THE REST OF the rugby world will be watching as the Rugby Championship kicks off in Pretoria and Mendoza today. Things are beginning to feel serious with the 2023 World Cup in France now just two months away.
It has always felt like an advantage for the Southern Hemisphere nations to have this tournament so soon before the big show. High-quality clashes against their old rivals arguably produce the kind of sharpness and battle-hardness that World Cup warm-up friendlies in Europe don’t.
In fairness, the traditional giants need a good tune-up before arriving in France. Ireland and the French are deservedly the top two ranked nations in the world right now, with New Zealand and South Africa behind.
Sitting below Scotland and England are seventh-placed Australia, with Argentina in eighth.
Of course, the World Rugby rankings can be a poor guide for what happens next but it’s inarguable that the Six Nations sides have completely closed up the gap that historically existed between them and the All Blacks, Springboks, and Wallabies.
Each of the Rugby Championship nations comes into this abbreviated, three-round tournament with questions to answer but also with belief that they can continue building towards a World Cup win in Paris on 28 October. Michael Cheika’s Pumas are obviously outsiders but they have shown their ability to compete with and beat the best.
First up today is an intriguing clash between Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks and the Wallabies, who launch the new Eddie Jones era in hostile territory at Loftus Versfeld [KO 4.05pm Irish time, Sky Sports]. South African fans have taken glee this week in remembering that the last time a Jones team played at this venue, back in 2007, his Reds were obliterated 92-3 by the Bulls.
It will certainly be a proper battle today, particularly given that Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber have already sent 15 of their squad on to New Zealand for the round-two clash with the All Blacks. Some of their best players are already on Kiwi soil, including Eben Etzebeth, Damian de Allende, Lood de Jager, Malcolm Marx, Faf de Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe, Makazole Mapimpi. It’s serious quality to be missing.
Still, the South Africans’ depth is underlined by the fact that they have a good team out today, with front-liners Pieter-Steph du Toit, Frans Malherbe, and Lukhanyo Am among the starters. It’s a huge day for Stormers out-half Mannie Libbok, who had a bad URC final against Munster but possesses game-breaking abilities and should link well with experienced fullback Willie le Roux.
Of particular Irish interest is a starting debut for Munster lock Jean Kleyn, capped five times by Ireland in 2019 but now eligible for his home nation after serving the three-year standdown. Opposite the Wallabies behemoth Will Skelton, it’s a prime chance for Kleyn to put his hand up for World Cup selection. The sight of his fellow Munster man, RG Snyman, back in a Boks 23 for the first time since the 2019 World Cup is welcome.
Andy Farrell and his Ireland staff will be paying close attention to everything the Boks do, of course. The two nations will meet in Pool B at the World Cup and though most predictions have both sides going through to the quarter-finals presuming they beat Scotland, it will be a seismic clash nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Jones is sending out a fresh-looking Wallabies selection that includes five non-Australian-based players in a clear indicator that his bosses are ready to completely relax their previous limit of three.
Out-half Quade Cooper is back from his Achilles tendon rupture, Marika Koroibete will continue to wreak havoc on the wing, Skelton is the man the Wallabies must build around, the devastating Samu Kerevi will be used off the bench, and Toulouse giant Richie Arnold is set for his Test debut at the age of 33.
Jones is excited about the power of this Australian group and even though their run of results under previous boss Dave Rennie was poor, everyone could see that they weren’t far away. Indeed, the feeling is growing that the Wallabies – aided by being on the nice side of the draw – can have a real tilt at the World Cup.
Jones has been on a media charm offensive since taking over on a five-year deal in January. To be fair, it’s part of the gig in Australia, where rugby union has to fight so hard to grab attention from other sports, and Jones hasn’t put his foot in it yet. His World Cup record is superb so watch this space.
SOUTH AFRICA: Willie le Roux; Canan Moodie, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Manie Libbok, Cobus Reinach; Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe; Jean Kleyn, Marvin Orie; Marco van Staden, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen (captain).
Replacements: Joseph Dweba, Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Evan Roos, Deon Fourie, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse.
AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright; Suliasi Vunivalu, Len Ikitau, Reece Hodge, Marika Koroibete; Quade Cooper, Nic White; James Slipper (co-captain), David Porecki, Allan Alaalatoa; Nick Frost, Will Skelton; Tom Hooper, Michael Hooper (co-captain), Rob Valetini
Replacements: Jordan Uelese, Matt Gibbon, Zane Nonggorr, Richie Arnold, Pete Samu, Tate McDermott, Samu Kerevi, Carter Gordon.
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The All Blacks are in a strange spot. Their nightmare of losing a series to Ireland on home soil last year was followed by a Rugby Championship trophy win. Their decent November campaign ended with a late, late collapse to draw against England.
Kiwi fans have wanted change and they’re getting it, but only after the World Cup. The popular Scott ‘Razor’ Robertson will take over at that stage but Ian Foster is still the man in charge for now. He has Joe Schmidt working alongside him and their motivation to go out on a high will be huge.
The All Blacks no longer enjoy the fear factor of old. And yet, they’re still up there among the main favourites to win the World Cup. The current squad might not have the ‘wow’ factor of previous iterations, but they have enough quality to beat anyone else. If Ireland reach the quarter-finals, there’s a good chance they will play the Kiwis there again, having been hammered in their 2019 clash.
One major point of contention in recent years has been their number 10 shirt. At the last World Cup, Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo’unga played together, with the former at fullback. This year has seen the thrilling return of Damian McKenzie to Kiwi rugby after his stint in Japan.
McKenzie led the Chiefs to the Super Rugby final and he’s the one who now gets the first shot at out-half against Argentina today [KO 8.10pm Irish time, Sky Sports], with Barrett again slotting in at fullback. Barrett’s younger brother, Jordie, has been repositioned to inside centre over the past year, meaning Foster could end up with a more balanced backline.
Fiji native Emoni Narawa is a debutant against the Pumas, the latest wing sensation and a man who carved up for the Chiefs this year.
It’s odd seeing an All Blacks team without Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick but there is still edge to the Kiwi pack with the likes of Ardie Savea, captain Sam Cane, and niggle merchant Dane Coles starting. 22-year-old lock Josh Lord is a real talent.
Cheika’s Argentina will be eyeing this game as a prime opportunity to make a statement. In front of what is usually a raucous crowd in Mendoza, expect intense physicality and aggression.
Los Pumas’ thrilling 25-18 win in Christchurch last year was one of the most enjoyable games of the year. It was a first victory on New Zealand soil and though the Argentinians only won one other game in that Rugby Championship, they had a brilliant win over England in Twickenham last autumn.
The challenge now is to be a consistent force. The Argentinians are in the same World Cup pool as Australia and it promises to be a competitive one. Wales come off the back of a horrible season dreaming of better days, while Fiji and Georgia are aiming to cause some big upsets. Pool C should be terrific.
Cheika has named a familiar-looking Pumas side for today, although tighthead prop Lucio Sordoni returns after a three-year Test hiatus and back row Marcos Kremer is missing due to suspension.
ARGENTINA: Emiliano Boffelli; Bautista Delguy, Matias Moroni, Lucio Cinti, Mateo Carreras; Santiago Carreras,Gonzalo Bertranou; Thomas Gallo, Julian Montoya (captain), Lucio Sordoni; Matias Alemanno, Tomas Lavanini; Pablo Matera, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Rodrigo Bruni.
Replacements: Augustin Creevy, Mayco Vivas, Eduardo Bello, Pedro Rubiolo, Sanriago Grondona, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Nicolas Sanchez, Matias Orlando.
NEW ZEALAND: Beauden Barrett; Emoni Narawa, Rieko Ioane, Jordie Barrett, Caleb Clarke; Damian McKenzie, Aaron Smith; Ethan de Groot, Dane Coles, Tyrel Lomax; Scott Barrett, Josh Lord; Shannon Frizell, Sam Cane (captain), Ardie Savea.
Replacements: Codie Taylor, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Nepo Laulala, Tupou Vaa’i, Dalton Papali’i, Finlay Christie, Richie Mo’unga, Braydon Ennor.
