The Rugby Championship

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s The Rugby Championship news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Countries now battling to find their place in a new world order

9 April 2023 0 comments

Paul Rees sees the Heineken Champions Cup growing in size but wonders whether that is making things better The Heineken Champions Cup has become bigger. […]

Pollard helping to put life into Tigers

19 March 2023 0 comments

By PAUL REES Handre Pollard says that his experience in the Premiership with Leicester has made him a more rounded player ahead of his return […]

Tournament brimming with standout moments

2 October 2022 1 comment

RUGBY MATTERS A weekly look at the game’s other talking points BRENDAN GALLAGHER IT was after round two from memory that I mentioned it might […]

Springboks power home but fall short of their target

25 September 2022 0 comments

■ By SAM JACKSON South Africa ….38pts Tries: Wiese 19, Kolisi 29, Penalty 64, 72; Arendse 80 Conversions: Steyn 19, 29, 82 Penalties: Steyn 38 […]

Five-try rout puts All Blacks on top

25 September 2022 0 comments

By NICK POWELL New Zealand ..40pts Tries: Jordan 23, Penalty 28, Whitelock 43, Taylor 54, Tu’ungafasi 65 Conversions: Mo’unga 24, 44 Penalties: Mo’unga 21, 47, […]

2015 hero Imhoff back in as Pumas chase historic third win in South Africa

22 September 2022 0 comments

Juan Imhoff has been named on the left-wing as Argentina go in search of a third win for the first time since they joined The […]

Neville and Wilson return for Australia in Auckland

22 September 2022 0 comments

Caderyn Neville and Harry Wilson will return to Australia’s starting line-up as the only changes for their final Rugby Championship game against New Zealand in […]

Whitelock leads All-Blacks for Championship decider

22 September 2022 1 comment

Sam Whitelock is to lead a New Zealand team that includes six changes from the side that beat Australia last week, as they face the […]

Title-chasing Boks change two for Pumas clash

20 September 2022 1 comment

South Africa have made two changes to the side that beat Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday, as they return home to face the same […]

Springboks surge home with late try double

18 September 2022 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Argentina……….20pts Tries: Penalty 61, Moroni 69 Conversions: Boffelli 69 Penalties: Boffelli 9, 24 South Africa ….36pts Tries: Penalty 20, Hendrikse 28, Marx […]

All Blacks win thriller after bizarre Raynal call

15 September 2022 2 comments

Australia………37pts Tries: Valentini 25, Kellaway 60, 67, Samu 73 Conversions: Foley 26, 61, 68, 74 Penalties: Foley 18, 47 New Zealand…..39pts Tries: Taukei’aho 4, 41, Mo’unga 53, Jordan 55, J […]

Springboks unchanged for critical Argentina clash

13 September 2022 0 comments

South Africa have made no changes to their starting line-up ahead of their vital match against Argentina in Round Five of The Rugby Championship. The […]

Foley back as Australia ring changes

13 September 2022 0 comments

Bernard Foley has returned to the Australian team for the first time since 2019, as the Wallabies change seven for the opening game of the […]

Duo of changes for All Blacks’ Bledisloe opener

13 September 2022 2 comments

New Zealand have made two enforced changes in the only switches to their starting line-up for this Thursday’s Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup game against […]

Grand plan which just makes it all murkier

4 September 2022 0 comments

CHRIS HEWETT GUEST COLUMNIST Rugby used to be a simple affair: you played, you lost, you pretended to the media that you’d actually won – […]

Kolisi takes charge as Springboks win at last

4 September 2022 1 comment

By GARY FITZGERALD Australia …………8pts Tries: Samu 79 Penalties: Lolesio 31 South Africa ….24pts Tries: de Allende 8, Moodie 39, Mostert 42, Mapimpi 71 Conversions: […]

Pumped-up Kiwis back in the groove

4 September 2022 2 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER New Zealand ..53pts Tries: De Groot 10, Clarke 18, Ioane 37, B Barrett 60, 80+1; Savea 66, Retallick 74 Conversions: Mo’unga 11, […]

