Rugby Championship 09/03/2023 - SANZAAR Confirmed The Rugby Championship 2023 Match Schedule - SANZAAR has today confirmed the match schedule for the six-match 2023 Rugby Championship. As is customary in a Rugby World Cup year, the usual 12-match tournament is reduced to a one-round, home or away, six-match tournament in July. Two additional matches including a second Bledisloe Cup 27/09/2022 - Who Were The Real Stars Of The Rugby Championship? - Marx scored two tries – the same as his team-mates Damian De Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Kwagga Smith – which placed them joint-third on the list of top try scorers, behind All Blacks hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho with five, as well as flankers Juan Martin Gonzalez of Argentina (4) and Fraser 26/09/2022 - All Blacks Won Their Ninth Rugby Championship Title - SANZAAR has confirmed that New Zealand has won The Rugby Championship 2022. This was confirmed by results in the last round of the tournament highlighted by the All Blacks' big 40-14 bonus point victory over the Wallabies in Auckland. It was the closest tournament for several years with the title only being decided by 26/09/2022 - “There’s Tough Competition Within The Team" - Jasper Wiese - With the Castle Lager Rugby Championship for 2022 a thing of the past, the Springboks are keen to carry the winning momentum they built up in the last three Tests into their year-end tour in November following, their final round victory by 38-21 against Argentina in Durban on Saturday. The Springboks fell short 26/09/2022 - "Our Main Aim Was To Win Rugby Championship" - Jaques Nienaber - Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber took the positives from a third successive Castle Lager Rugby Championship victory, despite falling short of defeating Argentina by the 39 points they needed to pip New Zealand to the title. Instead, their 38-21 victory at a packed Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban saw 24/09/2022 - Springboks Beat Argentina In Durban - The Springboks were apparently determined to make Heritage Day extra special for their South African fans on Saturday when they battled it out with Argentina for the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title. They did win 38-21, however, ...................... 24/09/2022 - All Blacks Dominant In Win Over Australia - The All Blacks were dominant in their win against Australia with 40-14 and continued their 28-year unbeaten streak at Eden Park. The Springboks need to beat Argentina with forty points or more to wrestle the Rugby Championship from the All Blacks. The first twenty minutes of the match were fairly even, however, the All Blacks took control 23/09/2022 - Preview - Springboks vs Argentina - Springboks To Surprise - With one round remaining in the Rugby Championship, all four teams are still in the running to clinch the title. The All Blacks are currently at the top of the ladder due to a better points differential than South Africa which is also on 14 points. The All Blacks will be searching for a bonus point win over the 23/09/2022 - Preview - All Blacks vs Australia - All To Play For - With the Bledisloe Cup wrapped up for 2022, the Rugby Championship and a 28-year unbeaten streak at Eden Park are on the line when the All Blacks host Australia on Saturday at 09h05 (SA Time). There is no bigger occasion in New Zealand rugby than a packed house at Eden Park for a Test match against the old foe. 23/09/2022 - "For Us, It Is About Winning The Rugby Championship” - Lood De Jager - “Argentina have a chance to win the competition as well if Australia beat New Zealand, so their mind-set is that of a team that could make history by becoming the first Argentinean team to win the competition,” said Lood De Jager. 22/09/2022 - "Competition Is Tight At Hooker, But It’s Really Great To Be Back” - Bongi Mbonambi - The Springboks are level on 14 log points with New Zealand on the Castle Lager Rugby Championship table and trail the All Blacks by 13 net points on points’ difference, but with New Zealand facing Australia in their final pool match earlier in the day on Saturday, they will have the luxury of 22/09/2022 - Argentina Name Strong Line-up For Final Rugby Championship Test Against Springboks - Argentina head coach Michael Cheika made two changes to his line-up that will face the Springboks on Saturday in Durban at 17h05. Cheika said that the priority will be to lift the trophy for the first time ever. Rosario wing Juan Imhoff and centre Matías Moroni are the two changes made by 22/09/2022 - Australia Welcome Back Two Stars For All Blacks Test - Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has recalled towering lock Cadeyrn Neville