Shamar Joseph said clinching a five-for on his home debut for West Indies was "the best feeling" after 17 wickets fell in a dramatic start to their second Test against South Africa.
Joseph posted brilliant figures of 5-33 on day one in Guyana as South Africa were skittled for just 160 on Thursday.
However, the Proteas ended the day with the upper hand as Wiaan Mulder responded with figures of 4-18 to help reduce the Windies to 97-7 by stumps.
Joseph, though, is convinced the hosts will recover to win the Test and the two-match series, which remains perfectly poised following a draw in Trinidad and Tobago last week.
"It's a great feeling to have done this at home," Joseph said of his five-wicket haul.
"I haven't really played much here at Providence but I always go in with a clear plan to do what the team needed, and I am glad I was able to deliver today.
"There's no place like home and playing in front of your home crowd is just the best feeling that could ever happen to anyone playing international cricket.
"Coming back home, the support was great and I'm glad I was able to go out and do my best. We want to win this Test match so badly and I know we will win it."
South Africa bowler Mulder, meanwhile, said he had watched Joseph's outing closely and looked to replicate it when stepping up to remove Kraigg Brathwaite, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge and Joshua Da Silva through his six overs with the ball.
"I didn't bowl at my best but I had a lot going for me today," Mulder said. "I just tried to replicate what Shamar did earlier in the day by bowling a length which made it difficult for the batters to score.
"He's obviously quicker than I am but the pitch also helped my style of bowling so I was able to capitalise."
The Rugby Championship returned with a bang last weekend.
World champions South Africa stated their intent from the very start, dishing out a 33-7 thrashing to end Australia's unbeaten run under Joe Schmidt.
Meanwhile, New Zealand's crown could be under threat after they suffered an opening day slip-up as Argentina pounced, upsetting the All Blacks with a 38-30 victory.
Australia and New Zealand have a chance to right those wrongs on matchday two, while South Africa and Argentina will be looking to pull clear at the top of the table.
Here, we run through the best Opta stats ahead of this weekend's action, picking out the players to watch in each contest.
NEW ZEALAND V ARGENTINA
New Zealand's defence of their Rugby Championship title did not get off to the desired start as they let their half-time lead slip to lose to Argentina in Wellington last weekend, ending head coach Scott Robertson's perfect start.
However, they will be stepping out in Auckland this time around, a happy hunting ground for them as they are undefeated across their last 51 Test matches there (49 wins, two draws), scoring an average of 36.7 points per game across that span. Their last defeat in the city was a 20-23 loss against France in July 1994.
New Zealand also won their only previous meeting with Argentina at Eden Park, cruising to a 33-10 victory in the 2011 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
They bring plenty of physicality too, having made 11 offloads in the first round, the most of any team; the All Blacks have logged more than 10 offloads in their last two matches in the competition after doing so only once across their previous nine games in the tournament beforehand.
Argentina, meanwhile, won their Rugby Championship opener for the first time, having lost it in their previous 11 appearances.
And, after coming from behind to win that game, they look to have a new lease of life under Felipe Contepomi as they aim to get back-to-back wins over New Zealand for the first time.
Indeed, Los Pumas have won each of their last two Test matches against tier one opposition (38-30 v New Zealand and 33-25 v France) - the last time they recorded a longer winning run in such fixtures was a three-match span at the 2007 Rugby World Cup (v France, Ireland and Scotland).
Argentina made 183 tackles in round one of the Rugby Championship, the most of any team; it is the third time they have logged 180+ in a match in the tournament since the beginning of 2021 – Australia (twice) are the only other team to have done so more than once in that time.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New Zealand – Ethan Blackadder
Despite being on the wrong end of the scoreline, Blackadder managed to catch the eye as he completed 20 tackles in round one of the Rugby Championship, the most of any player.
In fact, it was the joint-most he has made in a Test match for the All Blacks (also 20 v Ireland in November 2021).
