New leaders for old rivalries

The Rugby Championship preview

Paul Rees predicts that New Zealand and South Africa will battle for top spot – but it might come down to bonus points

THE Rugby Championship is a sporting oddity. It is part tournament, part tour because of the travel involved with the four teams spanning the breadth of the southern hemisphere.

It starts on Saturday when Australia take on South Africa in Brisbane before New Zealand face Argentina in Wellington 10 months after the sides last met in the World Cup semi-final. A week later the fixtures are repeated, although in different cities, Perth and Auckland.

The middle two rounds see New Zealand, the only winners of the tournament this decade, visit South Africa and Australia travel to Argentina. The format turns to home and away in the final two weekends when neither the Wallabies nor the All Blacks will find themselves on a long haul flight, unlike the other two.

All four teams are under new management after last year's World Cup, although South Africa's head coach Rassie Erasmus never went away after the 2019 World Cup. Jacques Nienaber, now at Leinster, took charge of the side but Erasmus maintained a high profile, whether carrying water, setting social media aflame or fronting up to the media. Scott Robertson, fresh from a narrow series victory over England, has been charged with making the All Blacks the team to fear again, Felipe Contepomi has taken over from Michael Cheika in Argentina and Joe Schmidt, who set Ireland on their way and was part of New Zealand's management team in the France World Cup, has the task of picking up the pieces in Australia.

Schmidt has a 100 per cent record after three matches this summer. Australia won both Tests against Wales before beating Georgia, but showed they were a team trying to find its way. They had moments of brilliance and the graft Schmidt demands, but they struggled to defend driving mauls, one of the reasons why it was a surprise La Rochelle's Will Skelton was not restored to the squad, and resorted to indiscipline under pressure.

“We know there's a lot of hard work to do ahead of the matches against South Africa,” said Schmidt. “We have got a short-term focused, long-term view. I know it is a paradox but it is one you have to employ so that you best vaccinate against future injury or changes in form.

“We learned a little bit more about the players in the three matches but, having been doing similar jobs to this for a long time, I am realistic. Your come to appreciate that it takes time to build a game model and combinations. It is something we do not have ahead of South Africa: they are a while different level and we have to be able to deliver.”

South Africa, who retained the World Cup last year, will be fancied to win both matches, but Erasmus points to the difference Schmidt has always made to teams while the Springboks have a poor record there: five victories since the tournament started in 1996 and just one in the last nine.

“Australia are a good side and our history shows that it is hard to win there,” said Erasmus. “They have a new coach in Joe Schmidt and they are a proper team. They also are also very detail focused, and they have a few new players who we haven't really encountered before, so we have no doubt they will give everything.

“When Joe was the coach of Ireland I worked closely with him during my time at Munster. He is a man with a great work ethic and who knows how to bring the best out of his players. We know the magnitude of the task facing us and what it will take to win both Tests there.”

Australia are without injured back rowers Luke Wright and Fraser McReight. Wing Marika Koroibete is the only overseas player in the 36-strong squad while Schmidt, who has given nine players their first caps this year, has included six who have yet to make their Test debut.

They include flanker Carlo Tizzano who has forged a reputation in Super Rugby for his ability over the ball and the pacy wing Corey Toole, who was part of Australia's Sevens squad in this year's Olympics.

South Africa's injury problems run deeper. They travelled to Australia without the injured Faf de Klerk, Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager, Steven Kitshoff, Damian Willemse, Canan Moodie and Jean Kleyn while Jasper Wiese and Andre Esterhuizen are serving suspensions.

“While this may be a very different challenge to facing Wales, Ireland and Portugal, we have full faith in the players to make another big step-up against the southern hemisphere teams, who play a different type of rugby to the sides we've faced up to now,” said Erasmus.

“We are under no illusions about what lies ahead with New Zealand our World Cup final opponents in a one-point game and big rivals, Australia always to be reckoned with at home and Argentina, physical and competitive, always push us to the limit.”

New Zealand will not be assuming anything against Argentina in the opening two rounds having lost to the Pumas in Christchurch two years ago, but they give Robertson further opportunities to put his imprint on the side ahead of the clashes in South Africa.

Clash of titans: Sam Cane gets to grips with Eben Etzebeth during the 2023 World Cup final and, left, recalled Wallaby wing Marika Koroibete

PICTURES: Getty Images

Robertson was frustrated at how England slowed down New Zealand's possession and turned the midfield into a muddle. He has restored the World Cup captain Sam Cane to the squad having yet to find an effective replacement for the openside flanker who will retire from international rugby at the end of 2024 after signing a three-year deal with Japanese side Suntory Sungoliath. Cane, along with backs Will Jordan, David Havili and the uncapped Ruben Love are the only players who did not feature in last month's matches against England and Fiji. Captain Scott Barrett could miss first two rounds after finger surgery.

