Rugby Championship round 6: preview and predictions

Argentina v Australia
Santiago Phelan has once again named the same starting XV as the Pumas seek their first ever win in the Rugby Championship.
Despite being hammered 54-15 by the All Blacks last week, it is the same side who will take the field with only two changes to the bench.
Former Harlequins lock Tomas Vallejos is replaced by Leornardo Senatore while fly-half Nicolas Sanchez take the place of the injured full-back Martin Rodriguez.
Hampered by injuries, Australia made five changes to the starting line-up.
Queensland Reds duo Mike Harris and Ben Tapuai come in at full-back and outside centre to replace the injured Berrick Barnes and Adam Ashley-Cooper while Nick Cummins replaces Dominic Shipperley on the right wing.
Up front, Sitaleki makes a welcomed return at blindside with James Slipper switching with Benn Robinson at loose-head.
It has been a disappointing Championship for the Wallabies who count only two wins in five games so a good performance would be welcome before they travel to Europe for the Autumn series.
Argentina: Gonzalez Amorosino; Camacho, Bosch, Fernandez, Agulla; Hernandez, Landajo; Roncero, Guinazu, Figallo; Carizza, Albacete; Farias Cabello, Leguizamon, Fernandez Lobbe (capt.).
Replacements: Creevy, Orlandi, Senatore, Leonardi, Vergallo, Sanchez, Imhoff.
Australia: Harris; Cummins, Tapuai, McCabe, Ioane; Beale, Phipps; Slipper, Polota-Nau, Alexander; Douglas, Sharpe (capt.); Timani, Hooper, Samo.
Replacements: Fainga’a, Robinson, Dennis, Higginbotham, Gill, Sheehan, Shipperley.
Prediction: I said a while back that history would be made during that fixture and I’m sticking to my gun. Australia are missing key players while the Pumas are desperate for that historic win. It might not be pretty but they will win.
South Africa v New Zealand
For the first time on over three years, South Africa have named an unchanged starting XV for two consecutive Tests.
The only change to the matchday 22 is on the bench, where Coenie Oosthuizen takes over from Pat Cilliers as prop replacement.
After an impressive debut, Johan Goosen retains the fly-half jersey from Morne Steyn with youngster Elton Jantjies covering the fly-half position on the bench.
Bath‘s Francois Louw starts once again at openside alongside Willem Alberts and Duane Vermeulen in a strong back row.
They found some form last week to dominate Australia last week and facing the No.1 side in the world before heading to Europe will be a great test for them.
New Zealand are already assured to win the inaugural Rugby Championship but they have name a strong team to make sure they finish a high.
Hosea Gear and Broddie Retallick have been included on the starting XV for Julian Savea on the left wing and Luke Romano at lock respectively.
There is three changes on the bench with prop Ben Franks, loose forward Adam Thomson and utility back Tamati Ellison replacing Charlie Faumuina, Sam Cane and Ben Smith.
The world champions, who are on a run of 15 consecutive Tests wins, return in South Africa to face the team that last beat them in August last year.
South Africa: Kirchner; Habana, Taute, De Villiers (capt.), Hougaard; Goosen, Pienaar; Mtawarira, Strauss, Du Plessis; Etzebeth, Bekker; Louw, Alberts, Vermeulen.
Replacements: Liebenberg, Oosthuizen, Van der Merwe, Coetzee, Jantjies, De Jongh, Lambie.
New Zealand: Dagg; Jane, C. Smith, Nonu, Gear; Carter, A. Smith; Woodcock, Hore, O. Franks; Retallick, Whitelock; Messam, McCaw (capt.), Read.
Replacements: Mealamu, B. Franks, Romano, Thomson, Weepu, Cruden, Ellison.
Prediction: South Africa will be keen to show how much they improved since the start of the Championship but the All Blacks are not the type of teams to sit on their laurels. The Springboks will run them close but it won’t be enough just yet.
NICK VERDIER