The Champions of the Rugby, of 2023 at least.

[cashead]

Fixtures
Round 1
South Africa 43 - 12 Australia - Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)

Argentina 10 - 41 New Zealand - Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza
Referee: Angus Gardiner (Australia)


Round 2
New Zealand 35 - 20 South Africa - Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)

Australia 31 - 34 Argentina - CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)


Round 3
Australia 7 - 38 New Zealand - Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

South Africa 22 - 21 Argentina - Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)

[cashead]

Argentina

The big beef boys with the anthem that has the really, really long intro. Best known for their scrummaging, the Argies have been upping their game in their backline play and are starting to show some parity with the other teams in the Rugby Champs since being integrated in 2012. They achieved a breakthrough win in 2015, beating the Springboks for the first time, and beat the All Blacks in 2020.
Cheika has brought a controlled aggression to the squad that makes quite dangerous, especially around the rucks.

Tournament Pedigree
2012 - 4th
2013 - 4th
2014 - 4th
2015 - 3rd
2016 - 4th
2017 - 4th
2018 - 4th
2019 - 4th
2020 - 2nd
2021 - 4th
2022 - 4th

Coach: Michael Cheika
Captain: Julián Montoya

Squad
Hookers
Facundo Bosch (Bayonne)
Agustin Creevy (London Irish)
Julián Montoya (Captain, Leicester Tigers)
Santiago Socino (Gloucester)
Ignacio Ruiz (London Irish)

Props
Eduardo Bello (Saracens)
Ignacio Calles (Pau)
Thomas Gallo (Benetton)
Francisco Gómez Kodela (Lyon)
Santiago Medrano (Western Force)
Joel Scalvi (La Rochelle)
Lucio Sordoni (Glasgow Warriors)
Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro (Benetton)
Mayco Vivas (Gloucester)

Locks
Matías Alemanno (Gloucester)
Marcos Kremer (Stade Français)
Tomás Lavanini (Clermont)
Lucas Paulos (Brive)
Guido Petti (Bordeaux Bègles)

Loose Forwards
Rodrigo Bruni (Brive)
Facundo Isa (Toulon)
Juan Martin González (London Irish)
Santiago Grondona (Exeter Chiefs)
Pablo Matera (Mie Honda Heat)
Joaquin Oviedo (Perpignan)
Pedro Rubiolo (Newcastle Falcons)

Halfbacks
Lautaro Bazán (Rugby Rovigo Delta)
Gonzalo Bertranou (Dragons RFC)
Tomás Cubelli (Biarritz)
Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre Parma)

Five-Eighths
Tomás Albornoz (Benetton)
Santiago Carreras (Gloucester)
Nicolás Sánchez (Stade Français)

Midfielders
Santiago Chocobares (Toulouse)
Lucio Cinti (London Irish)
Jeronimo de la Fuente (Perpignan)
Luciano González (Argentina Sevens)
Matias Moroni (Newcastle Falcons)
Matias Orlando (Newcastle Falcons)

Back Three Quarters
Emiliano Boffelli (Edinburgh)
Martin Bogado (Bayonne)
Sebastián Cancelliere (Glasgow Warriors)
Mateo Carreras (Newcastle Falcons)
Santiago Cordero (Bordeaux)
Juan Cruz Mallia (Toulouse)
Bautista Delguy (Clermont)
Juan Imhoff (Racing 92)
Rodrigo Isgro (Argentina Sevens)

[cashead]

Australia

With a brand new coach, the Wallabies of 2023 are largely an unknown quantity as of yet. However, knowing Eddie Jones' coaching philosophy, and his emphasis on the quality of that nation, we can expect intelligent play, slick back play and a very handy set of loose forwards built around a strong set-piece, namely the line-outs.

