It’s the penultimate round of the 2024 Rugby Championship this weekend, with a huge amount resting on both Southern Hemisphere fixtures on Saturday.
The destination of the winners’ trophy will be decided if South Africa’s Springboks can hold off the challenge of Los Pumas of Argentina in Santiago del Estero.
Rivals Australia and New Zealand may have already messed up their chances of being crowned champions ahead of their Sydney clash, but there’s plenty of pride resting on their Bledisloe Cup derby regardless.
*All kick off times Central African Time (GMT +2)
Australia vs New Zealand – Kick off 7.45
Their Rugby Championship dreams may be over for 2024, but that will go out of the window on Saturday when rivals Australia and New Zealand collide in Sydney.
It’s a Bledisloe Cup duel for the Oceanic duo, who have lost three games out of four ahead of this penultimate round contest.
That means the All Blacks’ crown will slip for the first time since their four-year streak began in 2020.
And it gives an extra edge to the first of back-to-back matches either side of the Tasman Sea, with neither nation keen to countenance any more in the negative column on a log that makes for grim reading.
The Wallabies in particular need to buck their ideas up, having collapsed to a record-busting 67-27 defeat at the hands of Argentina a fortnight ago.
More galling still was that they held a lead at half time in South America, having previously pulled off a last-gasp win in the first of their double header to notch their only victory of the campaign to date.
New Zealand will have been thankful for the rest weekend after returning home from a typically brutal tour to South Africa.
They pushed the reigning Rugby World Cup champions hard but returned from the African continent with defeats to the tune of 18-12 and 31-27.
Coupled with a shock loss at home to Argentina in the opening round, it leaves them in combat with the Aussies first and foremost to avoid the wooden spoon.
Coach Scott Robertson makes four changes from their last outing against the Springboks in Cape Town, including a recall for Beauden Barrett at full back as Will Jordan shifts out to the wing.
Caleb Clarke also returns in the back three at the expense of Mark Telea, while Ethan de Groot is fit to come back into the front row in New South Wales.
Packing down opposite De Groot will be James Slipper, who marks a red letter day with his 140th cap, taking him beyond George Gregan’s national record in an Australian jersey.
Injury comebacks for Fraser McReight and Hunter Paisami, meanwhile, represent a double boost for coach Joe Schmidt as he prepares to take down his countrymen.
Australia Starting XV: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Angus Bell.
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Tom Lynagh, 23 Dylan Pietsch.
New Zealand Starting XV: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Scott Barrett (captain), 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Tamaiti Williams, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Sevu Reece.
Argentina vs South Africa – Kick off 23.00
The destination of the 2024 Rugby Championship title could well be decided on Saturday, when Argentina host leaders South Africa in Santiago del Estero.
Anything other than a win for the hosts will see the Springboks lift the trophy for the first time since 2019, with New Zealand winning four on the bounce since then.
Back-to-back wins over the All Blacks in Johannesburg and Cape Town put the kibosh on the Kiwis this time around, putting the reigning World Cup champions in pole position to reclaim the crown.
It took the Boks to a clean sweep of four victories from four so far, with coach Rassie Erasmus having previously piloted his charges two a brace of successes in Australia to kick off the competition.
They sit on 18 points at the top of the standings, eight points up the road from Los Pumas, who are their nearest challengers in second position.
A pair of eye-catching wins have put them there, not least a record-breaking rout of the Wallabies two weeks ago.
Having trailed at the half time break, they roared into life to record a 67-27 demolition job, gaining vengeance and then some for the Aussies’ last-gasp winner the previous week.
A monumental effort in their tournament opener, meanwhile, saw them stun New Zealand in their own back yard.
Ever the unorthodox, Erasmus has made 10 changes for the potentially decisive contest.
Salmaan Moerat captains a side that retains only fellow lock Ruan Nortje, Ox Nche, Jasper Wiese, Handre Pollard and Jesse Kriel from their Cape Town outing a fortnight ago.
Argentina Starting XV: TBC
Replacements: TBC
South Africa Starting XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Manie Libbok.