The Rugby Championship Round One Preview

The Rugby Championship kicks off on Saturday, here’s a preview of the first round.

New Zealand v Argentina
Saturday 10 August 2024 – 09:05
Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington

Argentina faces a tough start to their Rugby Championship campaign when they head to the Wellington Regional Stadium to face Scott Robertsons All Blacks.

All Blacks match-day 23 (Test caps in brackets)
 
1.    Ethan De Groot (25)
2.    Codie Taylor (87) (Vice Captain)
3.    Tyrel Lomax (34) 
4.    Tupou Vaa’i (28)
5.    Sam Darry (1)
6.    Ethan Blackadder (11)
7.    Dalton Papali’i (34)
8.    Ardie Savea (84) (Captain)
9.    TJ Perenara (82)
10.  Damian McKenzie (50)
11.  Mark Tele’a (11)
12.  Jordie Barrett (60) (Vice Captain)
13.  Anton Lienert-Brown (73)
14.  Sevu Reece (26) 
15.  Beauden Barrett (126)

Replacements: 
16. Asafo Aumua (9)
17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi (59)
18. Fletcher Newell (16)
19. Josh Lord (4)
20. Wallace Sititi (1)
21. Cortez Ratima (2)
22. Rieko Ioane (71)
23. Will Jordan (31)

Los Pumas team to play New Zealand at Sky Stadium, Wellington:

1. GALLO, Thomas (26 caps)
2. RUIZ, Ignacio (10 caps)
3. BELLO, Eduardo (24 caps)
4. MOLINA, Franco (3 caps)
5. RUBIOLO, Pedro (12 caps)
6. MATERA, Pablo (101 caps) Captain
7. KREMER, Marcos (67 caps) Vice-captain
8. GONZALEZ, Juan Martin (31 caps)
9. BERTRANOU, Gonzalo (60 chapters)
10. CARRERAS, Santiago (45 caps)
11. CARRERAS, Mateo (20 caps)
12. CHOCOBARES, Santiago (21 caps)
13. CINTI, Lucio (23 caps)
14. MORONI, Matias (82 caps)
15. MALLÍA, Juan Cruz (33 caps) Vice-captain

Replacements:
16. CREEVY, Agustin (108 caps)
17. VIVAS, Mayco (24 caps)
18. SCLAVI, Joel (18 caps)
19. LAVANINI, Tomás (86 chapters)
20. ELIAS, Ephraim (0 caps)
21. OVIEDO, Joaquín (5 chapters)
22. BAZAN VELEZ, Lautaro (15 caps)
23. ALBORNOZ, Tomas (8 caps)

Australia v South Africa
Saturday 10 August 2024 – 06:30
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

The Springboks come into the 2024 Rugby Championship as strong favourites and will want to get their tournament off to a flying start against the Wallabies. To do so, they must win at a stadium at which they’ve lost their last four encounters.

Springbok team to face Australia in Brisbane:

15 – Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 95 caps, 75 pts
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 33 caps, 96 points
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 71 caps, 80 points
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 81 caps, 55 points
11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) - 18 caps, 75 points
10 – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) - 4 caps, 17 points
9 – Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) – 33 caps, 65 pts
8 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 4 caps, 0 points
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 79 caps, 40 points
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Racing 92) – 85 caps, 50 points
5 – RG Snyman (Leinster) – 37 caps, 10 points
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 122 caps, 30 points
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 72 caps, 5 points
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 71 caps, 70 points
1 – Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 31 caps, 0 pts

Replacements: 
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 67 caps, 85 points
17 – Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 0 points
18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 52 caps, 0 points
19 – Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers) – 2 caps, 5 points
20 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 20 caps, 0 pts
21 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 43 caps, 35 pts
22 – Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 11 caps, 10 points
23 – Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 71 caps, 732 points

Wallabies team to play South Africa at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane

1. Isaac Kailea (3 Tests)
2. Matt Faessler (7 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (c) (70 Tests)
4. Nick Frost (16 Tests)
5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (32 Tests)
6. Rob Valetini (42 Tests)
7. Carlo Tizzano*
8. Harry Wilson (13 Tests)
9. Jake Gordon (22 Tests)
10. Noah Lolesio (20 Tests)
11. Filipo Daugunu (10 Tests)
12. Hunter Paisami (27 Tests)
13. Len Ikitau (29 Tests)
14. Andrew Kellaway (29 Tests)
15. Tom Wright (28 Tests)

Replacements:
16. Josh Nasser (2 Tests)
17. James Slipper (136 Tests)
18. Zane Nonggorr (6 Tests)
19. Jeremy Williams (3 Tests)
20. Luke Reimer*
21. Tate McDermott (31 Tests)
22. Tom Lynagh (1 Test)
23. Dylan Pietsch (1 Test)