Argentina – Matteo Carreras
While Agustin Creevy stole the headlines during Argentina's win last weekend, Matteo Carreras' involvement was equally important.
He has scored three tries in his last two Test matches, including one try against New Zealand last time out, as many as he scored in his eight Tests prior to that run combined (three).
AUSTRALIA V SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa started as they mean to go on with their statement win over Australia last weekend, and they have now won their last three Test matches against the Wallabies by an average margin of 24.3 points.
The last time the Springboks recorded a longer winning run against the Wallabies was a seven-match span from August 1969 to August 1971.
Indeed, South Africa have won each of their last two Test matches against their opponents in Australia, conceding no more than eight points on the day in either of those two wins.
South Africa's form anywhere away from home is impressive enough. They have won each of their last six Test matches outside their country, with three of those six victories coming by a single-point margin on the day. The last time the Springboks recorded a longer winning run outside the country was a nine-match span from August to November in 2007.
Rassie Erasmus' side completely dominated as they gained 547 metres on matchday one of the Rugby Championship, 149 metres more than the team with the second most (Argentina – 398); only once across their last 22 matches in the competition prior have the Springboks gained more in a game (698 v Australia in July 2023).
Schmidt's hopes of a strong start to the tournament quickly evaporated in Brisbane, but a move to Perth could be a good boost for their confidence, with Australia only losing one of their last nine Test matches in the city (winning seven, drawing one).
Australia won 20 line-outs (inc. two steals) in round one of the Rugby Championship, the most of any team; only once across their last 40 Test matches prior to that game had the Wallabies logged as many (20, inc. four steals v Fiji in September 2023). If they can make those count, they could give themselves a chance.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Australia – Harry Wilson
While Australia's attacking play left much to be desired, Harry Wilson provided them with a driving force as he crossed the gainline on 10 carries on matchday one, the second most of any player (Ardie Savea, 12).
He also won seven line-outs, the most of any player in the opening round of the tournament.
South Africa – Kurt-Lee Arendse
Kurt-Lee Arendse continued his impressive run of form with two tries against Australia last time out, meaning he has now scored four tries in his last four Test matches.
He has scored five tries in his two career appearances against the Wallabies, scoring a hat-trick against them last year in addition to last week's brace.
Shamar Joseph’s dream start to Test cricket continued but Wiaan Mulder and Nandre Burger led a spirited fightback for the touring South Africans on day one of the second Test at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday.
South Africa, after winning the toss and batting first, were bowled out for 160 in 54 overs while the West Indies were 97-7 after 28.2 overs in reply, trailing by 63 runs at stumps on day one.
South Africa were made to rue their decision to bat first very quickly as Tony de Zorzi (1), Aiden Markram (14), Temba Bavuma (0) and Tristan Stubbs (26) all fell before the 25th over to leave them reeling at 57-4.
That quickly became 97-9 when Kyle Verreynne, their last recognized batsman, became Shamar Joseph’s fifth victim of the innings with just 36.1 overs on the board.
With the West indies seemingly on the brink of restricting South Africa to less than 100, Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger showed grit, fighting off some quality West Indian bowling on the way to a final wicket partnership of 63 before Burger finally fell off the bowling of Gudakesh Motie for 23 in the 54th over.
David Bedingham was South Africa’s top scorer in the first innings with 28.
Joseph finished with figures of 5-33 off 14 overs and was supported well by Jayden Seales who took 3-45, also from 14 overs.
The West Indian reply got off to a disappointing start when Mikyle Louis was bowled by Burger for a duck in the second over.
The hosts then continued to lose wickets at regular intervals as Kraigg Brathwaite (3), Alick Athanaze (1), Kavem Hodge (4), Keacy Carty (26), and Joshua Da Silva (4) all fell within the first 20 overs.
Jason Holder has so far provided the only meaningful resistance to the South African bowling with 33* while Gudakesh Motie’s wicket for 11 in the 29th over signaled the end of the day’s play.
