The Rugby Championship is back.
All eyes will be on the Southern Hemisphere's finest throughout six matchdays in August and September, with the tournament returning to a full 12-game format after the 2023 edition was shortened due to the Rugby World Cup.
South Africa broke New Zealand's hearts in the final of that tournament in France, and now they are hoping to end the All Blacks' four-year streak of victories in this competition.
The two favourites have been kept apart on the opening matchday, and both will be desperate to avoid any slip-ups on matchday one, as the Springboks go to Australia and New Zealand entertain Argentina.
Here, we run through the best Opta stats ahead of this weekend's action, picking out the players to watch in each contest.
AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA
The action gets under way at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane as Australia host the world champions, who are targeting a third straight Test win against the Wallabies following triumphs in the last two editions of the Rugby Championship.
They only won two of their previous eight versus Australia (two draws, four losses) and last enjoyed a longer winning run against them between September 2012 and September 2013 (three matches).
With the Wallabies starting a period of transition under new head coach Joe Schmidt, Rassie Erasmus' men go in as handy favourites to follow up their 24-8 victory in Australia two years ago. They last won back-to-back Tests in Australia in July 1993.
The Springboks have won 13 of their last 15 Tests, their only two defeats in that time coming against Ireland, while their 10.8 offloads per game are the most of any Tier One nation in Tests this year.
They always bring plenty of physicality, boasting the only three Tier One players to make 10 or more carries into contact while managing a dominant carry rate of 70% or better this year, namely Ben-Jason Dixon (83%), Lukhanyo Am (82%) and Makazole Mapimpi (79%). However, the latter duo are absent from their matchday one selection.
Erasmus will be warning his side against any complacency, however, given Australia have won their last four Test matches including all three to be played in 2024.
The last time they started a calendar year with a longer winning run was in 2008 (five matches).
No Tier One team has conceded fewer than Australia's 11.3 turnovers per game in Tests this year, while only Argentina (15.33) have averaged more than South Africa (15.25). Keeping the mistakes to a minimum will be key if the Wallabies are to spring a surprise.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Australia – Jake Gordon
Gordon will form one half of Australia's run-on halves pairing, alongside Noah Lolesio. The 31-year-old has been a reliable performer at the start of this new era for Australian rugby, seeing six of his 21 kicks from hand retained by a team-mate in Test action this year.
His kick retention rate of 29% is the best of the 25 Tier One players to attempt at least 20 kicks in Test rugby in 2024.
South Africa – RG Snyman
Snyman will start at number five in place of the injured Franco Mostert, having proven a capable deputy so far this year.
He has made 10 offloads in just 182 Test rugby minutes in 2024, averaging 4.4 per 80 minutes. No other Tier One player has averaged three or more per match this year.
NEW ZEALAND v ARGENTINA
New Zealand have not failed to win the Rugby Championship in 2019, and retaining their crown will be all the more important this year, following their dramatic 12-11 defeat to South Africa in the World Cup final almost 10 months ago.
Opening their 2024 campaign in Wellington, the All Blacks will be confident of maintaining their 100% record under new head coach Scott Robertson, who oversaw two wins over England and a 47-5 rout of Fiji last month.
New Zealand have an excellent record versus Argentina, winning 16 of their previous 17 Tests against them on home soil and averaging a winning margin of 34.8 points across those victories. The only defeat in that run came in the 2022 Rugby Championship, at the low point of Ian Foster's reign as head coach.
The All Blacks got their revenge by destroying Los Pumas 44-6 in the World Cup semi-finals last year, and they have now won their last three Tests against them, scoring 40 or more points in each of those meetings.
Before that run began, New Zealand had only tallied 40 or more points in three of their previous 22 meetings with Argentina.
Argentina, meanwhile, are yet to begin a Rugby Championship campaign with a win, losing their opening match in each of their previous 11 appearances. They did, however, beat the All Blacks in their first game of the 2020 Tri Nations.
Like their hosts, Argentina are entering a new era under Felipe Contepomi, who took the reigns from Michael Cheika after the World Cup.
Los Pumas have scored an average of 6.3 tries per game in Test action this year, the most of any Tier One nation, while they also lead the way for dominant contact on carries, doing so 51 times per game on average.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Zealand – Ardie Savea
Savea will lead New Zealand out for the ninth time on Saturday, with a finger injury leaving regular skipper Scott Barrett sidelined.
Savea has been directly involved in six tries in his last six Test matches (four tries, two try assists) and scored a try when the All Blacks last faced Argentina in the Rugby Championship last August.
Argentina – Pablo Matera
Matera is also a stand-in captain for this match, with Julian Montoya absent due to a rib injury.
He made a competition-high 44 carries in the 2023 edition of the Rugby Championship, while his four offloads were the joint-most of any player in that tournament.
South Africa seal ODI series win against Ireland
South Africa claimed an emphatic 174-run victory to seal an ODI series triumph over Ireland ahead of the final game on Sunday in Abu Dhabi.