Four changes for Argentina as they take on All Blacks again

1 September 2022 0 comments

Argentina have made four changes to the team that earned a first-ever away win against New Zealand as they look to repeat the feat once […]

No changes to Rennie’s Wallabies for second Springboks game

1 September 2022 0 comments

Coach Dave Rennie has made no changes to Australian team that beat South Africa last time out, as his side prepare for a tournament-defining game […]

New Zealand unchanged as second match against Pumas looms

1 September 2022 0 comments

The All Blacks have opted against any changes to their starting XV for the second of their two games against Argentina. New Zealand suffered a […]

Springboks change more than half their team for all-important Wallabies game

31 August 2022 0 comments

South Africa have made a huge eight changes for their vital match against Australia this Saturday. The Boks’ surprise defeat to the same opposition last […]

International transfers don’t sit well with me

28 August 2022 1 comment

COLIN BOAG If ever you wanted evidence that under World Rugby’s watch the game is going downhill, you could do worse than look at the […]

Now let’s go for the jugular, urges Slipper

28 August 2022 0 comments

By GARY FITZGERALD Australia ……….25pts Tries: McReight 2, 56, Koroibete 47 Conversions: Lolesio 3, 57 Penalties: Lolesio 7, 64 South Africa ….17pts Tries: Smith 74, […]

Marika tackle inspires victory

28 August 2022 0 comments

Marika Koroibete was ecstatic after helping the Wallabies return to winning ways and making one of the most ferocious tackles Test rugby has seen. The […]

Boffelli puts the boot into All Blacks

28 August 2022 1 comment

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER New Zealand….18pts Tries: Taukeiaho 10, Clarke 31 Conversions: Mo’unga 33 Penalties: Mo’unga 28, 46 Argentina ……….25pts Tries: Gonzalez 46 Conversions: Boffelli 48 […]

Montoya is so proud but Cheika warns of a backlash

28 August 2022 0 comments

Pumas skipper Julian Montoya couldn’t hold back his emotions after this historic victory. “I’m very proud of our team,” he beamed. “We worked really hard […]

All Blacks unchanged as Pumas head to Christchurch

25 August 2022 1 comment

New Zealand have kept faith in the same team that beat South Africa while Argentina have made three changes, ahead of the first of two […]

Wallabies ring changes for Springboks clash

25 August 2022 0 comments

Australia have made half-a-dozen changes as they prepare for the first of two vital Rugby Championship games against South Africa. The Wallabies’ hopes of winning […]

Faf De Klerk returns as South Africa change two for Wallabies

24 August 2022 0 comments

The Springboks have made two changes in the backline, as they bring back Faf de Klerk for the first of two critical games against Australia. […]

Right move to rest Marx, he’s crucial for World Cup

21 August 2022 0 comments

NEIL DE KOCK THE FORMER SOUTH AFRICA AND SARACENS SCRUM-HALF Two rounds into the Rugby Championship and each team has won one and lost one. […]

Excellent Am is up there with South Africa’s best ever backs

21 August 2022 2 comments

It’s beyond me if Lukhanyo Am is not already touted as one of South Africa’s finest ever backline players. The centre has proven he is […]

Foley’s return smacks of Aussie desperation

21 August 2022 0 comments

PETER JACKSON THE MAN TRULY IN THE KNOW Ever since Australia made him carry the can for their last World Cup, it can hardly have […]

“Entertaining to watch the furore when All Blacks are in trouble”

16 August 2022 0 comments

Just how good is southern hemisphere rugby at the present time? It’s incredibly hard to tell, but one thing’s for certain, it isn’t the imperious […]

At last! All Blacks snatch it in thriller

14 August 2022 0 comments

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER South Africa….23pts Tries: Am 37, Mapimpi 59 Conversions: Pollard 38, 60 Penalties: Pollard 42, 46, 68 New Zealand….35pts Tries: Cane 28, Taukei’aho […]

