FINALLY, FOCUS will switch to the deep South. The Rugby Championship begins on 8 July and every coach of a northern hemisphere team, and frankly everyone with rugby at heart, will be dying to see what they can produce. It is not as if we can deduce much from Super Rugby Pacific, which often seems to be a different sport. It is a truncated tournament this time, with only six games instead of the usual 12.
Argentina and New Zealand each have only one home game, and yet it will still be enthralling. Will South Africa still be as strong as they were when they took the trophy in Japan in 2019? Will New Zealand be back up to their almost traditional excellence? What effect will Eddie Jones have on the Australia team – will he galvanise them or, as he did with England, will he demolish them? And what about Argentina?
The Pumas no longer have a rallying point inwith the death of the Jaguares in Super Rugby, but if you consider the talent they have exported to the professional game, you may well conclude that they will be dangerous. At hooker alone, they have a choice between Julián Montoya and Agustín Creevy, and probably about 24 young hookers coming through after them.
