The 2024 Rugby Championship goes down to the wire this weekend, as the Southern Hemisphere’s four leading nations scrap it out in the last of six rounds of action.
South Africa and Argentina go head-to-head in Nelspruit on Saturday, knowing only one of them can lift the trophy as tournament champions.
Stragglers New Zealand and Australia, meanwhile, must content themselves with the rivalry of their second Bledisloe Cup contest in as many weeks before consigning disappointing campaigns to the dustbin of history.
*All kick off times Central African Time (GMT +2)
New Zealand vs Australia – Kick off 9.05
They have long since given up any hopes of winning the 2024 Rugby Championship title, but there’s still plenty on the line as New Zealand and Australia lock horns once again in Wellington.
Home advantage is a boon for the All Blacks to complete a difficult campaign that has seen them lose three out of five under coach Scott Robertson.
Just don’t mention their five-match winless run in their own capital city, stretching back to 2018.
They were certainly relieved to hop on the plane in Sydney a week ago, having clung on for 31-28 win over the Aussies that retained the Bledisloe Cup in nerve-shredding fashion.
It put back-to-back losses in South Africa into the rear view mirror, even if their best remaining hope now is to squeak into second place if Argentina fail to do the double over the Springboks in Nelspruit later in the day.
The result at the former Olympic Stadium was yet another blow for under-fire coach Joe Schmidt and his Wallabies, who have lost four from five in the Kiwi’s first competition since taking over from Eddie Jones.
He has hoofed misfiring scrum-half Nic White from his final squad of the tournament.
Record cap-reaching prop James Slipper is also missing from the finale having suffered a concussion, while wing duo Marika Koroibete and Max Jorgensen are also among the absentees as the toil takes its toll.
Jake Gordon takes the number nine jersey as Dylan Pietsch makes his starting debut as a replacement wing.
Beauden Barrett is a welcome sight for the All Blacks as he returns, meaning they can afford to keep Damian McKenzie among the replacements.
TJ Perenara also makes a comeback to partner Barrett in the halves, with Anton Lienert-Brown another familiar face returning to bolster the back line on home turf.
It could be 100 and out for Sam Cane, meanwhile, as the former captain brings up a ton of Test caps ahead of his upcoming Japanese franchise adventure.
New Zealand Starting XV: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 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 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Damian McKenzie, 23 David Havili.
Australia Starting XV: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Len Ikitau,, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Jake Gordon, 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 Isaac Kailea, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Josh Flook.
South Africa vs Argentina – Kick off 17.00
It all comes down to the grand finale in the Rugby Championship on Saturday, as South Africa and Argentina battle it out to be crowned 2024 champions.
Nelspruit is the venue in the country’s northern Mpumalanga province for the title showdown.
And the Springboks remain heavy favourites to haul themselves to a first title since 2019, despite their South American slip up a week ago taking it to the final weekend.
Coach Rassie Erasmus named a much-changed side for the first of back-to-back fixtures against Los Pumas in sweltering Santiago.
A disjointed effort then saw them go down to a 28-29 defeat to the hosts, in yet another eye-catching for this year’s edition.
Nevertheless a point will do the trick back on home soil, with their visitors needing a bonus point victory to stand a chance of pipping the reigning Rugby World Cup holders.
It’s been a rejuvenating competition for the South Americans, who have grounds for optimism under coach Felipe Contepomi.
A win over each of New Zealand and Australia, the former in the All Blacks’ back yard no less, has seen them become the only nation to far to record victory over each of the other countries.
They will in fact be cursing their one-point reverse at home to the Wallabies that, had they clung on for the win, would have seen them poised to throw the kitchen sink at the final round.
Tomas Lavanini knows no other way of playing mind you – and he comes back into the locks for the big push.
Juan Martin Gonzalez and Santiago Grondona are the fresh flank pairing, with experienced Matias Moroni one of four new faces in the backline.
It’s back to the big hitters for the Boks and they don’t come much more imposing than Eben Etzebeth, who is set to surpass Victor Matfield as the most-capped South African international.
A World Cup-winning pack sees the restoration of captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and front row duo Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe.
Cheslin Kolbe and Damian de Allende return to the back line, while Jaden Hendrikse and Manie Libbok are selected together in the half-backs for the first time with the title on the line.
South Africa Starting XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Elrigh Louw, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Lukhanyo Am.
Argentina Starting XV: 15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Rodrigo Isgro, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Santiago Grondona, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Pedro Rubiolo, 3 Joel Sclavi, 2 Julian Montoya (captain), 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Ignacio Calles, 18 Pedro Delgado, 19 Franco Molina, 20 Pablo Matera, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Lucio Cinti, 23 Juan Cruz Mallia.