By Graham Thomas
The new rugby campaign is still some weeks away here in Wales, but like Amazon and Netflix, the global season never sleeps.
So, just as you may have been digesting the Sevens tournament at the Olympics in Paris, off the back of Wales’ summer tour to Australia, the kitchen doors are swung off their hinges and in come the waiters, ready to serve up the Rugby Championship.
On Saturday, Australia host South Africa in Brisbane, followed by New Zealand against Argentina in Wellington.
This will be the first Rugby Championship since last year’s World Cup. You’ll remember that tournament. It was meant to be the one where European teams were going to prove the gap between the northern and southern hemispheres had finally been bridged.
The Rugby Championship 2024 Round 1
AUSTRALIA V SOUTH AFRICA
News: https://t.co/wncgkMWyhB#trc2024 pic.twitter.com/vPsuiCqVM6— TheRugbyChampionship (@SanzarTRC) August 8, 2024
In fact, Ireland, France and Wales bombed out at the quarter-final stage as New Zealand and South Africa made their usual reliable progress, where one or other – or, in this case, both – contest the final.
Since then, Ireland have shared a summer series with South Africa, but both Wales and England lost 2-0 on tour to Australia and New Zealand, respectively. France also lost one and won one of their two-game series in Argentina.
All of which tells us that Ireland are the only Six Nations team who can be relied upon to at least dish out as much they receive back when they mix it with the Springboks, the All Blacks and the Aussies.
The Wallabies have recovered quickly from their disastrous World Cup campaign, but are they really any good just because they overcame Wales in two Tests?
Warren Gatland and the Wales management would have you believe that Australia are a strong force once more and losing efforts against them deserve some credit, but we are about to see whether the Aussies are actually any good when they face the Boks on Saturday.
https://twitter.com/RassieRugby/status/1820067915498156092
South Africa have lost just twice in their last 15 games – on both occasions against Ireland – although their record in Brisbane is exceptionally poor, with just one win in 12 games since 1996.
