It seems Springbok tighthead prop Willie Meyer will be ready to take on Argentina's feared bajada scrum in Sunday's first Test of the end-of-season tour at the River Plate Stadium.

The 33-year-old had a recurrence of an old knee injury during training and missed Wednesday's training session. But the big prop was in a cheerful mood on Thursday and said he's feeling much better. "It's improving quickly. I'd say I'm 99.9 per cent ready now and by tomorrow it should be 100 per cent."

Coach Harry Viljoen will announce the first Test team of his tenure on Friday and Meyer's name is expected to feature. The midweek team is leaving for Ireland on Thursday evening, but Braam van Straaten, Toks van der Linde, Charl Marais, Hottie Louw, Dan van Zyl and AJ Venter are staying with the Test side.

The fact that Van der Linde was asked to stay behind shows there is some concern about Meyer's fitness in the Bok camp. The Pumas have the most powerful scrummaging pack in the world and if Meyer is forced out, the visitors could find themselves in serious trouble.

They have already lost premier tighthead Cobus Visage. Robbie Kempson is equally at home at tight and loosehead and should be Viljoen's choice in the case of an emergency.

Ollie le Roux, who replaced an ill Kempson in the last Tri-Nations Test, could then fill in at loosehead. After the bashing Argentina A dished out in the scrums, it seems certain Charl Marais will again start.

Viljoen was keen to give the young John Smit a start, but the powerhouse scrummaging of the Pumas may have swung the pendulum back in favour of the more experienced Marais.

Possible Springbok team: Thinus Delport; Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck, Braam van Straaten, Chester Williams; Percy Montgomery, Joost van der Westhuizen; Andre Vos (capt), Andre Venter, Corne Krige, Mark Andrews, Albert van den Berg, Willie Meyer, Charl Marais, Robbie Kempson. Substitutes: Dan van Zyl, Braam van Straaten, Pieter Rossouw, John Smit, Hottie Louw, Ollie le Roux, AJ Venter.