Rugby Championship Predictions – Round 6

This year’s Southern Hemisphere showpiece has been one of the best yet and will fittingly go down to the final game of the tournament, which will follow the clash between Australia and New Zealand in Perth earlier in the day.

The Boks moved up from third to first on the log thanks to their 67-30 pummeling of the Pumas last weekend. They have 15 points after five rounds, one clear of the All Blacks, who beat the Wallabies 33-24. Australia are on 11 points and Argentina on nine.

Add the fact that the Boks have a massive point differential of 61 over the second-placed Kiwis and a victory of any kind at the home of English rugby would see them secure back-to-back Rugby Championship titles for the first time ever.

Australia v New Zealand

Saturday, 4 October

In the early goings of last weekend’s clash at Eden Park, it looked like the expected backlash from the All Blacks following their record 43-10 loss to the Boks in Wellington in the previous round as they raced into a 20-3 lead.

However, they couldn’t kick on. Instead, the gritty Wallabies rallied to close the gap to two, before a second Cam Roigard try in the 75th minute finally sealed a nine-point win for the New Zealanders.

With the victory, the All Blacks protected their 31-year unbeaten record at their fortress, retained the Bledisloe Cup for yet another year, stayed in the Rugby Championship title hunt, and restored some “mana” as captain Ardie Savea said afterwards.

And yet, vulnerabilities remain. The Kiwis also suffered a couple of injuries in the bruising battle, with Beauden Barritt and Ethan de Groot ruled out of the rematch. The Wallabies also suffered an injury blow, with Tate McDermott set to miss Saturday’s showdown, but they’ll welcome back two of their big hitters in Will Skelton and Rob Valetini.

Taking the Wallabies outright at 2.80 isn’t a bad shout, but with Roigard back, the All Blacks have a lot more direction and oomph, and I expect them to pip it in Perth.

Prediction: New Zealand by 2.

Suggested Bet: Australia +5 at 1.90.

Argentina v South Africa

Saturday, 4 October

After a bizarre and a grind of a first half, the Boks put on the afterburners and let the Pumas in the dust in the second 40 in Durban to position themselves perfectly to hold onto the silverware.

However, as any golfer will tell you, teeing up a birdie expertly means nothing if you don’t sink the ensuing putt, and Rassie Erasmus was quick to make it clear they’ve won nothing yet at the post-match press conference.

Having played some mind-blowing rugby, especially in the last two rounds, the Boks know they still need to get over the line in London. They’re also wary of just how talented and tenacious the Pumas are, with them having bounced back from defeats to beat the All Blacks and the Wallabies in the rematches this campaign. Thus, South Africa will be fully switched on.

The key factor that sets the Boks apart should see them avoid slipping in the sequel like the Australasian sides, and that’s their depth. There’s very little, if any, difference in quality between the starters and the replacements, which enabled them to go scorched earth in the second half in their routs of the All Blacks and Pumas over the last two rounds.

That undeniable strength will see them continue their winning ways and make more history. 

Prediction: South Africa by 15.

Suggested Bet: South Africa -13 at 1.90.