It’s round two of the 2024 Rugby Championship and it’s rematches all round between the Southern Hemisphere’s four competing nations.
Australia’s Wallabies have it all to do if they are to turn the tables on South Africa, with the Springboks having run out convincing winners in Brisbane a week ago.
Revenge, meanwhile, is on the minds of New Zealand when they tackle Argentina again, with Los Pumas having stunned the All Blacks in round one.
*All kick off times Central African Time (GMT +2)
New Zealand vs Argentina – Kick Off 9.05
New Zealand are a wounded beast as they go into their second 2024 Rugby Championship match against Argentina at Eden Park.
The All Blacks came crashing down to earth in last weekend’s first round of the annual Southern Hemisphere battle, slumping to a 38-30 loss in Wellington.
Having previously squeaked through to victory in two home Tests against England to begin life under new coach Scott Robertson, it was a further indication that they remain a side in transition.
And it leaves them with work to do to retain the title they claimed in last year’s truncated event.
Veteran Agustin Creevy scored the decisive late try for Los Pumas, with the 39-year-old warhorse hooker landing a blow for rugby romantics across the globe.
The precision kicking of Santiago Carreras also proved telling inside the Cake Tin, as the fly-half hoovered up 18 points en route to only a third win over their illustrious opponents.
He remains a key figure in an unchanged backline, once again pairing up with Gonzalo Bertranou in the halves.
A reshuffle in the pack, meanwhile, sees Joaquin Oviedo come in at eighth man, while hooker Julian Montoya is restored as captain with Creevy dropping out of the squad altogether.
Robertson has responded to a stinging loss with a quartet of All Blacks changes.
The wings are freshened up with the inclusion of Will Jordan and Caleb Clarke, while Rieko Ioane comes into the midfield at the expense of Anton Lienert-Brown.
Tamaiti Williams returns to the front row, with ex-skipper Sam Cane making an appearance among the replacements.
New Zealand Starting XV: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Will Jordan, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Ardie Savea (captain), 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Tupou Vaa’i, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Tamaiti Williams.
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Josh Lord, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Mark Tele’a.
Argentina Starting XV: 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Matias Moroni, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Joaquin Oviedo, 7 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Marcos Kremer, 3 Lucio Sordoni, 2 Julian Montoya (captain),1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Mayco Vivas, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Tomas Lavanini, 20 Franco Molina, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Tomas Albornoz, 23 Bautista Delguy.
Australia vs South Africa – Kick Off 11.45
South Africa set out to make it back-to-back beatings in the 2024 Rugby Championship on Saturday, as they once again tackle Australia.
The action Down Under shifts all the way across to Perth for Round Two, following a chastening opener for the Wallabies in Brisbane.
A 33-7 thumping was the perfect start to the campaign for the Springboks, who shrugged off late injury drama to reshuffle their pack and deliver a resounding result.
The back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions ran in five tries at the Suncorp Stadium to leave their hosts seeing stars.
Siya Kolisi, Thomas du Toit and Kurt-Lee Arendse all crossed the whitewash before half time to tee up the result, before Arendse again and Kwagga Smith scored in quick succession to put the game beyond doubt.
It was also a landmark moment for young gun Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who nailed four of his conversions amid an assured full Test match debut.
He is one of only five survivors for the second contest, however, with Erasmus handing full debuts to Morne van den Berg at scrum-half and Ruan Nortje among the locks.
Captain Siya Kolisi is among the stars dropping out, as Marco van Staden steps up to take his berth on the flank.
Josh Nasser earns a front row debut for the Wallabies, with prop Angus Bell joining him on his return from injury.
There are also returns for familiar faces as Schmidt seeks the winning formula, with Marika Koroibete restored to the wing and a comeback for scrum-half Nic White.
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, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Angus Blyth, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Angus Bell.
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 James Slipper, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Tom Hooper, 20 Seru Uru, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Max Jorgensen.
South Africa Starting XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Manie Libbok, 23 Handré Pollard.
Predictions
TEAMS % Chance SCORE
New Zealand 88% 35
Argentina 11% 15
Australia 21% 13
South Africa 76% 30