Wiaan Mulder has dominated the West Indian batting so far with a career best 4-18 off six overs while Burger has taken 2-32 from his seven overs.
Full Scores:
South Africa 160 off 54 overs (David Bedingham 28, Tristan Stubbs 26, Shamar Joseph 5-33, Jayden Seales 3-45)
West Indies 97-7 off 28.2 overs (Jason Holder 33*, Keacy Carty 26, Wiaan Mulder 4-18, Nandre Burger 2-32)
Though pleased with aspects of their performance in the first Test against South Africa, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite stressed the need for his team to step up their performance in the second Test as the two-match series hangs in the balance.
After securing a hard-fought draw in the first encounter in Trinidad and Tobago, Brathwaite is confident that his side can deliver a stronger showing in the decisive contest to clinch a 1-0 series win in Guyana and, more importantly, get points on the board to move up the ICC Test Championships standings. They are currently sitting at the bottom of the standings with a solitary win.
“I think it's important to get a good first-inning total; that is one thing we discussed as a batting group, and bowling, we just have to be disciplined. I think we were decent in the first game, and we just have to aim to be better,” Brathwaite said in a pre-game press conference.
Reflecting on the series opener, which was severely affected by rain, Brathwaite expressed a mixture of relief and determination, as his team was possibly staring down defeat before Alick Athanaze’s well-played knock of 92 and bad light intervened on the final day.
Alick Athanaze produced a tidy second-inning knock in the first Test. (AFP)
A number of West Indies batsmen had starts across both innings but failed to push on. The scores in that game were South Africa 357 and 173-3 declared, while the Caribbean side mustered 233 and 201-5.
"Obviously, we can’t control the weather. I think batting-wise, the first thing is the total. I think we could have put more runs on the board. So, as I said, I think that was a big focus of ours in terms of a good first innings total. And, you know, bowling wise, obviously pitch didn't offer much, especially for the fast boys. They didn't get much spin in the first innings as well,” Brathwaite shared.
“But I think we were quite disciplined. I was happy the guys scored out pretty much two runs on over for the innings, so I was happy with that. But I just think it's important, you know, to get a good all-round game. Batting wise, obviously we got to come to the party; first innings will be very crucial on this pitch, and then bowling wise, I think dot balls are very important,” he added.
The Barbadian also stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on South Africa, especially with the Providence pitch expected to be low and slow, similar to the one they encountered at Queens Park Oval last week. Should that be the case, Brathwaite believes a more resilient and focused effort will be crucial on this occasion.
In fact, the addition of Guyanese Shamar Joseph is an indication of West Indies’ aim to exploit the conditions as best as they can.
“It’s a similar type of surface to Trinidad, to be honest, in terms of slowness. Obviously, some of the Guyanese players on the team would know it better than most of the other players. So I think the communication between the guys has been good. We all know that it's the slowest pitch, so it's just to work out how, as individual players, we want to go about scoring runs and, obviously, bowling some good spells,” Brathwaite reasoned.
He continued: “From England, we have been discussing those matches that didn’t go as planned. We have one more test match until we get a little break before the next Test series, so it's important that we finish strong and we believe it.
“Obviously, in Trinidad, I was proud of the guys and how we went about the second inning; the guys were positive, and that was good to see. They had it in that, and so we are really pushing and aiming for victory in this last match.”
Finally, Brathwaite had a few words of encouragement for Athanaze, as he believes this decisive game presents an opportunity for West Indies bastmen to demonstrate their growth and capability on the international stage.
“I would encourage him just to be himself. I think in the last game, you can see him sweeping a lot, and I know he's a very good sweeper of the ball, so it's a bit of the same. It's not for him to stop the shot, but just for him to execute better. He has the full support of all the guys, and it is just encouragement because we know he could get the job done,” the skipper ended.