and hard-carrying number eight Harry Wilson for the side's final Rugby Championship Test against New Zealand this Saturday in Auckland. Neville has fully recovered from a knee injury picked up in the England Series to take his place in the starting 22/09/2022 - Injuries Force Several Changes To All Blacks Line-up Against Australia - All Blacks selectors Ian Foster, Joe Schmidt and Jason Ryan have announced the match-day 23 for this week’s Rugby Championship Test against Australia at Eden Park in Auckland. Injuries have forced changes to the All Blacks team that defeated Australia in Melbourne, with captain Sam Cane, Scott 22/09/2022 - "They Are Not Afraid Of Doing The Dirty Work" - Pieter-Steph du Toit - “It’s a big honour to be part of the squad and to play,” said Du Toit. “We want to win and earn five points from the match. We’ll know before kick-off exactly what we need to do, and even if earning five points changes (depending on the outcome of the clash between the All Blacks and Australia), we won’t change our 21/09/2022 - Cell C Sharks u/21s Name Squad To Travel To Bloemfontein - The Cell C Sharks Under 21s head to Bloemfontein this week for their SA Rugby Under 21 Championship clash against their Free State counterparts looking to make it two-from-two in recent weeks. The Cell C Sharks Under 21s head into this game off the back of a morale-boosting 17-10 victory over the Lions two 21/09/2022 - Can The All Blacks Hold On To The Rugby Championship Crown? - The final round of matches of the 2022 Rugby Championship will be played this weekend. This is the closest competed Rugby Championship in ten years. New Zealand is the current champion. South Africa must beat Argentina with fifteen points more than the All Blacks if they beat Australia at 09h05. 20/09/2022 - Springboks Name Team To Face Argentina In Durban - Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber made only two changes to his starting team for Saturday’s final round Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against Argentina at Hollywoodbets Kings Park in Durban, while he also opted to name six forwards and two backs on the replacements bench. 20/09/2022 - "All Kickers Push The Boundaries To Waste Time" - Beauden Barrett - More high-tension, free-flowing rugby was assured in Saturday's Rugby Championship Test between the All Blacks and Australia was likely, according to Beauden Barrett. The trans-Tasman rivals traditionally played that way, and even if it were wet, the DNA, the breakdown and the things the All Blacks do to 20/09/2022 - Argentina Name Squad For Final Test Against South Africa - Argentina head coach Michael Cheika has named a squad of 29 players for the final test for the 2022 Rugby Championship against the Springboks in Durban on Saturday at 16h05 (SA Time) Ignacio Calles and Mayco Vivas rejoined the squad. Calles, who has two caps, made his debut at the end of last season against 19/09/2022 - "We Are Determined To Improve Even More" - Damian De Allende - Marx added: “I thought Argentina’s comeback in the second half was great and they managed to put us under pressure in the last few minutes, but we did well to fight back. The set piece battle was always going to be big in the match.” Marx scored two tries, which earned him the Man of the Match award, and said 18/09/2022 - Springboks Are Still In It To Win It - The Springboks kept their Rugby Championship dreams alive with a great 36-20 against Argentina. The All Blacks are still at number one on the log having a better points difference than the Springboks. The All Blacks and South Africa have 14 log points, while Australia is a distant third on 10 log points with Argentina fourth on 9 points 18/09/2022 - “This Was A Semi-final For Us" - Jaques Nienaber - Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber praised his team’s fighting spirit to grind their way to a crucial 36-20 victory against Argentina at Estadio Libertadores De América in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship on Saturday, which allowed them to match New Zealand on 14 log points going into the final round next weekend. 