Tournament Pedigree
1996 - 3rd
1997 - 3rd
1998 - 2nd
1999 - 2nd
2000 - 1st
2001 - 1st
2002 - 2nd
2003 - 2nd
2004 - 2nd
2005 - 3rd
2006 - 2nd
2007 - 2nd
2008 - 2nd
2009 - 3rd
2010 - 2nd
2011 - 1st
2012 - 2nd
2013 - 3rd
2014 - 3rd
2015 - 1st
2016 - 2nd
2017 - 2nd
2018 - 3rd
2019 - 2nd
2020 - 3rd
2021 - 2nd
2022 - 3rd


Coach: Eddie Jones
Captains: Michael Hooper and James Slipper

Squad
Hookers
Matt Faessler (Reds)
Dave Porecki (Waratahs)
Jordan Uelese (Rebels)

Props
Allan Ala'alatoa (Brumbies)
Matt Gibbon (Rebels)
Zane Nonggorr (Reds)
Taniela Tupou (Reds)
James Slipper (Captain, Brumbies)

Locks
Richie Arnold (Toulouse)
Nick Frost (Brumbies)
Jed Holloway (Waratahs)
Tom Hooper (Brumbies)
Will Skelton (La Rochelle)

Loose Forwards
Michael Hooper (Captain, Waratahs)
Josh Kemeny (Rebels)
Rob Leota (Rebels)
Fraser McReight (Reds)
Pete Samu (Brumbies)
Rob Valetini (Brumbies)

Halfbacks
Ryan Lonergan (Brumbies)
Tate McDermott (Reds)
Nic White (Brumbies)

Five-Eighths
Quade Cooper (Hanazono Kintetsu Liners)
Ben Donaldson (Waratahs)
Carter Gordon (Rebels)

Midfielders
Lalakai Foketi (Waratahs)
Len Ikitau (Brumbies)
Izaia Perese (Waratahs)

Back Three Quarters
Reece Hodge (Rebels)
Marika Koroibete (Saitama Wild Knights)
Mark Nawaqanitawase (Waratahs)
Dylan Pietsch (Waratahs)
Suliasi Vunivalu (Reds)
Tom Wright (Brumbies)

[cashead]

New Zealand

The perennial champions, the team has fallen into some hard times as they struggle to live up to their own legacy and the standard the public expects of them. Under Schmidt's guidance, the team focuses on breaking down and nullifying the opposition team's strengths, meeting them at their own game and marrying it to a non-stop off-load based game. The biggest issue though, is their struggles to maintain consistency. Unplayable one week, and idiotically bad the next and saddled with a coach and captain duo that hasn't really captured the hearts of the public, the All Blacks have become the new France.

Tournament Pedigree
1996 - 1st
1997 - 1st
1998 - 3rd
1999 - 1st
2000 - 2nd
2001 - 2nd
2002 - 1st
2003 - 1st
2004 - 3rd
2005 - 1st
2006 - 1st
2007 - 1st
2008 - 1st
2009 - 2nd
2010 - 1st
2011 - 2nd
2012 - 1st
2013 - 1st
2014 - 1st
2015 - 2nd
2016 - 1st
2017 - 1st
2018 - 1st
2019 - 3rd
2020 - 1st
2021 - 1st
2022 - 1st


Coach: Ian Foster
Captain: Sam Cane

Squad
Hookers
Dane Coles (Hurricanes/Wellington)
Samisoni Taukei'aho (Chiefs/Waikato)
Codie Taylor (Crusaders/Canterbury)

Props
Ethan de Groot (Highlanders/Southland)
Nepo Laulala (Blues/Counties Manukau)
Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes/Tasman)
Fletcher Newell (Crusaders/Canterbury)
Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Blues/Northland)
Tamaiti Williams (Crusaders/Canterbury)

Locks
Scott Barrett (Crusaders/Canterbury)
Josh Lord (Chiefs/Taranaki)
Brodie Retallick (Chiefs/Hawke's Bay)
Tupou Va'ai (Chiefs/Taranaki)
Sam Whitelock (Crusaders/Canterbury)

Loose Forwards
Sam Cane (Captain, Chiefs/Bay of Plenty)
Samipeni Finau (Chiefs/Waikato)
Shannon Frizell (Highlanders/Tasman)
Luke Jacobson (Chiefs/Waikato)
Dalton Papali'i (Blues/Counties Manukau)
Ardie Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington)