Temba Bavuma lamented a lack of time after South Africa were held to a draw by West Indies in the first Test of their two-match series.
A match heavily impacted by rain concluded on Sunday, with South Africa declaring early on 173-5, but subsequently failing to bowl West Indies out in a little over two sessions.
The Windies reached 201-5 at stumps, chasing a target of 298, with Alick Athanaze (98) superbly marshalling the innings.
It left a Proteas bowling group that were already one player short - South Africa having gone with an extra batter for the first Test - frustrated.
"From our side, we tried our best to get a result in our favour," said Bavuma.
"But the wicket didn't break up as much as we expected. In the end, it was a good, competitive game of cricket.
"We went in with an extra batter as a cushion. As batters, we would like to be a bit more ruthless and convert those fifties into hundreds.
"We lost time because of the weather. With the bowling resources we had, we tried our best.
"A little bit more time and things could have been different."
Keshav Maharaj took 4-88 for South Africa, with Kagiso Rabada (1-38) the only other Proteas bowler to do any damage to the Windies during their second innings.
"I pride myself on playing Test cricket," said Maharaj. "I always relish a chance to bowl and the conditions suited me.
"I tried to keep repeating the process and keep things simple."
Windies captain Kraigg Brathwaite, meanwhile, was delighted with the grit his team displayed with the bat.
"Happy with our batting group," he said.
"The guys were quite positive, so [I'm] proud of the batting unit. We believed we could get those runs.
"It wasn't going to be easy. We need to keep going from strength to strength."
The second and final Test starts on Thursday.
Alick Athanaze played a vital innings of 92 to help the West Indies secure a hard-fought draw against South Africa in the rain-affected first Test at Queen's Park Oval on Sunday. Chasing an imposing target of 298 runs for victory, the West Indies were in early trouble but managed to salvage the match thanks to Athanaze's resilience and key contributions from his teammates.
South Africa, resuming their second innings at 30 without loss, quickly raced to 173 for 3 in just 29 overs before declaring, setting the West Indies a challenging target. Tony de Zorzi and Aiden Markram gave the visitors a solid start, scoring 45 and 38, respectively, before Tristan Stubbs injected urgency into the innings with a blistering 68 off 50 balls. His dismissal by Kemar Roach in the 29th over prompted South African captain Temba Bavuma to declare, leaving himself unbeaten on 15.
The West Indies' chase got off to a disastrous start, losing captain Kraigg Brathwaite for a duck in the first over. Mikyle Louis followed for nine, leaving the hosts reeling at 18 for 2. However, Alick Athanaze and Kaecy Carty began the process of rebuilding, putting together a valuable 46-run partnership before Carty was dismissed for 31 by Maharaj.
Athanaze continued to anchor the innings, forging another crucial stand of 63 runs with Kavem Hodge, who was also dismissed by Maharaj for 29. Athanaze's innings was a masterclass in patience and shot selection, as he found another steady partner in Jason Holder. The duo added 65 runs for the fourth wicket, with Athanaze inching closer to a well-deserved century.
Hodge made 29
Unfortunately, he fell just eight runs short of his maiden Test century, sweeping Maharaj to fine leg where he was caught. His innings, however, ensured that the West Indies could stave off defeat, with Jason Holder remaining unbeaten on 31 and Joshua da Silva not out on two when Bavuma decided to end proceedings, declaring the match a draw.
Maharaj was the pick of the South African bowlers once again, adding another four-wicket haul to his match tally, finishing with figures of 4 for 88 in the West Indies' second innings. His performance followed an equally impressive first-innings effort of 4 for 76.
Speaking after the match, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite expressed satisfaction with his team's batting display in the second innings. "I'm happy with our batting group. The guys were quite positive, and I'm so proud of the batting unit. We believed we could get those runs, and although it wasn't going to be easy, the fight and resilience shown were commendable," Brathwaite said.
