The second round of the 2017 Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup sees New Zealand hosting Australia’s Wallabies and Argentina’s Pumas hosting South Africa’s Springboks.
The match-ups remain the same as last week but in the second round last week’s away teams will have home advantage.
New Zealand v Australia Rugby Championship Rd.2 Preview
After last week’s All Black victory over the Wallabies New Zealand have now won their last six matches against Australia.
New Zealand’s All Blacks have played Australia 159 times in history and they have won 110 matches and drawn 7.
In the Rugby Championship (since 2012) the All Blacks have played the Wallabies 10 times and they have won 8, drawn one and lost one. This gives the All Blacks a record of winning 80% of their matches.
In Dunedin, New Zealand have hosted Australia 12 times and won 11 matches. The average score when the teams meet in Dunedin is New Zealand 22 Australia 12.
Australia made a terrible start in last week’s match and by half time the All Blacks had the match won. Australia won the second half but the damage had already been done. There is little to suggest that Australia will be able to earn their second victory in Dunedin where they last won 16 years ago in 2001.
The Bookies have given Australia a 29 point start for this Match – with an offer of up to $200 in Bonus bets. The All Blacks will be much too strong for Australia again this weekend and they should win comfortably by around 30 points.
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, 19 Aug 2017 NZL v AUS 54-34 Stadium Australia, Sydney
Sat, 22 Oct 2016 NZL v AUS 37-10 Eden Park, Auckland
Sat, 27 Aug 2016 NZL v AUS 29-9 Westpac Trust, Wellington
Sat, 20 Aug 2016 NZL v AUS 42-8 Stadium Australia, Sydney
Sat, 31 Oct 2015 WC Final NZL v AUS 34-17 Twickenham, London
New Zealand’s overall record against Australia
Played 159 , Wins 110 , Losses 42, Draws 7
Winning percentage = 69%
Match Officials
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU)
Assistant Ref 1: Jerome Garces (FFR)
Assistant Ref 2: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
TMO : Rowan Kitt (RFU)
Teams
New Zealand
1. Joe Moody , 2. Dane Coles, 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. Rieko Ioane , 12. Sonny Bill Williams, 13. Ryan Crotty , 14. Ben Smith , 15. Damian McKenzie
Replacements :16. Codie Taylor, 17. Kane Hames, 18. Ofa Tu’ungafasi , 19. Scott Barrett, 20. Ardie Savea , 21. TJ Perenara, 22. Lima Sopoaga , 23. Anton Lienert-Brown
Australia
1. Scott Sio, 2. Stephen Moore , 3. Allan Alaalatoa , 4. Rob Simmons, 5. Adam Coleman, 6. Ned Hanigan , 7. Michael Hooper (c) , 8. Sean McMahon , 9. Will Genia, 10. Bernard Foley , 11. Henry Speight , 12. Kurtley Beale , 13. Tevita Kuridrani , 14. Dane Haylett-Petty, 15. Israel Folau
Replacements : 16. Tatafu Polota-Nau , 17. Tom Robertson, 18. Sekope Kepu, 19. Rory Arnold , 20. Lopeti Timani /Jack Dempsey , 21. Nick Phipps , 22. Reece Hodge
Argentina v South Africa Rugby Championship Rd.2 Preview
South Africa’s Rugby Championship victory over Argentina last weekend in Port Elizabeth has put the Springboks into second place in the standings.
Argentina need a win this weekend at home if they are to remain in the hunt for the Championship.
Argentina’s Pumas have played South Africa’s Springboks 25 times throughout history and they have won 2 matches and drawn one.
At home in Argentina the Pumas have played the Springboks 12 times won one and drawn one. The last South African victory in Argentina was in 2015 and their last victory in Salta was in 2014.
The average score when the Pumas play the Springboks at home is Argentina 21 South Africa 34.
Argentina surprised South Africa early on in the match last week but the Springboks power eventually came through and delivered a comfortable victory for SA. Argentina usually perform better at home so the Springboks can expect a tougher contest this weekend. Argentina’s scrum was unusually weak and they will be wanting a big improvement in this part of the game.
The Bookies have given Argentina a 7 point start for this Match – with an offer of up to $200 in Bonus bets. Although Argentina usually play better at home they haven’t shown much to say that they are at the Springboks level. South Africa should win by around 8.
This Match will be shown on TV in NZ (Sky), Aus (Fox Sports), SA (SuperSport) and in the UK on Sky Sports.
Average score:Argentina 19 South Africa 36
Last five results
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 2016ARG v SAF 23-30 Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
Fri, 30 Oct 2015 WC 3&4 ARG v SAF 13-24 Olympic Stadium, London
Sat, 15 Aug 2015 ARG v SAF 12-26 Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires
Argentina’s overall record against South Africa
Played 25, Wins 2 , Losses 22 , Draws 1
Winning percentage = 8%
Match Officials
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (FFR)
Assistant Ref 1: Romain Poite (FFR)
Assistant Ref 2: Nic Berry (ARU)
TMO : Glenn Newman (NZR)
Teams
Argentina
Joaquín Tuculet, Ramiro Moyano,Matías Orlando , Jerónimo de la Fuente , Emiliano Boffelli, Juan Martín Hernández , Tomás Cubelli, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Tomás Lezana , Pablo Matera ,Tomás Lavanini , Matías Alemanno ,Ramiro Herrera, Agustín Creevy (C),Lucas Noguera Paz.
Replacements Julián Montoya, Santiago García Botta, Enrique Pieretto, Marcos Kremer, Javier Ortega Desio, Martín Landajo, Nicolás Sánchez , Matías Moroni.
South Africa
15. Andries Coetzee , 14. Raymond Rhule , 13. Jesse Kriel , 12. Jan Serfontein , 11. Courtnall Skosan , 10. Elton Jantjies , 9. Francois Hougaard , 8. Uzair Cassiem , 7. Jaco Kriel, 6. Siya Kolisi , 5. Franco Mostert , 4. Eben Etzebeth (c), 3. Coenie Oosthuizen , 2. Malcolm Marx , 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Bongi Mbonambi , 17. Steven Kitshoff , 18. Trevor Nyakane , 19. Pieter-Steph du Toit , 20. Jean-Luc du Preez , 21. Rudy Paige, 22. Curwin Bosch,23. Damian de Allende
