand as he defended their strategy with their chances of claiming the title having all but slipped away.
An impressive second-half fightback was not enough as the Springboks paid the price for a poor first 40 minutes in a 35-20 defeat to the All Blacks in Auckland.
All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan admits that despite their impressive win in Argentina, they will need to improve if they are to beat the Springboks.
Eben Etzebeth will make his return from a shoulder injury when he captains the Springboks against New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday.
Springbok stand-in captain Duane Vermeulen has confronted the reality that his time in green and gold is nearing an end, just like that of most of his 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning teammates.