He continued, "The pitch here in the Caribbean can be a bit slower, so it's about adjusting when to go slow and when to accelerate. Alick showed us that today with his approach. His plan was to sweep, and even though he got out to a sweep, he stuck to it and nearly got his century. Hodge was also good in England, and it's about continuing to build on these performances."
The first Test ended in a draw, but it was a match that saw both teams show their strengths. The West Indies will take confidence from their batting performance as they prepare for the second Test, knowing that they have the ability to challenge South Africa in the upcoming encounters.
The second Test gets underway at Providence in Guyana on August 15.
Temba Bavuma is ready to "throw caution to the wind" after an inspired South Africa performance on day four kept their hopes alive against West Indies.
On another day of limited play due to heavy rain, West Indies struggled through the rest of their innings.
Jason Holder (36) and Kavem Hodge (25) were both taken before Keshav Maharaj (4-76) got his fourth wicket of the innings when Joshua Da Silva (one) was caught.
Kagiso Rabada's 3-56 put West Indies on the back foot, and even Jomel Warrican's 35 could not do much to up their score as they failed to mount a late push.
Jayden Seales was then bowled for four, seeing West Indies finish on 233, trailing the Proteas' score by 124 runs.
South Africa set themselves up nicely for the final day of the Test, with Tony de Zorzi (14) and Aiden Markram (nine) putting the tourists into a 154-run lead at the end of day four.
"Hopefully we can get a full day because that will obviously give us a realistic chance of getting a result," said Bavuma.
"To use the old cliche, we will have to take care of the first hour to set it up and if it's going our way, then we can throw caution to the wind to see what happens.
"But it's imperative that we set it up in that first hour."
De Zorzi and Markram will be looking to keep the pressure on when they resume play at 30-0 on Sunday at Port of Spain.
Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada starred on a rainy fourth day of the first Test between the West Indies and South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port-of-Spain on Saturday.
The West Indies, after starting the day 145-4, were eventually dismissed for 233 in 91.5 overs, trailing South Africa by 124, after the day’s first two sessions were rained out.
Jason Holder and Kavem Hodge, the not our batsmen overnight heading into the day, made 36 and 25, respectively while Jomel Warrican made a significant contribution with 35* batting at number 10.
Maharaj was causing consistent problems for the West Indies batsmen, eventually taking 4-76 off an impressive 40 overs while Rabada took 3-56 off 18 overs.
At stumps, South Africa reached 30-0 off five overs in their second innings, leading the West Indies by 154 runs. Tony de Zorzi was 14* and Aiden Markram 9*.
Full Scores:
South Africa 357 off 117.4 overs (Temba Bavuma 86, Tony de Zorzi 78, Wiaan Mulder 41*, Kyle Verreynne 39, Jomel Warrican 4-69, Jayden Seales 3-67, Kemar Roach 2-53) & 30-0 off 5 overs
West Indies 233 off 91.5 overs (Keacy Carty 42, Jason Holder 36, Kraigg Brathwaite 35, Mikyle Louis 35, Jomel Warrican 35*, Keshav Maharaj 4-76, Kagiso Rabada 3-56)
Australia coach Joe Schmidt says his team now know the "benchmark" for what is expected after losing to South Africa in their Rugby Championship opener.
Schmidt's unbeaten start in charge of the Wallabies ended on Saturday as they were hammered 33-7 in Brisbane.
Australia trailed 21-0 at half-time after a dominant first half from the Springboks, and though Hunter Paisami managed a late consolation, it was never going to be enough to deny South Africa a first win in Brisbane since 2013.
Schmidt acknowledged how his side were outplayed but explained how the defeat would determine their preparation for the next game.
"They won the physical battle today, their breakdown was really strong, and they dominated possession and territory in that first half, which saps the strength out of the boys a little bit," Schmidt told Stan Sport post-match.
"The team hung in there, fought back, lost the second half 12-7; it would have been great to get a little bit more out of the game, but we've got a benchmark.
