The 2018 edition of the Rugby Championship kicks off in a little over a week and promises a treat as the southern hemisphere’s superpowers are set to battle it out for the big prize.
Since the competition’s current incarnation consisting of four teams, current holders New Zealand have lifted the trophy in all but one instances, and have been the overwhelmingly dominant side with five titles out of six, with Australia grabbing the other one.
The world champions will be back again to try and defend their Rugby Championship title and are odds-on favourites with the Wallabies, Springboks and the Pumas expected to mount a challenge.
The action kicks off on Saturday, 18 August with the Bledisloe Cup encounter between Australia and New Zealand in Sydney, which is followed by South Africa hosting Argentina in Durban later that day.
All four Rugby Championship nations have named their squads ahead of what promises to be yet another 10 weeks of entertaining action.
FIXTURES
18 August
Australia vs New Zealand, Sydney (12:05)
South Africa vs Argentina, Durban (17:05)
25 August
New Zealand vs Australia, Auckland (09:35)
Argentina vs South Africa, Mendoza (21:10)
8 September
New Zealand vs Argentina, Nelson (09:35)A
Australia vs South Africa, Brisbane (12:05)
15 September
New Zealand vs South Africa, Wellington (09:35)
Australia vs Argentina, Gold Coast (20:05)
29 September
South Africa vs Australia, Port Elizabeth (17:05)
Argentina vs New Zealand, Buenos Aires (00:40)
6 October
South Africa vs New Zealand, Pretoria (17:05)
7 October
Argentina v Australia, Salta (00:40)
SQUADS
Argentina
Forwards: Marco Ciccioli, Lucas Favre, Santiago García Botta, Santiago Medrano, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Mayco Vivas, Juan Pablo Zeiss, Agustín Creevy ( C ), Diego Fortuny, Julián Montoya, Matías Alemanno, Ignacio Larrague, Tomás Lavanini, Franco Molina, Guido Petti, Rodrigo Bruni, Santiago Grondana, Marcos Kremer, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Pablo Matera, Javier Ortega Desio.
Backs: Gonzalo Bertranou, Tomás Cubelli, Martín Landajo, Joaquín Díaz Bonilla, Nicolás Sánchez, Jerónimo de la Fuente, Bautista Ezcurra, Santiago González Iglesias, Matías Moroni, Matías Orlando, Sebastián Cancelliere, Bautista Delguy, Ramiro Moyano, Emiliano Boffelli, Juan Cruz Mallía.
Australia
Forwards: Jermaine Ainsley, Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Folau Faingaa, Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper (C), 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: 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.
New Zealand
Forwards: Dane Coles, Codie Taylor, Nathan Harris, Owen Franks, Joe Moody, Tim Perry, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Scott Barrett, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Sam Cane, Jackson Hemopo, Shannon Frizell, Kieran Read (C), Ardie Savea, Liam Squire, Luke Whitelock.
Backs: TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo’unga, Ryan Crotty, Jack Goodhue, Sonny Bill Williams, Anton Lienert-Brown, Jordie Barrett, Rieko Ioane, Nehe Milner-Skudder, Waisake Naholo, Ben Smith.
South Africa
Forwards: Cyle Brink, Jean-Luc du Preez, Thomas du Toit, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Steven Kitshoff, Siya Kolisi (C), 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: Lukhanyo Am, Ross Cronjé, Faf de Klerk, Aphiwe Dyantyi, André Esterhuizen, Elton Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, Embrose Papier, Handré Pollard, Ivan van Zyl, Damian Willemse.
by TheSouthAfrican.com