Halfbacks
Finlay Christie (Blues/Tasman)
Cam Roigard (Hurricanes/Counties Manukau)
Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatu)

Five-Eighths
Beauden Barrett (Blues/Taranaki)
Damian McKenzie (Chiefs/Waikato)
Richie Mo'unga (Crusaders/Canterbury)

Midfielders
Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki)
Brayden Ennor (Crusaders/Canterbury)
Rieko Ioane (Blues/Auckland)
Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs/Waikato)
Dallas McLeod (Crusaders/Canterbury)

Back Three Quarters
Caleb Clarke (Blues/Auckland)
Leicester Fainga'anuku (Crusaders/Tasman)
Will Jordan (Crusaders/Tasman)
Emoni Narawa (Chiefs/Bay of Plenty)
Shaun Stevenson (Chiefs/North Harbour)
Mark Telea (Blues/North Harbour)

[cashead]

South Africa

Probably the most predictable of the teams, the way the Boks go about things is like a train rushing towards you. You know exactly what it's fixing to do, and there's not a lot you can do about it. Lots of kicks, lots of mauling, lots of big, beef boys shouting in Afrikaans about this and that, with stupidly fast wingers.

Tournament Pedigree
1996 - 2nd
1997 - 2nd
1998 - 1st
1999 - 3rd
2000 - 3rd
2001 - 3rd
2002 - 3rd
2003 - 3rd
2004 - 1st
2005 - 2nd
2006 - 3rd
2007 - 3rd
2008 - 3rd
2009 - 1st
2010 - 3rd
2011 - 3rd
2012 - 3rd
2013 - 2nd
2014 - 2nd
2015 - 4th
2016 - 3rd
2017 - 3rd
2018 - 2nd
2019 - 1st
2020 - Did not participate
2021 - 3rd
2022 - 2nd


Coach: Jacques Nienaber
Captain: Siya Kolisi

Squad
Hookers
Joseph Dweba (Stormers)
Deon Fourie (Stormers)
Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears)
Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks)

Props
Thomas du Toit (Sharks)
Steven Kitshoff (Stormers)
Vincent Koch (Stade Français)
Frans Malherbe (Stormers)
Ox Nché (Sharks)
Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)

Locks
Lood de Jager (Saitama Wild Knights)
Eben Etzebeth (Sharks)
Franco Mostert (Mie Honda Heat)
Marvin Orie (Stormers)

Loose Forwards
Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks)
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz)
Siya Kolisi (Captain, Sharks)
Evan Roos (Stormers)
Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
Marco van Staden (Bulls)
Duane Vermeulen (Ulster)
Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)

Halfbacks
Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles)
Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks)
Herschel Jantjies (Stormers)
Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)
Grant Williams (Sharks)

Five-Eighths
Manie Libbok (Stormers)
Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers)
Damian Willemse (Stormers)

Midfielders
Lukhanyo Am (Sharks)
Damian de Allende (Saitama Wild Knights)
André Esterhuizen (Harlequins)
Jesse Kriel (Yokohama Canon Eagles)

Back Three Quarters
Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls)
Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon)
Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz)
Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks)
Canan Moodie (Bulls)

[J Dory]

Teams out, McKenzie get's the 10 jumper.

New Zealand: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Emoni Narawa, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Sam Cane (c), 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Josh Lord, 4 Scott Barrett, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Tupou Vaa’i, 20 Dalton Papali’i, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Richie Mo’unga, 23 Braydon Ennor

[J Dory]

Impressive looking Boks team.

[morepork]

Yeah, nice return for Eddie Jones.

[J Dory]

dmac pretty impressive in the 10 jersey, running hard at the line and distributing in the hit, not something barrett or mounga do

[morepork]

I missed it and am looking for a replay. I like the sound of that type of distribution. Was J Barrett onto that shit?

p.s. Warriors won too. I know how many fans there are on here...

[Puja]

Yeah, nice return for Eddie Jones.

