The 2022 Rugby Championship is set for a thrilling conclusion this weekend. Here are the all-important team line-ups and kick-off times. Photo: @All Blakcs/Twitter
Major controversy as All Blacks edge Wallabies
The All Blacks now look well-placed to clinch this year’s Rugby Championship, but there was major controversy against Australia.
The 2022 Rugby Championship is set for a thrilling conclusion this weekend. Here are the all-important team line-ups and kick-off times. Photo: @All Blakcs/Twitter
On Thursday, the All Blacks and Wallabies clashed in a rare weekday match that was always likely to have a significant bearing on the Rugby Championship log ahead of this weekend’s battle between the Boks and Argentina.
Prior to Thursday’s clash, a look at the log showed the All Blacks leading the way with 10 log points, while Australia, South Africa and Argentina were just one point behind.
At one point in the second half, the All Blacks led 31-13 and looked dead certain to come away with a bonus-point win, and yet the Wallabies then turned on the style to execute a quite remarkable comeback.
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Some superb tries and a brilliant long-range penalty from Nic White saw Australia lead 37-34 in the dying stages, but the All Blacks then turned down a shot at goal and opted to go the corner.
From the next phase of play from that lineout, the Wallabies clinched a key penalty and looked certain to come away with victory.
However, French referee Mathieu Raynal then made an almost unbelievable decision to penalise Australia flyhalf Bernard Foley for time-wasting, handing the All Blacks a scrum, from which they scored the match-winning try.
The only solace for the chasing teams is that New Zealand were unable to clinch a bonus-point, but they still now have the ability to clinch the Rugby Championship with a good win over Australia next weekend.
The Boks now have a lot of work to do to chase down the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship
Over in Argentina, the Boks should fancy their chances of claiming back-to-back wins over the Pumas, with the final game in Durban certainly presenting a possible chance for a bonus-point victory.
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Although the Boks have struggled in the hostile playing grounds of Argentina at times, the good news is that South Africa have won the last four games against the Pumas, while in fact losing just one out of the last eight match-ups.
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The last time the Boks met the Pumas in Argentina, they came away with a resounding 46-13 win in Salta, but they will know that the hosts will be extremely dangerous this Saturday after making notable improvements under coach Michael Cheika.
There is everything to play for in the final two rounds of Rugby Championship fixtures, but after the Boks fell to the bottom of the log not that long ago, they will suddenly be feeling a lot more optimistic about their chances.
Let us know in the comments section who you feel is now the favourite to win the tournament.
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