Squads have been announced for the upcoming Rugby Championship, which kicks off on Saturday August 18, and despite the bleatings of coach Steve Hansen, the All Blacks look as daunting as ever.
The true achievement of New Zealand Rugby, apart from being the reigning two-time Rugby World Cup winners (2011 and 2015), Bledisloe Cup holders (every year since 2003) and Rugby Championship champs (five times out of the last six years), is being able to hold on to their best players.
Despite the lure of huge dollars from Europe they leak very few of their premium stars to France or England, and even when they do lose a current All Black they have a replacement ready to step in who is just as good: Jack Goodhue for Malakai Fekitoa (Toulon), Richie Mo’unga for Lima Sopoaga (Wasps) and Scott Barrett for Steven Luatua (Bristol).
The Kiwis’ talent and depth makes them the envy of the rest of the world.
Casting an eye over the other nations’ squads – South Africa, Australia and Argentina – it’s hard to see them giving the All Blacks too much trouble.
The Springbok squad annouced by Rassie Erasmus for the @CastleLagerSA Rugby Champs include three uncapped players in Cyle Brink, Marco van Staden and Damian Willemse, while Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth and Warren Whiteley are back from injury. #LoveRugby pic.twitter.com/ShF5OwRbvG
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) August 6, 2018
Wallabies boss Michael Cheika has shifted the deckchairs a little, bringing Crusaders’ flanker Pete Samu straight into the squad, though he is yet to represent an Australian Super Rugby team.
The 18-year-old Queensland flyer Jordan Petaia adds some interest as does the recall of midfielder Matt Toomua, who although he still plays in Leicester has become re-eligible for the Wallabies as he has signed for the Melbourne Rebels for 2019.
Toomua’s Tigers team mate Tatafu Polota-Nau is also named in the squad adding much-needed starch to the Wallabies’ hooking stocks, qualifying as he has played the requisite 60 Tests for an overseas based player.
There is no place however for Rebels flanker Richard Hardwick who impressed for the Australian Super Rugby Selection against the Wallabies in the pre-Bledisloe Cup trial last Friday.
The Wallabies have experience and considerable talent in fly-half Bernard Foley, captain Michael Hooper, flanker David Pocock, lock Adam Coleman, centre Kurtley Beale and full-back Israel Folau but they seem two or three forwards short of having a pack that can dominate the All Blacks – and that is what you need to do if you are going to beat them.
#BREAKING | Your #Wallabies team to face the Australian Super selection this Friday at Leichhardt Oval. FREE entry, kicking off at 6:45pm. #BledisloeCup READ: https://t.co/DSrGv3Pm77 pic.twitter.com/mzVGSEKfuL
— Qantas Wallabies (@qantaswallabies) August 1, 2018
The Springboks will certainly be aiming to do just that and have the muscle to give the All Blacks a few jitters up front.
Former captain and lock Eben Etzebeth returns and he will help make up a monster pack with hooker Malcolm Marx, flanker Francois Louw, prop Steven Kitshoff and fellow lock RG Snyman.
They certainly have some speed to trouble New Zealand out wide too with Aphiwe Dyantyi and Makazole Mapimpi, plus the in-form full-back Willie Le Roux and scrum-half Faf de Klerk, but the Boks’ trouble will be consistency and putting together an 80-minute performance.
Any lapses in concentration and the ABs will make them pay.
New Pumas coach Mario Ledesma has opted for six new faces as he tries to turn around Argentina’s fortunes.
After being thrashed by an under-strength Wales (twice) and Scotland in June, Ledesma was brought into replace the flailing Daniel Hourcade.
But the former Pumas prop and current Jaguares coach has very little time to turn things around.
Pumas in Training today.
— Paul Tait (@Argentina_2027) August 8, 2018
15 Boffelli
14 Delguy
13 Moroni
12 Ezcurra
11 Cancelliere
10 Sánchez
9 Bertranou
8 Ortega Desio
7 Kremer
6 Bruni
5 Alemanno
4 Petti
3 Tetaz Chaparro
2 Creevy
1 García Botta
The new faces are lock Marco Ciccioli, hooker Diego Fortuny, tight head props Lucas Favre and Mayco Vivas, lock Franco Molina and Santiago Grondon, as the Pumas prepare for their opening game against South Africa in Durban next weekend.
Also included are established stars Agustin Creevy, Pablo Matera, Nicolas Sanchez and Emiliano Boffelli.
Argentina will be desperate to improve on last season’s Rugby Championship campaign when they lost all six of their games.
For the All Blacks squad click HERE.
Argentina
Emiliano Boffelli of the Jaguares .
Forwards (21)
Matias Alemanno, Rodrigo Bruni, Marco Ciccioli, Agustin Creevy, Lucas Favre, Diego Fortuny, Santiago Garcia Botta, Santiago Grondona, Marcos Kremer, Ignacio Larrague, Tomas Lavanini, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Pablo Matera, Vivas Mayco, Santiago Medrano, Franco Molina, Julian Montoya, Javier Ortega Desio, Guido Petti, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Juan Zeiss
Backs (15)
Gonzalo Bertranou, Emiliano Boffelli, Sebastian Cancelliere, Tomas Cubelli, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Bautista Delguy, Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, Bautista Ezcurra, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Martin Landajo, Juan Cruz Mallia, Matias Moroni, Ramiro Moyano, Matias Orlando, Nicolas Sanchez
Australia
Jordan Petaia in action for the Reds.
Forwards (20)
Jermaine Ainsley, Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Folau Faingaa, Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper (capt), Sekope Kepu, Tolu Latu, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Izack Rodda, Pete Samu, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Caleb Timu, Lukhan Tui, Taniela Tupou
Backs (16)
Tom Banks, Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Marika Koroibete, Jack Maddocks, Billy Meakes, Sefa Naivalu, Jordan Petaia, Nick Phipps, Joe Powell, Curtis Rona, Matt Toomua
South Africa
Eben Etzebeth is back for the Boks
Forwards (20)
Cyle Brink, Jean-Luc du Preez, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Thomas du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi (capt), Francois Louw, Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi, Franco Mostert, Tendai Mtawarira, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Marvin Orie, RG Snyman, Akker van der Merwe, Marco van Staden, Warren Whiteley
Backs (15)
Lukhanyo Am, Ross Cronje, Faf de Klerk, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Andre Esterhuizen, Elton Janjies, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Lionel Mapoe, Makazole Mapimpi, Lwazi Mvovo, Embrose Papier, Handre Pollard, Ivan van Zyl, Damian Willemse
