The third round of the 2019 Rugby Championship is the final round of this year’s truncated tournament and South Africa currently lead the standings by one point.
South Africa lead New Zealand as they earned a bonus point in their first-round match while New Zealand did not.
This presents an interesting situation as South Africa have never won the Rugby Championship and New Zealand have never won it in a Rugby World cup year. (The Tri-Nations is a different tournament with different results.)
South Africa will need to beat Argentina this weekend with a bonus point to ensure that they win their first title. However, they may not need to as Australia and New Zealand play first so by the time that the Argentina v South Africa match kicks off the Springboks will know exactly what they need to take the title. If New Zealand beat Australia but by a small margin and without a bonus point South Africa will only need to beat Argentina by a point.
The results may go a completely different way and both Australia and Argentina could win their matches as they have home advantage this weekend so anything could happen.
Note: The rugby continues next weekend outside of the Rugby Championship as these teams meet again in alternate venues in the second Bledisloe Cup match and for Argentina and South Africa a Rugby World cup warm-up.
Australia v New Zealand Rugby Championship Rd.3 Preview
Australia’s Wallabies have played New Zealand’s All Blacks 164 times since 1903 and the Wallabies have won 43 matches, lost 114 times and drawn seven matches.
The Wallabies 43 wins out of 164 matches gives them a record of winning 26% of their matches against the All Blacks regardless of venue.
This weekend the match will be played in Perth which is a home venue for the Wallabies and a venue where these teams have never met before.
In 83 home matches played on Australian soil, the Wallabies have won 26 matches, lost 51 and drawn 6 times. This gives the Wallabies a home record of winning 31% of their matches against the All Blacks at home in Australia.
The average score when the Wallabies play the All Blacks in Australia is Wallabies 15 All Blacks 20.
The Wallabies have won two out of their last five matches at home against the All Blacks but the New Zealanders won the last match on Australian soil.
This Match will be shown on TV in NZ (Sky), Aus (Fox Sports), SA (SuperSport) and in the UK on Sky Sports.
Average score: Australia 14 New Zealand 21
Last five results
Sat, 27 Oct 2018 AUS v NZL 20-37 Yokohama International Stadium
Sat, 25 Aug 2018 AUS v NZL 12-40 Eden Park, Auckland
Sat, 18 Aug 2018 AUS v NZL 13-38 Stadium Australia, Sydney
Sat, 21 Oct 2017 AUS v NZL 23-18 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Sat, 26 Aug 2017 AUS v NZL 29-35 Otago Stadium, Dunedin
Australia’s overall record against New Zealand
Played 164, Wins 43, Losses 114, Draws 7
Australia’s winning percentage against New Zealand= 26%
Match: Australia v New Zealand
Date: Sat 10 Aug 2019
Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth, Australia
Kick-Off local: TBC
Referee: Jerome Garces (FFR)
Assistant Ref 1: Jaco Peyper (SARU)
Assistant Ref 2: Shuhei Kubo (JRFU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Teams
Australia
15-Kurtley Beale, 14-Reece Hodge, 13-James O’Connor, 12-Samu Kerevi, 11-Marika Koroibete, 10-Christian Lealiifano, 9-Nic White, 8-Isi Naisarani, 7-Michael Hooper (captain), 6-Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 5-Rory Arnold, 4-Izack Rodda, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 2-Tolu Latu, 1-Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16-Folau Fainga’a, 17-James Slipper, 18-Taniela Tupou, 19-Adam Coleman, 20-Luke Jones, 21-Will Genia, 22-Matt Toomua, 23-Tom Banks.
New Zealand
15-Beauden Barrett, 14-Ben Smith, 13-Jack Goodhue, 12-Anton Lienert-Brown, 11-Rieko Ioane, 10-Richie Mo’unga, 9-Aaron Smith, 8-Kieran Read (captain), 7-Sam Cane, 6-Ardie Savea, 5-Sam Whitelock, 4-Scott Barrett, 3-Owen Franks, 2-Dane Coles, 1-Joe Moody.
Replacements: 16-Codie Taylor, 17-Atu Moli, 18-Angus Ta’avao, 19-Patrick Tuipulotu, 20-Matt Todd, 21-TJ Perenara, 22-Ngani Laumape, 23-George Bridge.
Argentina v South Africa v Rugby Championship Rd.3 Preview
Argentina’s Pumas have played South Africa’s Springboks 28 times since 1993 and the Pumas have won 3 matches, lost 24 times and drawn once.
The Pumas three wins out of 28 matches give them a record of winning 11% of their matches against the Springboks regardless of venue.
This weekend the match will be played in Salta which is a home venue for the Pumas and a city where the teams have met 3 times.
In those 3 matches played in Salta the Pumas have won 1 matches and lost 2. This gives the Pumas a record of winning 33% of their matches against the Springboks at home in Salta.
The average score when the Pumas play the Springboks in Salta is : Pumas 27 Springboks 33.
The Springboks won the last match against Argentina in Salta and that was in 2017. The last time Argentina beat South Africa in Salta was in 2016.
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 20 South Africa 35
Last five results
Sat, 25 Aug 2018 ARG v SAF 32-19 Mendoza
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
Argentina’s overall record against South Africa
Played 28, Wins 3, Losses 24, Draws 1
Argentina’s winning percentage against South Africa= %
Match: Argentina v South Africa
Date: Sat 10 Aug 2019
Venue: Salta, Argentina
Kick-Off local: TBC
Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)
Assistant Ref 1: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Ref 2: Karl Dickson (RFU)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (RFU)
Teams
Argentina
15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Facundo Isa, 7 Javier Ortega Desio, 6 Pablo Matera (captain), 5 Marcos Kremer, 4 Matias Alemanno, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Santiago Medrano, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Bertanou, 22 Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23 Joaquin Tuculet
South Africa
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, RG Snyman, Francois Louw, Herschel Jantjies, Frans Steyn, Jesse Kriel.