Round 5 of the Rugby Championship starts with a match that will almost certainly decide who wins the title this year.
New Zealand’s All Blacks lead this weekend’s rivals, South Africa, by ten points. If they take any points from this weekend’s match they will win the title.
Argentina and Australia cannot win the title but Australia could finish in second place. The only team besides New Zealand that can still win the tile is South Africa.
However to win the 2021 Rugby Championship South Africa need to beat New Zealand with bonus points and by 91 points across both matches and prevent the All Blacks from coming away from either match with any points in the standings to win the title.
That is a massive task given that New Zealand have won all four of their matches so far – with bonus points.
The All Blacks have more than the Rugby Championship title to play for this weekend as it will be the first time that the All Blacks will face the Springboks after they won the world cup in 2019 and it will be the 100th match between the two sides. There is a lot on the line this weekend.
In the second match Australia will be looking to continue their good form and a victory this weekend will move them above South Africa in the standings.
If Australia beat Argentina with bonus points in both of their upcoming matches and the All Blacks beat the Springboks by big margins in both matches, Australia could move up to second place in the World Rugby rankings so they have a lot to play for as well.
What a weekend of rugby we have coming!
New Zealand v South Africa Rugby Championship Rd.5 Preview
New Zealand’s All Blacks have played South Africa’s Springboks 99 times and the All Blacks have won 59 matches, lost 36 times, and drawn 4 matches
The All Blacks 59 wins out of 99 matches gives them a record of winning 60% of their matches against the Springboks regardless of venue or tournament
In the Rugby Championship, New Zealand’s All Blacks have played South Africa’s Springboks 50 times and they have won 36 matches, lost 13 times, and drawn once.
This gives the All Blacks a record of winning 72% of their Rugby Championship matches against the Springboks.
This weekend the match will be played in Townsville in Queensland which is home for neither side.
New Zealand and South Africa have played each other at neutral venues just four times. All of these were at the world cup (Yokahama, Twickenham, Melbourne, and Cardiff).
In those four neutral venue matches, the All Blacks have won three and lost one.
This gives the All Blacks a record of winning 75% of matches against the Springboks at neutral venues.
The average score when the All Blacks play the Springboks at neutral venues is All Blacks 22 South Africa 16.
The All Blacks have won three and drawn one of the last five matches against South Africa.
Average score in the Rugby Championship: New Zealand 40 South Africa 19
Last five results
New Zealand 23 – 13 South Africa Yokohama 21/09/2019
New Zealand 16 – 16 South Africa Draw Wellington 27/07/2019
South Africa 30 – 32 New Zealand Pretoria 6/10/2018
New Zealand 34 – 36 South Africa Wellington 15/09/2018
South Africa 24 – 25 New Zealand Cape Town 7/10/2017
New Zealand overall record against South Africa
Played 99, won 59, lost 36, drawn 4
New Zealand overall record against South Africa in the Rugby Championship
Played 50, won 36, lost 14, drawn 1
New Zealand’s winning percentage against South Africa in the Rugby Championship = 72 %
Match : New Zealand v South Africa
Date : Saturday 25 September
Venue : QLD Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Kick Off local : 17:05
Referee : Luke Pearce (ENG)
Assistant Ref 1 : Jordan Way (AUS)
Assistant Ref 2 : Reuben Keane (AUS)
TMO : Damon Murphy (AUS)
Teams
New Zealand
Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, George Bridge, Beauden Barrett, TJ Perenara, Luke Jacobson, Ardie Savea (capt), Akira Ioane, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Nepo Laulala, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody.
Replacements: Saminsoni Taukei’aho, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tuungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ethan Blackadder, Brad Weber, Damian McKenzie, Quinn Tupaea
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Albertus Smith, 6 Siyamthanda Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Trevor Nyakane
Replacements:16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Francois Mostert, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn
Australia v Argentina Rugby Championship Rd.5 Preview
Australia’s Wallabies have played Argentina’s Pumas 34 times and the Wallabies have won 25 matches, lost 6 times, and drawn 3.
The Wallabies’ 25 wins out of 34 matches gives them a record of winning 74% of their matches against the Pumas regardless of venue.
In the Rugby Championship, Australia’s Wallabies have played Argentina’s Pumas 16 times and they have won 12 matches, lost twice and drawn twice.
This gives the Wallabies a record of winning 75% of their Rugby Championship matches against the Pumas.
This weekend the match will be played in Townsville, Queensland, Australia which is home for the Wallabies but not a venue at which the teams have met before.
Australia has had home advantage against Argentina in the Rugby Championship 9 times.
In those 9 home matches played on Australian soil the Wallabies have won 6 matches and lost two.
This gives the Wallabies a record of winning 67% of their Rugby Championship matches against the Pumas at home in Australia.
The average score when the Wallabies play the Pumas at home is Australia 24 Argentina 18.
The last two matches between these teams have ended in draws but the two matches prior to those draws were both won by the Wallabies.
Argentina have not beaten Australia at home since September 2018.
Average score in the Rugby Championship: Australia 29 Argentina 19
Last five results
Australia 16 – 16 Argentina Draw Sydney 5/12/2020
Australia 15 – 15 Argentina Draw Newcastle 21/11/2020
Australia 16 – 10 Argentina Brisbane 27/07/2019
Argentina 34 – 45 Australia Salta 6/10/2018
Australia 19 – 23 Argentina Gold Coast 15/09/2018
Australia overall record against Argentina
Played 34, won 25, lost 6, drawn 3
Australia overall record against Argentina in the Rugby Championship
Played 16, won 12, lost 2, drawn 2
Australia’s winning percentage against Argentina in the Rugby Championship = 75 %
Match : Australia v Argentina
Date : Saturday 25 September
Venue : QLD Country Bank Stadium, Townsville
Kick Off local : 20:05
Referee : Matthew Carley (ENG)
Assistant Ref 1 : Jaco Peyper (RSA)
Assistant Ref 2 : Nic Berry (AUS)
TMO : Brett Cronan (AUS)
Teams
Australia
James Slipper, Folau Fainga’a, Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda, Matt Philip, Rob Leota, Michael Hooper (c) Rob Valetini, Nic White, Quade Cooper, Marika Koroibete, Samu Kerevi, Len Ikitau, Andrew Kellaway, Reece Hodge
Replacements: Feleti Kaitu’u, Angus Bell, Tom Robertson, Darcy Swain, Pete Samu, Tate McDermott, James O’Connor, Jordan Petaia
Argentina
Facundo Gigena, Julian Montoya (c), Santiago Medrano, Matias Alemanno, Tomás Lavanini, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Pablo Matera, Gonzalo Bertranou, Santiago Carreras, Emiliano Boffelli, Santiago Chocobares, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Cordero, Juan Cruz Mallia
Replacements: Santiago Socino, Rodrigo Martinez, Enrique Pieretto, Guido Petti, Joaquin Oviedo, Gonzalo Garcia, Domingo Miotti, Mateo Carreras