Taking charge: from left, Felipe Contepomi, Joe Schmidt, Scott Robertson and Rassie Erasmus

“It was a tough squad to select because everyone has owned their opportunities,” said Robertson. “Continuity is important, but it is also important to reward performance.”

Former New Zealand full-back and coach Laurie Mains, not someone known for being easily impressed, is confident Robertson can take New Zealand back to the top of the world rankings.

“I believe in him for two reasons,” said Mains. “What he achieved with the Crusaders, seven successive Super Rugby titles, and I do not care how good the players were.

Class act: Juan Martin Gonzalez returns to the Argentina squad

“And the fight they showed to win the two Tests against England. It showed me the players were totally committed to the team and the first achievement for a coach is to get that.

“Each time they have played you can see more of what they were trying to achieve. The first Test against England would have been one of the hardest matches to play in because they were good and very aggressive in defence.”

Argentina warmed up for the tournament with a two-match series against France and a visit to Uruguay. The French were some way below strength but won the first Test comfortably only for the Pumas to show their claws in the second, scrummaging with the might of old.

They put 79 points on a Uruguay side that pushed Scotland all the way last weekend and Contepomi has bolstered his squad by recalling Lucio Cinti, Agustin Creevy, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Tomas Lavani, Juan Cruz Mallia and Joel Slavic, who were all rested last month, but Gloucester lock Matias Alemanno has been left out.

“We know what an enormous challenge the Rugby Championship presents,” said Contepomi. “We are looking to build anew and while we have taken 31 players to New Zealand, it is not the list for the rest of the competition and it may change.” Alemanno's slot in the second row has been taken by the uncapped Efrain Elias, who captained Argentina in last month's Under-20 World Championship.

Unlike the Six Nations, the matches will be played at a number of venues with only Wellington's Sky Stadium hosting more than one. South Africa will be in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Mbombela, Australia will go from Brisbane to Perth and finish in Sydney while Argentina will take in La Plata, Santa Fe and Santiago del Estero.

South Africa will start as favourites having won the World Cup, their last two matches against New Zealand and facing the All Blacks twice at home. They have not, though, won the tournament since 2019 and two years ago, when New Zealand hit a period of turbulence that led to calls for the then head coach Ian Foster to be sacked despite the World Cup being little more than a year away, they found strength in adversity.

They lost 26-10 in Mbombela in the opening round, a defeat that dropped them to fifth in the world rankings, their lowest ever position. A week later they pitched up at Ellis Park and won 35-23, keeping Foster in his job. The bulk of the 23 that day are still in the squad.

It is hard to look beyond the Springboks and the All Blacks as title winners, but if Argentina maintain the progress they made under Cheika and Schmidt mines reserves of defiance in Australia, it may come down to bonus points.

ARGENTINA SQUAD

FORWARDS: Eduardo Bello, Agustin Creevy, Efrain Elias, Thomas Gallo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Tomas Lavanini, Pablo Matera, Franco Molina, Julian Montoya, Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Bautista Pedemonte, Pedro Rubiolo, Ignacio Ruiz, Joel Sclavi, Lucio Sordoni, Mayco Vivas BACKS: Thomas Albornoz, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Gonzalo Bertranou, Martin Bogado, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Santiago Chocobares, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Cordero, Bautista Del-guy, Gonzalo Garcia, Juan Cruz Mallia, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando

AUSTRALIA SQUAD

FORWARDS: Allan Alaalatoa, Angus Bell, Angus Blyth, Matt Faessler, Nick Frost, Tom Hooper, Isaac Kailea, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Billy Pollard, Luke Reimer, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Seru Uru, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson BACKS: Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Josh Flook, Jake Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Marika Koroibete, Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh, Tate McDermott, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright

NEW ZEALAND SQUAD

FORWARDS: Asafo Aumua, Codie Taylor, George Bell, Ethan De Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Fletcher Newell, Pasilio Tosi, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Tamaiti Williams, Scott Barrett (c), Tupou Vaa'i, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sam Darry, Ethan Blackadder, Sam Cane, Samipeni Finau, Luke Jacobson, Dalton Papali'i, Ardie Savea (vc), Wallace Sititi BACKS: Noah Hotham, TJ Perenara, Cortez Ratima, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Jordie Barrett (vc), David Havili, Rieko Ioane, Anton Lienert-Brown, Billy Proctor, Caleb Clarke, Will Jordan, Ruben Love, Stephen Perofeta, Sevu Reece, Mark Tele'a

INJURY COVER: Josh Lord

SOUTH AFRICA SQUAD

FORWARDS: Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Johan Grobbelaar, Vincent Koch, Siya Kolisi (c), Elrigh Louw, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Salmaan Moerat, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Kwagga Smith, RG Snyman, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels BACKS: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Damian de Allende, Aphelele Fassi, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Manie Libbok, Handre Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg, Grant Williams