Rugby Championship

Under-fire New Zealand rugby coach Ian Foster said he believed his All Blacks team took “a step up” despite losing 26-10 to South Africa in the Rugby ...

“We had to get back into the game but all the Springboks did was carry hard and clean hard and earn a couple of penalties. This is a Springbok team that knows what they do well and they stick to it.” “As the game unfolded, a few opportunities opened up.

Tries from Kurt-Lee Arendse and Willie le Roux settled the Rugby Championship opener as the All Blacks' bad run continued.

New Zealand are in the midst of their worst run in 24 years after last month’s historic home series loss to Ireland. Replacement Willie le Roux crossed over as the All Blacks launched a desperate late attack deep in their own 22 in an attempt to salvage some pride. The Springboks were in control throughout and had a big territorial advantage to work with, although they finished with 14 men.

The Wallabies scrapped to a 41-26 Rugby Championship victory over Argentina but it has come at a cost, losing Quade Cooper to a leg injury.

Argentina, who are coached by former Wallabies mentor Michael Cheika, got off to their best possible start with Pablo Matera crossing in the sixth minute and got out to a 13-3 lead. Cooper’s replacement Reece Hodge then banged over a long-range penalty while Argentina lock Matias Alemanno was yellow-carded, for the Wallabies to take the lead, 27-26, for the first time in the match. The Wallabies lost another of their most experienced players when playmaker Cooper slipped on the turf while in attack seven minutes into the second half.

The All Blacks travelled to South Africa with one task on the agenda - righting the ship that had veered so seriously off-course in their two most recent ...

On in 64th minute. Off in 63rd minute. Off in 53rd minute. A horror run off the bench for the experienced head. Was taken out Sam Cane when he was going for a high ball and didn’t look right for the rest of his time on the field. Returned with time almost up in place of Beauden Barrett. Ran a great line off Savea – which seems to be becoming a specialty of the combo – to get the All Blacks out of trouble from deep inside their own half. Secured a defensive breakdown penalty when the Springboks were hot on attack inside the 22 and always looked to get the ball in his hands but couldn’t quite replicate his destructive feats from prior games. Won a good turnover when the Boks were attacking early in the second half. Pinged at the first Springboks scrum and again late in the first half but got one back of his own right before the halftime break. The pick of the All Blacks. The All Blacks’ strongest carrier in the first half, typically taking two or three defenders to bring him to ground. Their first try came in just the eighth minute and they remained at least seven points clear of their opposition throughout the remainder of the game.

The Wallabies have opened their 2022 Rugby Championship account with a hard fought 41-26 victory over Los Pumas in Mendoza today.

His line running was dominant and as expected his scrummaging gave the Wallabies an edge. Relieved he didn’t appear to pick up an injury and hope to see more of this during the Rugby Championship. Akin to his centre partner he was very good today both sides of the ball. Came alive in the second half as the Wallabies found a way to get himself into the game. He appeared to calm-his-farm and went on to manage his side around the park very well. In a match where the hosts appeared to be dominant in the breakdown he never ceased his efforts and as the match went on his influence also became apparent. He was a handful for the Pumas today and outplayed Pablo Matera today. Was playing well before he appeared to sustain a serious ankle injury whilst pressing the Pumas line. Was also influential in attack down the short side and was rewarded with a try off a drive from the lineout. He played with the aggression and intensity that was a message to the selectors that the injured Dave Porecki when fit simply wont walk back into the starting side. Was dominant in the set piece and did his job as reliably as ever in the contact zones. And furthermore, came desperately close to scoring after trailing on the inside after the Wallabies made a surge down the right flank.

Lock's stunning comeback, young star stands up after last minute call-up: Wallabies player ratings.

His body shape was interesting to observe. His clearing kick in the 55th minute, however, was something to learn from. This was a devastating blow, and his loss could be felt hardest next year if, indeed, the extraordinary playmaker does not recover in time to play at his third World Cup. It was excellent running rugby, but the kick allowed Cheika’s side to counter and counter they did. There’s something beautiful about watching Wright play in the outside backs. The Wallabies’ lineout was a weapon and Fainga’a was at the epicentre of it, scoring a try, contributing to a penalty try and another to McReight. He was pinged for in the 75th minute at the scrum. He was pinged a couple of times for penalties - jumping across the lineout in the fifth minute, hick tackle in 36rd and landing on the lifter in the 40th - even though the latter was unfortunate and he won the ball. Swain was brilliant at the lineout, in the maul, in contact, and even allowed space to open up for Cooper to run into. There was the good: his beautiful ball to Petaia to score, the linebreak through the middle and the twinkle feet. Cooper showed some physicality in defence too, while he was pinged at the breakdown once, but he was engaged and ever present. Wright’s running play was again a feature and was first on display in the 24th minute.

It was apparent last year that Wallabies coach Dave Rennie had settled on a high-risk option for his playmakers. We are now seeing the downside of that ...

O’Connor missed the Reds’ finals campaign with a hamstring tear and Cooper missed the England series with a calf niggle. He has suffered from a reputation as a no-frills footballer, but the Wallabies are not yet a team that can shun Mr Reliable. The smokey is Matt To’omua, overlooked for a Wallabies squad spot this year and off to Japan next month. Waratahs’ No.10 Ben Donaldson has been first-choice five-eighth in Jason Gilmore’s Junior Wallabies, the level below from which Rennie has been picking players to plug holes. Quade Cooper, 34, is in the twilight of his career. Lolesio would bubble away underneath them, potentially arriving in France with 20-plus Test caps and two years learning from two world-class playmakers under his belt.