The wait is almost over as Saturday sees the opening weekend of the shortened version of the 2023 Rugby Championship get under way.
With the World Cup taking place in France later this year, this season’s Rugby Championship will see the competition schedule reduced to just three rounds from its usual six.
It means every result is doubly significant and each of Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will be determined to make positive starts to this year's southern hemisphere tournament.
The opening weekend begins with the Springboks playing host to the Wallabies in Pretoria before the Pumas welcome the All Blacks to Mendoza.
- South Africa -8 handicap
- Argentina +14 handicap
Springboks vs Australia Betting Tips
An intriguing clash at Loftus Versfeld kicks off this year’s Rugby Championship with Eddie Jones’s Australia taking on South Africa in Pretoria.
Facing the reigning world champions in their own backyard is a baptism of fire for Jones on his return to the Wallabies hotseat.
Dismissed from his role as England head coach at the end of last year, Jones might well feel he has a point to prove back with his native Australia.
It’s certainly not going to be an easy start against a South Africa side who are undefeated in their last seven home encounters against the Wallabies, with six wins and a draw against the Aussies in that time.
The Boks do have some injury concerns heading into the Rugby Championship - and no loss will be greater felt than that of talismanic skipper Siya Kolisi.
South Africa’s star back-rower is sidelined with a serious knee injury but the Springboks skipper is on the mend and is expected to be fit in time for the world champion's World Cup warm-up games in August.
Duane Vermeulen has been given the responsibility of leading the Boks out in what is expected to be an electric atmosphere at Loftus Versfeld.
Fly-half Handre Pollard and second-rower Eben Etzebeth are two other experienced Springboks players on the sidelines, while scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse is also unavailable.
Manue Libbok and Cobus Reinach have been named as South Africa's starting half-back pairing for Saturday's opener and their combination could go a long way to determining the outcome of the game.
As for Australia, Jones has named four uncapped players in his 23-man squad. Debutant Tom Hooper is set to start with Zane Nonggorr, Richie Arnold and Carter Gordon on the bench.
James Slipper and Michael Hooper have been named as co-captains for the match while experienced duo Nic White and Quade Cooper line up in the halves.
With Jones looking to put his stamp on this Wallabies’ side, it’s hard to know what tricks they will have up their sleeves as they attempt to unsettle the Boks.
South Africa’s formidable pack will take stopping, though, and trying to win the breakdown will be key for the visitors if they are to allow fly-half Cooper to work his magic.
It’s hard to see Australia bringing an end to their miserable record in South Africa so backing the Boks to give up eight points on the handicap could be the way to go.
Vermeulen leads the Boks
Springboks v Australia Teams
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lukhanyo Am , 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Evan Roos, 21 Deon Fourie, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Damian Willemse
Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Suliasi Vunivalu, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Nic White, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Michael Hooper (cc), 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 David Porecki, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Richie Arnold, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Samu Kerevi, 23 Carter Gordon
Argentina v All Blacks Betting Tips
As the most successful team in Rugby Championship and Tri Nations history, it will come as little surprise that New Zealand are again favourites to win this year's edition.
The shortened schedule should also play into the All Blacks’ hands. They have away games in Argentina and Australia while arguably their toughest game against the Springboks will take place in the comforts of Auckland.
A trip to Mendoza is first up for the All Blacks, who were stunned by Argentina in the Rugby Championship last year.
The Pumas' 25-18 win over New Zealand in Christchurch is arguably the biggest success in their history, and they will be eager to replicate that in front of their own fans.
The All Blacks did get their revenge on the Pumas only a week later in Hamilton with a 53-3 demolition job, but that defeat in Christchurch will still be fresh in the minds of many in Kiwi camp.
All Blacks Ian Foster was under severe pressure at times last year but he managed to weather the storm and will lead the All Blacks into the World Cup later this year.
Foster could be tempted to try out some new combinations against the Pumas - but he will also know that the All Blacks cannot take Argentina lightly at the Estadio Malvinas Argentinas.
The hosts can take plenty of heart from last year’s victory in New Zealand and will be quietly confident that they can raise a few eyebrows again this weekend.
It is four years since Argentina last hosted the All Blacks in South America and the Pumas have come a long way as a side since then, especially under head coach Michael Cheika.
Picking up wins over New Zealand in Sydney in 2020 and in Christchurch two years later, Argentina know the standards required to beat the Rugby Championship title holders.
Expect the Pumas to try and keep things tight in the first half and try and drag New Zealand into an arm wrestle.
Once again the set-piece will be a key point of attack for a physical Argentina pack, and if they can get a few first-half penalties then they should still be in the contest come the half-time break.
New Zealand’s quality might well come to the fore in the second stanza but a closer game than expected might well be on the cards.
With that in mind, backing the hosts with a 14-point start is worthy of consideration for this intriguing contest on the eastern side of the Andes.
McKenzie gets the nod at 10
Argentina v All Blacks Teams
Argentina: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Lucio Cinti, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Rodrigo Bruni, 7 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matias Alemanno, 3 Lucio Sordoni, 2 Julian Montoya, 1 Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16 Augustin Creevy, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 Pedro Rubiolo, 20 Sanriago Grondona, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Nicolas Sanchez, 23 Matias Orlando
New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Josh Lord, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Dalton Papali’i, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Richie Mo’unga, 23 Braydon Ennor