"And it wasn't a massive shock to where the Springbok would be, and it's somewhere that we're going to have to build toward."
South Africa have won back-to-back Test matches against the Wallabies in Australia for the first time since July 1993, successfully ending Australia's four-Test winning streak with ease.
Before the tournament, Schmidt had overseen two wins over Wales and another against Georgia in his unbeaten start, but he remains optimistic after taking the positives from their performance.
"We saw some real heart. I thought we got back and defended a couple of times when we were a little bit unlucky, they got a few bounces of the ball which are always going to go in your favour when all the momentum is going your way. And they earn it, and they physically impose it, so that they make it very, very difficult," Schmidt added.
"At the same time, I'm a little bit heartened by the way the boys rolled their sleeves up and kept trying to fight, and then that second half, 12-7 is a lot closer than the three tries they put on in the first half."
Australia will meet South Africa again in the Rugby Championship next weekend in Perth.
Keshav Maharaj remains hopeful South Africa's patience will "pay dividends" after a hard-fought third day of their Test match against the West Indies.
The Windies toiled in the field for 117.4 overs, eventually ending South Africa's first innings just 20 minutes into the opening session as Kagiso Rabada fell on 21 before Lungi Ngidi's four-ball duck.
That same pair of Rabada and Ngidi asked questions of Mikyle Louis and Kraigg Braithwaite with the new ball, yet the Windies openers reached an unbeaten half-century stand with little trouble.
The visiting Proteas turned to Maharaj's spin as early as the 13th over, reaping the rewards as the left-arm spinner ripped through Louis' defence to remove the opener on 35 with the last ball before lunch.
Rain caused a lengthy delay to follow but that stoppage proved fruitful as Wiaan Mulder ran out Braithwaite, on 35, before Maharaj removed Keacy Carty for 42 and Alick Athanaze on just three.
Maharaj bowled 28 straight overs throughout a battling day and hopes South Africa can capitalise with the West Indies on 145-5, some 212 runs behind the visitors' first-innings total of 357.
"When the ball goes in the outfield, it becomes a bit soft and doesn't react much," Maharaj said at stumps. "We have been trying to keep it as dry as possible.
"There is not much off the wicket. I have been trying to use different paces, and various trajectories but only the odd ball is reacting.
"But when you bowl in the right channel for a long time in Test cricket, it does pay dividends."
Kavem Hodge and Jason Holder will hope to provide further resistance when play begins on Saturday in Port of Spain.
South Africa ended Joe Schmidt's unbeaten start as Australia coach in emphatic fashion as the Springboks hammered the Wallabies 33-7 in Brisbane.
The world champions were in control throughout their Rugby Championship opener as South Africa silenced an expectant 50,000-plus crowd at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.
Visiting captain Siya Kolisi crashed over early on from a rolling maul before Pieter-Steph du Toit and Kurt-Lee Arendse crossed to seal a 21-0 half-time lead.
Kwagga Smith added another after the interval, punishing an error-strewn Australia, while Arendse doubled his own account with the Springboks' fifth try on away soil.
Hunter Paisami managed a late consolation for the drab hosts, converted by Tom Lynagh, but the damage was done as South Africa triumphed in Brisbane for the first time since 2013.
New Australia boss Schmidt had overseen two wins over Wales and another against Georgia, though needs desperate improvements ahead of the second meeting with the Springboks in Perth next Saturday.
Data Debrief: Springboks continue hold over Australia
South Africa have now secured back-to-back Test victories against the Wallabies in Australia for the first time since July 1993, following their 24-8 win in September 2022 in Sydney.
The Springboks are also on a three-match winning run against the Wallabies, their best such streak since a three-Test span from September 2012 to September 2013.
Having won 14 of their last 16 international fixtures, South Africa will fancy their chances of another victory in Perth after ending Australia's four-Test victorious streak with ease.
