After a first-round hiccup for the All Blacks, they returned to winning ways, while Argentina came down from a high to a tough loss. Australia find themselves at the bottom of the log with nothing to show for their efforts against South Africa.
Independent Newspapers looks at five things we learnt from the first two rounds of the Rugby Championship.
The @Springboks retain the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate for the first time in ten years 🏆📸
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 19, 2024
A fourth consecutive Test win over the Wallabies - South Africa's longest streak in the professional era 🙌 pic.twitter.com/5SA9iW5ixT
The Boks are in a prime position
One can venture as far as to say that the Springboks didn’t have to work too hard to see off the Wallabies for their 10 points after the first two matches in the tournament.
Despite missing key players who were injured, and making 10 changes to the side for the second Test, the Boks were far too strong for their hosts who could only score one try over the matches. On the other hand, South Africa scored nine tries and put 63 points past their opponents.
This leaves them with a five-point gap over the All Blacks, who they face next in back-to-back matches in South Africa.
Aussie rugby is in a dark place
For some Bok supporters, the low point at which the Wallabies are now will probably remind them of the Springboks before the arrival of head coach Rassie Erasmus in 2018 and they will maybe have some sympathy. But in professional rugby, things matter on the field.
And if Joe Schmidt, the new Wallaby coach, can’t dig his side out of that hole, things will only worsen for them.
Argentina are hurting after a huge loss against New Zealand days after completing a miracle win over them. So they will be ready in two weeks to take their frustration out on the struggling Aussies.
They can be down, but never count them out
You write New Zealand off at your peril. By now that should be a lesson for everyone in world rugby.
They might have lost their opening clash in the Rugby Championship and it certainly looks like they’ve lost a bit of that aura that made them the mighty All Blacks years ago.
But they are most dangerous when wounded and Argentina found out the hard way with a big loss in the second round. The New Zealanders looked well off the pace in that first round and loss to Los Pumas, but how they came back to win will make the Boks take notice.
Don’t cry for me, Argentina
One weekend Los Pumas cried for joy after playing out of their skins to get a win over the All Blacks. A week later, they were crying over what could have been after not pitching for the second match.
They had New Zealand under pressure and were in a prime position to grab a rare double victory over the home side in Auckland. But, like the Argentinians are known for, they just disappeared in the second clash.
They displayed a lack of physicality and urgency, while a lack of composure and accuracy also contributed to their downfall after the Wellington heroics. They will still be a dark horse in the tournament and the Boks and Aussies will be wary of the backlash.
The Rugby Championship is alive and healthy
Despite South Africa and Argentina being booted out of Super Rugby, the premier club rugby competition in the southern hemisphere, the past two weeks showed that Test rugby between the Sanzaar countries remains one of the best spectacles in international rugby.
The Springboks haven’t won back-to-back tests in Australia in the professional era and scored some much-needed wins in Brisbane and Perth.
Argentina rarely get a victory over the All Blacks and did so in spectacular fashion. It showed that despite not being in Super Rugby, both sides are still tough competition for the Kiwis and Aussies.