I don’t know about the future but I’ll enjoy tonight – Foster

14 August 2022 0 comments

New Zealand skipper Sam Cane fired a warning to their rivals to never doubt the character of his All Blacks side after they stopped the […]

Pumas go top with their record win over Australia

14 August 2022 1 comment

By BEN JAYCOCK Argentina ……..48pts Tries: Imhoff 2, Gallo 6, 64; De la Fuente 24, Gonzalez 31, Boffelli 78, Albornoz 80+2 Conversions: Boffelli 3, 7, […]

Rennie rings changes as O’Connor comes in

12 August 2022 0 comments

Test match veteran James O’Connor features in a much-changed Australian line-up as they prepare for their second match against Argentina in The Rugby Championship. Despite […]

Experienced Imhoff in as Pumas re-shuffle backline

11 August 2022 0 comments

Experienced winger Juan Imhoff is one of four players to come in for Argentina, as they look to bounce back from their defeat to Australia […]

Foster makes four changes for must-win game against Springboks

11 August 2022 1 comment

Ian Foster has made four changes to his All Black starting XV, as he prepares his team for a match which could define his future […]

South Africa make five changes for second match against All Blacks

9 August 2022 0 comments

South Africa have changed a third of their starting team for this Saturday’s second match up against New Zealand, as they look to maintain their […]

Captain Cane: We need to fix our work at the breakdown

7 August 2022 1 comment

Having lost five out of their last six games, the All Blacks are under immense pressure and captain Sam Cane says his side need to […]

All Black misery keeps on mounting

7 August 2022 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK South Africa ….26pts Tries: Arendse 8, Le Roux 80 Conversions: Pollard 10, 82 Penalties: Pollard 22, 51, 73 Drop-goals: Pollard 58 New […]

Wallabies fight back to secure bonus point victory

7 August 2022 1 comment

By SAM JACKSON Argentina ……..26pts Tries: Matera 6, Gonzalez 55 Conversions: Boffelli 7, 58 Penalties: Boffelli 12, 16, 22, 42 Australia ……….41pts Tries: Petaia 18, […]

Nienaber has his team on right track

7 August 2022 1 comment

NICK CAIN Consistent, coherent selection is a hallmark of the most successful teams at international level, and right now there is no-one who can match […]

The Rugby Championship Previews: Round One

6 August 2022 0 comments

So often these days sporting competitions are given a tag of the ‘most unpredictable in living memory’, but it really seems that applies to this […]

Clarke returns as All Blacks look for much needed victory in SA

4 August 2022 0 comments

Caleb Clarke returns to start for the All Blacks this weekend as Ian Foster’s heavily scrutinised side faces the Springboks at Mbombela Stadium. New Zealand […]

Sanzaar sets an ugly precedent

31 July 2022 0 comments

COLIN BOAG You’re off: But SANZAAR Laws don’t protect the welfare of our players PICTURE: Getty Images Sometimes things happen in rugby that simply beggar […]

Jantjies strikes to silence Bok critics

3 October 2021 0 comments

By DANIEL GALLAN South Africa ….31pts Tries: De Allende 6, Mapimpi 52 Penalties: Pollard 12, 24, 40, 45; E Jantjies 58, 80+3 Drop goals: E […]

Kellaway hat-trick kills Pumas

3 October 2021 0 comments

Argentina ……….17pts Tries: Gallo 63, 72 Conversions: Boffelli 63, 72 Penalties: Boffelli 42 Australia ……….32pts Tries: Fainga’a 27, Kellaway 34, 54, 58; Kerevi 43 Conversions: […]

Barrett late kick denies the Boks

26 September 2021 3 comments

By DANIEL GALLAN New Zealand….19pts Tries: Jordan 3 Conversions: J Barrett 4 Penalties: J Barrett 31, 36, 61, 78 South Africa ….17pts Tries: Nkosi 6 […]

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