The All Blacks lead the 2018 Rugby Championship after the first round with South Africa’s Springboks in second place.
Argentina are placed third and Australia are last as they suffered the biggest loss in the opening round.
This weekend the New Zealand host Australia and Argentina host South Africa. Here we look at the matches coming up this weekend.
New Zealand v Australia Rugby Championship Rd.2 Preview
New Zealand’s All Blacks beat Australia’s Wallabies 38-13 in the opening round last week and this week they will have home advantage.
In 2017 in the opening round the All Blacks won the match between these teams by 20 points but in the second round when Australia travelled to New Zealand
as they will this weekend they All Blacks won by just 6 points.
New Zealand have played Australia 162 times and they have won 112 matches or 69% of the clashes. This weekend the match will be played at Eden Park where
the teams have met 27 times. In those 27 matches the All Blacks have won 23 times and lost four.
That record gives the All Blacks a record of winning 85% of the matches with an average score of New Zealand 25 Australia 14.
This year the All Blacks have played four matches and they have won all four. Australia have played four matches as well and they have won just the one – against Ireland in June.
New Zealand have won the last 17 matches between these teams at Eden Park. The Wallabies have not won at Eden Park since 1986.
This Match will be shown on TV in NZ (Sky), Aus (Fox Sports), SA (SuperSport) and in the UK on Sky Sports.
Average score: New Zealand 21 Australia 14
Last five results
Sat, 18 Aug 2018 NZL v AUS 38-13 Stadium Australia, Sydney
Sat, 21 Oct 2017 NZL v AUS 18-23 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Sat, 26 Aug 2017 NZL v AUS 35-29 Otago Stadium, Dunedin
Sat, 19 Aug 2017 NZL v AUS 54-34 Stadium Australia, Sydney
Sat, 22 Oct 2016 NZL v AUS 37-10 Eden Park, Auckland
New Zealand’s overall record against Australia
Played 162 , Wins 112, Losses 43 , Draws 7
Winning percentage = 69.1 %
Match Officials
Referee:Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Ref 1: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant Ref 2: Luke Pearce (RFU)
TMO : Marius Jonker (SARU)
Teams
New Zealand
1. Joe Moody, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Brodie Retallick, 5. Samuel Whitelock, 6. Liam Squire , 7. Sam Cane , 8. Kieran Read (c), 9. Aaron Smith , 10. Beauden Barrett , 11. Waisake Naholo , 12. Ngani Laumape, 13. Jack Goodhue , 14. Ben Smith, 15. Jordie Barrett ,
Replacements : 16. Nathan Harris , 17. Karl Tu’inukuafe , 18. Ofa Tuungafasi , 19. Scott Barrett, 20. Ardie Savea , 21. TJ Perenara , 22. Damian McKenzie , 23. Anton Lienert-Brown
Australia
1. Scott Sio , 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau , 3. Allan Alaalatoa , 4. Izack Rodda , 5. Adam Coleman , 6. Lukhan Tui, 7. Michael Hooper (c) , 8. David Pocock , 9. Will Genia , 10. Bernard Foley , 11. Marika Koroibete , 12. Kurtley Beale , 13. Reece Hodge , 14. Jack Maddocks , 15. Dane Haylett-Petty,
Replacements: 16. Folau Faingaa, 17. Tom Robertson , 18. Sekope Kepu , 19. Rob Simmons , 20. Pete Samu , 21. Nick Phipps , 22. Matt Toomua , 23. Tom Banks
Argentina v South Africa Rugby Championship Rd.2 Preview
Argentina have returned home after losing in Durban last weekend and this weekend they will have home advantage over South Africa.
South Africa’s Springboks have had to travel for this match but if they will it will be their fourth straight win over the Pumas.
Overall Argentina have played South Africa 27 times since 1993 and they have won two matches and drawn one.
This weekend the match will be played in Mendoza, Argentina where these teams have met just twice. In those two matches the Pumas have drawn one and lost one.
The average score when these teams meet at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza is Argentina 16 South Africa 19.
This year Argentina have played four matches and they have yet to win a match. Three of those losses were at home.
South Africa’s Springboks have played four matches and won three. This will be their first match away from home.
Average score: Argentina 20 South Africa 36.
Last five results
Sat, 18 Aug 2018 ARG v SAF 21-34 Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Sat, 26 Aug 2017 ARG v SAF 23-41 Salta
Sat, 19 Aug 2017 ARG v SAF 15-37 N. Mandela Bay, Pt Elizabeth
Sat, 27 Aug 2016 ARG v SAF 26-24 Salta
Sat, 20 Aug 2016 ARG v SAF 23-30 Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Argentina’s overall record against South Africa
Played 27 , Wins 2 , Losses 24 , Draws 1
Winning percentage = 7.4%
Match Officials
Referee: Angus Gardner (ARU)
Assistant Ref 1: Ben O’Keeffe (NZRU)
Assistant Ref 2: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
TMO : Simon McDowell (IRFU)
Teams
Argentina
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Bautista Ezcurra, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustin Creevy (captain), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Replacements: 16 Facundo Bosch, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21, Tomas Cubelli, 22 Jeronimo De La Fuente, 23 Juan Cruz Mallia
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Makazole Mapimpi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Siya Kolisi (captain), 6 Francois Louw, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Lionel Mapoe, 23 Damian Willemse