Having cruised to a 139-run victory in the opening encounter, the Proteas continued to avenge their shock T20I defeat against the same opponents last week with another commanding display.
South Africa made a strong start with the bat before Ryan Rickelton (40) fell in the 13th over, with Temba Bavuma (35) retiring hurt from the contest soon after.
Rassie van der Dussen (35) and Kyle Verreynne (67) also performed well, only for Tristan Stubbs to steal the show with 112 runs from 81 deliveries, handing the Proteas a strong grip on the encounter, with South Africa ending 343-4 from their 50 overs.
Ireland then made a dismal start to their run chase, losing five wickets in the opening 10 overs as Lizaad Williams and Lungi Ngidi ripped through their opening attack and had Ireland 50-5 early on.
Mark Adair (21) and Andy McBrine (10) momentarily halted the onslaught, but were soon sent on their way, with Gavin Hoey hitting 23 runs before he was bowled and caught by Ngidi (2-38).
Graham Hume and Craig Young's 52-run stand frustrated South Africa, only for the former to be bowled out by Bjorn Fortuin (2-36) with just under 20 overs remaining as Ireland ended all out for 169.
Data Debrief: Proteas on song
It was yet another strong display by South Africa, cruising to a comfortable victory in Abu Dhabi, with Stubbs and Williams starring with the bat and ball.
Stubbs' knock of 112 saw him record a maiden century in international cricket, ending with an impressive strike rate of 138.27.
Williams, meanwhile, continued where he left off from the first match, and now has seven wickets during the series so far.
South Africa beat Ireland in ODI opener to avenge T20I loss
South Africa cruised to a 139-run win over Ireland in the teams' first ODI in Abu Dhabi, with Lizaad Williams tearing through their opponents' batting order.
The Proteas approached Wednesday's contest reeling from a shock T20I defeat to Ireland on Sunday, with Ross Adair's maiden international century ensuring the two-match series ended 1-1.
There was not to be a repeat in the 50-over format, however, with Ireland's batting order collapsing after Ryan Rickelton (91) and Tristan Stubbs (79) guided an otherwise shaky South Africa to 271-9.
The Proteas started miserably by losing three wickets for 39 runs, Mark Adair taking two of them on his way to figures of 4-50.
But opener Rickelton stayed cool while the wickets tumbled around him, lasting 102 deliveries and allowing Stubbs to join in on the act with comfortably his best ODI score, dragging South Africa to a respectable total.
Ireland might have harboured hopes of a successful chase, but Paul Stirling's fourth-ball dismissal for just two runs set the tone, and a spate of four more wickets in the space of six overs dropped Ireland to 61-5.
Williams finished with figures of 4-32 from his 10 overs for the Proteas, who needed just 32 overs to finish off the tail and bring some much-needed positivity to their tour of the United Arab Emirates, which started with an ODI series loss to Afghanistan.
Data Debrief: Williams wins it
Rickelton and Stubbs carried South Africa to a score they were capable of defending despite no other batter scoring more than Bjorn Fortuin's 28 – seven scored 13 runs or fewer.
But it was Williams who made sure of the victory, taking three of the first four wickets to leave Ireland in a tailspin, then going on to record the best figures of his young ODI career.
In none of his previous five ODIs had Williams managed more than two wickets, while his 32 runs conceded were also his fewest in the format.
Stirling 'over the moon' after historic Ireland win over South Africa
Ireland captain Paul Stirling is "over the moon" after securing their first-ever T20I victory over South Africa, beating them by 10 runs.
Brilliant performances from brothers Ross and Mark Adair set them on course to the win, as they drew the two-match series 1-1.
Ross Adair scored his maiden international century, combining with Stirling for a superb opening partnership of 137, leading the team to 195-6, their highest T20I score against South Africa.
Mark Adair then followed up that performance with an impressive stand in the field, finishing with 4-31, before Graham Hume's 3-25 rounded off the triumph.
And Stirling was thrilled with how Ireland performed on both sides, particularly in the field.
"At halfway, we wanted an extra 15-20 runs," he said.
"They squeezed us, and we felt under-par. There was less dew [on Sunday] and we managed to get over the line.
"You need time at the crease to get the pace of the wicket. That is what won us the game.
"With new batters coming in, you always have a chance. We are absolutely delighted [with the win]. It could have gone either way. Over the moon [with the result] and hopefully we can bring it into the ODIs."
South Africa started brightly, with both Reeze Hendricks and Matthew Breetzke getting 51 after Ryan Rickelton's opening 36.
However, they soon collapsed after that, with none of the other eight batters able to reach double figures as they finished on 185-9.
Captain Aiden Markram admitted that fine margins cost them on Sunday, but he still found positives to take from the series.
"We thought it was chaseable for sure," he said. "Small moments in the game.
"It comes down to execution and if you can win those moments. When you lose wickets regularly…you want a 20-30-run partnership. They made it tough for us.
"Each guy will have a certain area to improve. We never really stop learning. Ultimately, making better decisions and winning games for South Africa."
The two sides now turn their attention to the three-match ODI series, which starts on Wednesday at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
