The final match of an enthralling Rugby Championship campaign sees South Africa host Argentina at Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon.
The Springboks are gunning to lift the trophy for the first time since 2019, and will know exactly what is required for them to do so by the time they kick off this weekend.
Match preview
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All four teams are mathematically still capable of winning the Rugby Championship heading into the final round of fixtures, making it one of the tightest and most intriguing editions of the competition yet.
Realistically, Argentina's hopes are incredibly slim as they would need to secure a bonus-point win over South Africa and hope that Australia pick up a non-bonus point triumph over New Zealand, with the All Blacks also not registering a losing bonus point.
Even if that unlikely set of results happens, Los Pumas would need a huge swing in points difference to top the final table, which in those circumstances would see all four teams finish level on 14 points.
South Africa, by contrast, will have a clear picture of what is needed from them to win the Rugby Championship by the time this match gets underway.
The Springboks go into the weekend only trailing New Zealand at the top of the table due to points difference, and with the All Blacks taking on Australia in their final game earlier in the day, South Africa will know exactly what they need to do to finish top of the pile.
If New Zealand fail to pick up a bonus-point victory at Eden Park then that result for South Africa would be enough, but if the All Blacks take a maximum five points then it would come down to points difference.
South Africa currently trail New Zealand by 13 in that count, meaning that they would need to beat Argentina by 14 more points than New Zealand beat Australia, although should that tally also finish level then it would come down to the head-to-head record between the two sides, which South Africa narrowly edge.
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Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber has insisted that his side are solely focused on winning the match rather than the number of points they may need, though, describing the contest as a "World Cup final" for his side.
The refusal to get too far ahead of themselves is born partially out of the fact that Argentina have been as responsible as any other team for ensuring the battle for Southern Hemisphere supremacy has been closer than ever this year.
Historic victories at home to Australia and away to New Zealand meant that Michael Cheika's men led the table at the halfway stage of the competition, although back-to-back defeats at the hands of the All Blacks and then South Africa mean that they have since fallen back to the bottom.
Even if Los Pumas do prop up the rest again this year, they will still reflect on a successful Rugby Championship campaign which has provided some unforgettable moments and plenty of optimism ahead of the World Cup next year.
Argentina showed their resilience again last week, recovering from a first half that Cheika dubbed "one of the worst" he can remember as his side were fortunate to go into the break only 22-6 down following a string of penalties conceded.
Los Pumas roared back to 22-20 at one stage though, only for two late South Africa tries to give the Boks a crucial bonus-point 36-20 victory.
Running the world champions close again on South African soil will be an even bigger task for Argentina this weekend, but that triumph over New Zealand in Christchurch will give them hope and means that they cannot be counted out ahead of this one.
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Argentina Rugby Championship form:
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Team News
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South Africa's fly-half shortage deepened even further last week when Damian Willemse sustained a head injury which has ruled him out of this match due to concussion protocols.
With Handre Pollard also absent and Elton Jantjies having been sent home following allegations surrounding his off-field antics, 35-year-old Francois Steyn will start this match at fly-half.
The veteran's return to the starting XV is one of only two changes from last weekend's win, with Pieter Steph du Toit replacing Franco Mostert in the other.
Winger Kurt-Lee Arendse is back on the bench after suspension, though - one of two backs among the replacements as Nienaber opts for a forward-heavy bench.
Argentina have also made only two changes to their starting lineup, with Cheika largely keeping faith with the team from last weekend despite their defeat.
Juan Imhoff replaces Lucio Cinti on the left wing, while Matias Moroni comes in for Matias Orlando at outside centre.
The visitors have named an unchanged forward pack, although on the bench there is a place for the uncapped Pedro Rubiolo.
South Africa starting lineup:
15 Willie le Roux; 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi; 10 Frans Steyn, 9 Jaden Hendrikse; 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Duane Vermeulen, Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Kurt-Lee Arendse
Argentina starting lineup:
15 Juan Cruz Mallia; 14 Emiliano Boffelli, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Juan Imhoff; 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou; 8 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matias Alemanno, 3 Eduardo Bello, 2 Julian Montoya, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements:
Agustin Creevy, Mayco Vivas, Joel Sclavi, Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo, Tomas Cubelli, Benjamin Urdapilleta, Bautista Delguy
Head To Head
South Africa's victory last weekend was their 29th from 33 meetings with Argentina, and their fifth triumph on the bounce.
Argentina have only beaten the Boks three times before in their history, most recently in 2018, with one draw between the two sides.
Just one of Argentina's wins over South Africa have come in South Africa, although that did happen on the same ground as Saturday's match as Los Pumas ran out 35-27 winners in 2015.
We say: South Africa to win by 21 points
Historically, Durban has not been the highest-scoring venue, which is not particularly good news for a South African side looking to rack up enough points to usurp New Zealand at the top of the standings.
The Springboks should get their job done, and relatively comfortably despite Argentina's fine campaign, but whether that will be enough or not depends on what New Zealand do against Australia earlier in the day.
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Barney Corkhill
