Assistant coach Deon Davids emphasised the importance of the Boks improving their standards and game execution as the team returned to the training field on Monday to prepare for their second Rugby Championship Test against Argentina on Saturday.

The Springboks kicked off their campaign on a winning note with a 32-12 bonus-point victory against Argentina last weekend, and while Davids was pleased with the result, he said they would work even harder to reach their desired standard of play as the overseas leg of the competition approaches.

“The plan the players made for the last game was correct, but our execution was not always as effective as we would have liked it to be,” said Davids.

“That said, the players found solutions throughout the game and that assisted us in reacting better.

“Looking forward, we need to set our standards and see what we can do better as individuals, and we have to ensure that we implement that at training so that it filters onto the playing field.

“So, for us it is about driving standards and getting better in our execution.”

Springbok lock Marvin Orie, who came off the bench on Saturday to earn his fifth Test cap, agreed with Davids’ assessment of the team’s performance in the lineouts.

“The standards in the team are high,” said Orie.

“We lost a few lineouts against Argentina, and having had our match review, we realised it was all a result of our own mistakes. Argentina has a good lineout, so we have to fix our errors, and we will work on that this week.”

While Davids spoke openly about their determination to raise the quality of their performance on the field this weekend, he was pleased to see how the players who took the field – in a match-day squad featuring 12 changes following the last Test against the British & Irish Lions – rose to the occasion against a physical Argentinean outfit.

“We always look for opportunities to broaden the players’ experience, and we are happy with how the younger players stepped in [against Argentina],” said Davids.

“After winning the Lions series and going into the Rugby Championship, the younger players had to step up to the occasion and there were big moments that they handled quite well.

“So, in general, we are quite happy with how they responded. That said, obviously having assessed the game, there are areas we can improve on, and we’ll work on that this week.”

Orie, meanwhile, was delighted to get a run against Argentina and said being with the squad has benefitted him immensely in terms of his personal development.

“It’s always an honour and privilege to play at the highest level,” said Orie.

“The team has done well in the last few years and the standards within the squad and to get into the squad are high.

“There are different roles in the team, so the players who are not playing have the responsibility to prepare those that are playing as best as possible. But, in terms of fitness, everyone was hungry to get game time (last week), and it was good to be part of the game.”

He added: “The competition within the squad is strong, but from a player perspective we trust the coaches to make the choices on selection. We just need to make sure that we are ready to go, bring the energy when we are selected, and to do our best.

“In terms of my personal growth I have definitely improved, and I am looking forward to building on this in the next few weeks.”