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.
Captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi were the picks for South Africa as the hosts patiently ground out 344-8 after day two of their Test against West Indies.
After a heavily interrupted first day that saw just 15 overs played, both sides took a slower approach at Queens Park Oval on Thursday.
De Zorzi, who started the day on 32, was up to 78 by lunch as the Proteas steadily added to their figures before he was dismissed by Jomel Warrican (3-66).
Tristan Stubbs (20) and Ryan Rickelton (19) were both left frustrated by Kemar Roach (2-53), though Bavuma managed to add some gloss, hitting 86 off 182 balls, including seven fours, before Jaylen Seales took him (2-57).
Despite a slow start, West Indies conceded only 20 runs in 12 overs against Kyle Verreynne and Wiaan Mulder before the former was taken by Jomel Warrican, who also got Keshav Maharaj for a duck.
South Africa managed to avoid a shaky end to the day, with Mulder's 37 not out helping them edge towards the 350 mark ahead of the third day.
Data Debrief: Proteas show patience
De Zorzi scored just his second half-century for Proteas, getting it against the same opponents as his first when he scored his career-best 85 at Centurion in January.
West Indies struggled with the ball for large parts, something they will want to improve on day three, though Roach's two wickets took him to 272 in Test cricket.
After starting positively on the opening day, which was lost to rain, West Indies bowlers were made to toil on Thursday’s second day as half-centuries from captain Temba Bavuma and Tony de Zorzi propelled South Africa into a commanding position at 342-8 in the first Test at Queen’s Park Oval.
De Zorzi, the Proteas’ opening batter, was dismissed for 78 before lunch, while Bavuma was dismissed late in the day for 80, allowing West Indies to gradually claw their way back into the contest. Wiaan Mulder, not out on 37, and Kagiso Rabada, on 12, will resume batting for South Africa on Friday’s third day.
Jomel Warrican has been the pick of the Caribbean bowlers so far, with Kemar Roach (2-53) and Jayden Seales (2-57) also picking up key wickets.
Scores: South Africa 342 for 8 (Bavuma 86, de Zorzi 78, Warrican 3-66) vs West Indies
Resuming at 45-1 on a slow pitch that requires patience instead of flair, South Africa were initially kept quiet by West Indies' senior seamers Kemar Roach and Jason Holder, who started on good lengths but were punished as soon as they strayed.
While de Zorzi, who resumed on 32, got to his 50 off 78 balls, Tristan Stubbs (20) didn’t have the same luck as he edged a delivery from Roach to Holder in the slip cordon, adding only 18 to his overnight score of two.
Bavuma, in his first Test innings since March 2023, and de Zorzi kept West Indies at bay with a 51-run third wicket stand, which was eventually broken when the latter gloved to Kavem Hodge off Warrican shortly before the lunch interval.
After the break, Bavuma again dropped anchor and allowed his partner, David Bedingham, to take the fight to West Indies in a partnership worth 50 runs. Bedingham (29) later holed out to debutant Keacy Carty off Seales.
Ryan Rickelton (19) came and went shortly after watching Bavuma raise his 21st Test fifty. However, the captain was later trapped in front, and as the day draws to a close, Warrican struck twice, removing Kyle Vereynne (39) and Keshav Maharaj (zero) to keep West Indies in contention.
Rain put a damper on West Indies progress as only 15 overs were possible on the opening day of their first Test against South Africa at the Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday.
A fairly tidy display from the Caribbean bowlers restricted South Africa to 45-1 in the just over an hour’s play that was possible, as the visitors won the toss and opted to take first strike.
Jason Holder got that breakthrough when he bowled Aiden Markram (9) shortly before the showers came.
Tony de Zorzi, unbeaten on 32, and Tristan Stubbs, on two, will resume batting for South Africa on Thursday’s second day, weather permitting.
Play is scheduled to begin half-hour earlier at 9:30 am.
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