18/09/2022 - Springboks vs Argentina - Our Bok Rapport - Malcolm Marx scored a brace as the Springboks recorded a decisive 36-20 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday and in the process secured a crucial bonus point win at Estadio Libertadores De América in their first of two Tests against Argentina in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship. The South Africans dominated the 17/09/2022 - Springboks Hold On Against Argentina For A Bonus-point Win - The first twenty minutes of the match were very even, however, the Springboks dominated the last 20 minutes of the first half, however, Argentina is getting away with murder and although they did concede several penalties in their red zone, they managed to stop most of the Springboks' driving mauls and 17/09/2022 - "We Have To Bring As Much Intensity As Early As Possible" - Siya Kolisi - Kolisi emphasised the importance of protecting the ball at the breakdowns against a strong Argentinian loose trio and said: “It will be important to stick to our game plan. Their loose forwards are all good and off the ball, so we need to look after the ball at the breakdowns and make sure we make use of 17/09/2022 - Preview - Springboks In Must Win Position Against Argentina - Argentina will host the Springboks in a must-win Castle Lager Rugby Championship match in Buenos Aires tonight at 21h10 at the Club Atlético Independiente, in Avellaneda. With New Zealand on 10 log points and the Springboks, Australia and Argentina trailing by only one point each on nine points– although 16/09/2022 - "Time Wasting Penalty Was 100% Correct" - Ian Foster - All Blacks' coach Ian Foster had no doubts about a decision to penalise Australia for time-wasting that allowed New Zealand to claim a 39-37 win to retain the Bledisloe Cup and extend its lead in the Lipovitan-B Rugby Championship in Melbourne. As a result of referee Matthieu Raynal's ruling, the All Blacks were 16/09/2022 - “One Cannot Expect To Just Walk Into The Squad" - Andre Esterhuizen - “I'm obviously keen to make a good impression, but one has to be careful not to put too much pressure on yourself because you can make mistakes. So, the way I approach things is to take it one game at a time and give my best.” Esterhuizen expected a big onslaught from Argentina's centres 16/09/2022 - Argentina Made Seven Changes For Springboks - Michael Cheika, head coach of Argentina's national team made seven changes to his team that will host the Springboks on Saturday at the Libertadores de America Stadium in Buenos Aires at 21h10. Two changes were made to the pack with Matias Alemanno recalled at lock and Juan Martin Gonzalez picked at blindside. 15/09/2022 - Venue Change For Pumas vs Springbok Test - After a venue inspection on Monday, September 12 the Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR) determined that the state of the playing field at Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield did not meet the necessary conditions for holding an international rugby match. Therefore, the UAR was forced to change the venue of the Test 15/09/2022 - “Our Goal Is To Win The Rugby Championship" - Deon Davids - Davids adopted a positive attitude to the pressure on the team and said playing in matches such as these were beneficial with an eye on the 2023 Rugby World Cup: “It’s good to play in such tough competitions and consistently at a such a high level of intensity. We need to get used to the 15/09/2022 - Preview - New Zealand Are The Favourites Against Australia - Australia will host the All Blacks this morning at 09h45 in a Bledisloe Cup clash at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. The main focus of this test will still be the Rugby Championship with the four countries divided by one log point. New Zealand has a one-point lead over Australia, Springboks and Argentina. A 13/09/2022 - Springboks Announce Line-up For First Argentina Rugby Championship Test - “We were in a fortunate position this week not to have any injuries, which allowed us the luxury of selecting the same starting team that ran out in our last match, and we also feel that this team offers us what we need against a physical Argentina outfit,” said Nienaber. “Our first victory in Australia since 13/09/2022 - All Blacks Name Test Line-up For First Bledisloe Cup Match - Captain Sam Cane will lead the side in a loose forward trio which has undergone forced changes for Thursday’s Test. Scott Barrett has been selected at blindside flanker, while Hoskins Sotutu is set to feature at number eight for what will be his 11th Test and first of the 2022 season. Barrett’s move to the side of the scrum sees 13/09/2022 - Springboks Sent SOS To Bongi Mbonambi - Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi joined the national squad in Buenos Aires on Monday after completing the initial stages of his recovery from the knee injury that sidelined him before the second Castle Lager Rugby Championship Test against New Zealand in Johannesburg last month. Mbonambi returned to the Cell C Sharks following 12/09/2022 - Breakdowns Will Be Vital Against Wallabies - Scott Barrett - The breakdown was always front and centre in pre-Test considerations, and different interpretations occurred in rugby. Referees had different views of what they wanted at the breakdown, and how they wanted to referee, he said. "It's part of being a rugby player. Early on in the game you have to get an indication of how the 12/09/2022 - “We Have To Impose Ourselves On Them” - Ox Nche - “For us, it’s not about the underdogs' tag, it is about what we want to achieve and how we want to achieve it,” he said. Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber is expected to announce his squad to face Argentina on Tuesday, and while the players have yet to find out who will be in match 23, Nche said it was irrelevant which 10/09/2022 - "We Are Really Looking Forward To Playing Against Los Pumas" - Mapimpi - Springbok wing Makazole Mapimpi said on Friday the Boks were excited about the prospect of facing Argentina in their first of two Castle Lager Rugby Championship encounters next week Saturday in Buenos Aires, even though they expected a massive challenge against the hosts. The Springboks, 08/09/2022 - Argentina Name Squad To Face Springboks In Rugby Championship Tests - Argentina Head Coach Michael Cheika has named his squad for the two Rugby Championship tests against the Springboks. The first test will be played on Saturday, September 17, at the Vélez Stadium after which they will travel to South Africa for the second and last test on Saturday, September 24 08/09/2022 - Dave Rennie Confirmed 36-man Squad For Rugby Championship Tests Against New Zealand - He replaces Japan-bound Rory Arnold who is unavailable for the matches due to the impending birth of his first child. The rest of the squad remains unchanged with winger Marika Koroibete in line to play his 50th Test in Melbourne, a city he represented on the Super Rugby stage on 08/09/2022 - “Argentina Is Passionate And A Force To Be Reckoned" - Jacques Nienaber - The Springboks got back to business on the training field in Buenos Aires on Wednesday to prepare for the big task of attempting to win their two remaining Castle Lager Rugby Championship matches following their 24-8 victory against Australia last weekend. The Boks made the journey from Australia to 05/09/2022 - All Blacks Name 33-Strong Squad To Travel To Australia - Uncapped lock Josh Dickson has been officially released from the squad after coming in as injury cover and will rejoin Otago's Bunnings Warehouse NPC squad. Meanwhile, Aidan Ross, Angus Ta’avao and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will also remain in New Zealand to play for their provinces in round six of the Bunnings Warehouse 05/09/2022 - "It’s Just A Bit Of A Different Role” - Damian Willemse - Willemse admitted that the team let themselves down in Adelaide a little over a week ago when they went down by 25-17 in the first Test against the Wallabies, and he said they were determined to improve on that performance in Sydney. “Last week we were very disappointed with the result – we left a lot of 04/07/2022 - Springboks Arrived In Argentina - The Springboks arrived in Argentina on Sunday evening (SA time) after a long haul which included a stop in New Zealand, with very little time to celebrate their 24-8 victory over the Wallabies – their first in Australia since 2013 – before they shifted focus to their next task, which is a tough encounter against the Pumas in Argentina. 04/09/2022 - Dave Rennie Left Frustrated After Loss To Springboks - The Wallabies will once again lick their wounds after another frustrating defeat, losing Hunter Paisami and Noah Lolesio to concussion whilst Taniela Tupou didn't get a chance to feature after tweaking his calf. Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie admitted that the Springboks shut the door early on them making it extremely 04/09/2022 - All Blacks Claim Top Spot On 2022 Rugby Championship's Log - The All Blacks moved to number one in the 2022 Rugby Championship after their comprehensive win against Argentina on Saturday. The All Blacks lead Australia, South Africa and Argentina by only one log point, however, the big margin of their win against Argentina could prove vital at the end of the season. In the 04/09/2022 - Jacques Nienaber Praised The Team For Using Their Opportunities - “Last week we created opportunities and didn’t take them and that was better tonight,” said Nienaber. “We also weren’t happy with the intensity last week and are pleased that we also made a big step-up in that regard tonight.” Nienaber was understandably happy with the Boks’ first win over the Wallabies in 03/09/2022 - Springboks Earn Bonus-point Try Win Against Australia - The try by Canan Moodie, admittingly flatters the Springboks that struggled to put phases together without making unforced errors. Once again a disappointing performance by the Springboks down under. The Springboks led 12-03 at the halftime break with a lot still to do.