I'm torn. On the one hand, a strong Australia is good for the global game and I don't want them to disappear as a force, which is entirely possible if they fuck up this next 5 year period. On the other, Eddie Jones's smugness and self-satisfaction being hammered solidly into the ground would be rather satisfying.

Puja

[J Dory]

I missed it and am looking for a replay. I like the sound of that type of distribution. Was J Barrett onto that shit?

p.s. Warriors won too. I know how many fans there are on here...

Go warriors, only saw the highlights but .... Bam! Early days for the abs, lots of good stuff, Jordie voted man of the match by the argintine press.

[paddy no 11]

Sam cane up for dickhead of the year again

[monkey]

Sam cane up for dickhead of the year again

yup. wtf was he thinking?

[Banquo]

Sam cane up for dickhead of the year again

what did he do? I fast forwarded after NZ were 31-0 up.

[Banquo]

I missed it and am looking for a replay. I like the sound of that type of distribution. Was J Barrett onto that shit?

p.s. Warriors won too. I know how many fans there are on here...

Go warriors, only saw the highlights but .... Bam! Early days for the abs, lots of good stuff, Jordie voted man of the match by the argintine press.

Yep, Barrett and Ioane seem to be turning into a decent pairing, and mixing Mackenzie and Barrett B seems a better bet than Mo'n'Beau

[morepork]

Sam cane up for dickhead of the year again

what did he do? I fast forwarded after NZ were 31-0 up.

He kicked his foot out tripped up a spectator than ran onto the pitch at the end of the game. A metaphor for the stupid penalties he gives away at the wrong time. Cynical and fucking stupid. He probably like torturing puppies.

[cashead]

Meh, don't go running onto the pitch like a fucking dickhead, then. Don't mess with the bull, you get the horns.

[morepork]

Thank God Sam's Cane is here to protect us from Invaders.

[Mikey Brown]

I can’t tell if you’re being serious. Are people actually taking issue with Cane tripping up a person who’d run on to the pitch to disrupt* the game?

[J Dory]

Game was over I believe, however the guy was being chased by security, but yeah, storm in a teacup if you ask me.

[Which Tyler]

I can’t tell if you’re being serious. Are people actually taking issue with Cane tripping up a person who’d run on to the pitch to disrupt* the game?

More that he did such a bad job of it, and made himself look a tit in the process.

[cashead]

Thank God Sam's Cane is here to protect us from Invaders.

I'm not saying it could've been another Inejiro Asanuma or Monica Seles moment, but you've got some rando running around on the pitch:
Who is he? Who knows.
Where'd he come from? Could be anywhere.
Is he stashing something in his pockets? Maybe.
What's he fixing to do? Beats the hell out of me.

Maybe don't go rushing around on the field like a dipshit?

[Puja]

Sam cane up for dickhead of the year again

what did he do? I fast forwarded after NZ were 31-0 up.

I got curious and googled after reading some of the more sensationalist reporting on it.

Thank God Sam's Cane is here to protect us from Invaders.

I'm not saying it could've been another Inejiro Asanuma or Monica Seles moment, but you've got some rando running around on the pitch:
Who is he? Who knows.
Where'd he come from? Could be anywhere.
Is he stashing something in his pockets? Maybe.
What's he fixing to do? Beats the hell out of me.

Maybe don't go rushing around on the field like a dipshit?

I would agree with you that it is very much a play-stupid-games-win-stupid-prizes moment for the pitch invader and I've got very little sympathy for any hurt that the dipshit may have sustained, but it is a touch sociopathic for Cane's first instinct to be swinging a boot hard through the shins of the person running by. Didn't exactly stop the guy either, just seemed to be lashing out to hurt him.

I won't judge him on a one-off reaction in the moment, but it was a bit of a nasty action to opt for.

Puja

[J Dory]

I missed it and am looking for a replay. I like the sound of that type of distribution. Was J Barrett onto that shit?

p.s. Warriors won too. I know how many fans there are on here...

Go warriors, only saw the highlights but .... Bam! Early days for the abs, lots of good stuff, Jordie voted man of the match by the argintine press.

Seems we're not the only warriors fans MP.

https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/07/11 ... 726240.jpg