(Reuters) – Bryan Habana believes there are few comparisons that can be made between South Africa’s Rugby World Cup winners of 2007 and the Class of 2015, but insists this year’s squad can emulate that triumph.

South Africa’s Bryan Habana celebrates at the end of the match
Reuters / Dylan Martinez
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The Springbok winger, who finished as top try-scorer when South Africa lifted the trophy in France eight years ago, will again be a key figure as they tackle Wales in the quarter-finals at Twickenham on Saturday.

The squad was more settled in 2007 and had a smoother run-up to the tournament, with players who had been building towards the event for the previous four years.

“It is difficult to compare the two, there are two very different components to each,” Habana told reporters on Tuesday.

“In 2007 we really had a fantastic group of core leadership that had come a long way over the four-year period under (coach) Jake White.

“When Jake took over he had a set plan about who his 22 were going to be leading into that World Cup, getting guys like Os du Randt, Jaco van der Westhuyzen and Percy Montgomery from overseas to be a part,” he added.

“If we look at this year then there have been a lot of youngsters that have put up their hand and that have come through really well.”

South Africa lost four of their five tests going into this year’s competition and suffered a shock 34-32 defeat by Japan in their opening game in England.

“In 2007 we had a smooth run into the World Cup, where this year it was more stop-start with a couple of injuries and a couple of losses before the tournament,” Habana said.

“But in my opinion this team definitely has the same potential to go on and achieve something great. After that first weekend shock loss against Japan we had to stand up and be counted.”

With eight players remaining in the squad from 2007, there is experience of winning the Webb Ellis trophy, but Habana feels that counts for little.

“2007 was great and it is always nice to reminisce about the past, but the past isn’t going to get us anywhere in this competition,” he said.

“As a group we have learnt quite a few lessons over the last three weeks and we can use those lessons to the best of our ability going into this knockout phase where you have eight of the best teams in the world competing for that little cup called Bill.”

Argentina will host South Africa in a one-off test at the Jose Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires on Aug. 15, governing body SANZAR confirmed on Monday.

South Africa’s Patrick Lambie (C) keeps the ball during their rugby union international test match against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin November 8, 2014. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

The fixture will be the final warm-up game for the Springboks before they head to the World Cup in England starting on Sept. 18.

Kick-off will be at 16:40 local time and the match will also be used to mark the 50th anniversary of Argentina’s 1965 tour of South Africa. La Union Argentina de Rugby will celebrate the occasion with all living players and personnel in attendance.

The stadium is situated in the west of the Argentine capital and has previously hosted 27 tests, the most recent of which was England’s victory over the Pumas in June 2013.

Spain is scheduled to play Kenya in a test match at Nairobi’s RFUEA Grounds on Saturday 18 July 2015.

Kenya will face Spain this weekend

Currently ranked 20th on the World Rugby ranking, The Los Leones come into this encounter off the back of a 20-3 win over another African side, Namibia in a Four Nations tournament played on 21 June in Bucharest, Romania and in their first African foray since 2012 when they defeated Namibia 38-37 in Windhoek, Namibia.

Coached by Santiago Santos who played for the side between 1982 and 1992, the Los Leones have in their ranks players such as fly half Pierre-Emmanuel Garcia who has had stints at leading French clubs Castres and Clermont Auvergne, hard running Jaime Nava who is the skipper of the side and fullback Sergi Aubannell, players who are expected to light up the stage.

This will be the first ever test match between the two sides, despite the two teams having met severally in the sevens version of the game and it promises to be an exciting encounter.