Two of the most atmospheric and intimidating arenas in world rugby stage this weekend's penultimate Rugby Championship fixtures, with Argentina and South Africa enjoying the backing of home crowds in Buenos Aires and Pretoria respectively.
New Zealand have to contend with Argentina’s passionate home support as well as the 15 men on the Velez Sarsfield pitch, while the prospect facing Australia is no less daunting with a game against South Africa in the rarefied atmosphere of the Loftus Versfeld. Both stadiums only hold roughly 50,000 fans, though it can feel like double that when the crowd is in full voice.
Nevertheless, Rugby Championship 2016 winners New Zealand have proved time and time again that they can cope with such hostile environments and they head to South America unbeaten in 23 test outings against Los Pumas and looking for their eighth test victory of the year.
Argentina troubled New Zealand more than any other team in going down to a 57-22 defeat in the first meeting between the two in early September, but they will need to find an 80-minute performance this weekend if they are going to rewrite history.
Given their poor record at Loftus Versfeld, victory for Australia in South Africa would serve as a huge confidence booster heading into games against Argentina in London and then a Bledisloe Cup dead rubber in Auckland next month.
Australia beat South Africa 23-17 in Brisbane in round three, after recovering from a 14-3 deficit inside the opening quarter, but playing at a venue where they haven't won in six previous visits makes this a mountainous task.
SOUTH AFRICA V AUSTRALIA, LOFTUS VERSFELD, PRETORIA
Australia’s starting XV shows only one change to the team that beat Argentina 36-20 in Perth a fortnight ago, with Sean McMahon (pictured) stepping in for the injured David Pocock at number eight.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has named an extended bench with Tom Robertson getting the nod ahead of Allan Alaalatoa as front-row cover alongside James Slipper and James Hanson.
Scrum-half Rudy Paige starts his first test for the Springboks as coach Allister Coetzee goes for a new-look half-back partnership. Morne Steyn, who came off the bench in South Africa’s 41-13 loss to New Zealand last time out, starts a test at 10 for the first time in just over two years.
Meanwhile, Pat Lambie returns to the team for the first time since he suffered concussion in the series opener against Ireland in June after being preferred to Johan Goosen at full-back.
In brief
- Loftus Versfeld has proved something of a bogey ground for the Wallabies over the years with all six previous visits to the high-altitude arena ending in defeat. In 1997, they suffered a record 61-22 loss – the most points they have conceded in a single test
- The Springboks have won their last three games against Australia on home soil, keeping the Wallabies to 10 points or fewer in each of those three fixtures
- It is 10 years since South Africa tasted defeat to any team at ‘fortress’ Loftus Versfeld
- Australia will have to be on their toes from the off as South Africa have scored four tries in the opening 20 minutes of games so far in the 2016 Rugby Championship, more than any other team and half of their overall total
- The Wallabies have the worst disciplinary record in the 2016 tournament thus far, conceding a tournament-high 53 penalties and three yellow cards
- Michael Hooper has made 10 more tackles (53) than any other player in the 2016 edition and has also won the joint-second most turnovers (6)
Ranking predictor
Should South Africa maintain their proud record at Loftus Versfeld, they will leapfrog the Wallabies in the rankings and, in all probability, move above them into second place in The Rugby Championship table. Victory would be worth 0.82 of a rating point or as many as 1.23 if the margin is greater than 15 points.
The gap between Australia and second-place England is too big for the Wallabies to overhaul, but they would cut the deficit between themselves and Eddie Jones’ men to just over two points if they win by over 15 points. A victory of this nature is worth 1.77 points and would take them on to 87.30 compared to England’s current total of 89.49.
ARGENTINA V NEW ZEALAND, ESTÁDIO JOSÉ AMALFITANI, VELEZ SARSFIELD, BUENOS AIRES
Steve Hansen has rung the changes for the trip to Buenos Aires with nine new faces in the starting line-up from the team that took to the field against South Africa.
There are maiden starts for Liam Squire on the blindside, selected ahead of Elliot Dixon to replace the injured Jerome Kaino, and also Anton Lienert-Brown (pictured), who partners Ryan Crotty in midfield with Malakai Fekitoa rested. Chiefs utility back Damian McKenzie will make his test debut if he comes off the bench.
Thankfully for Argentina, talisman and hooker Agustin Creevy has been passed fit to play against the All Blacks, as has influential second-row Guido Petti, and his head-to-head confrontation with in-form New Zealand number two Dane Coles should be one to savour.
Los Pumas, bottom of the table after the first four rounds, make three changes to their starting line-up as Ramiro Moyano starts ahead of Lucas González Amorosino on the wing, Martin Landajo comes in for Tomas Cubelli at scrum-half while Petti is in the second row, with Javier Ortega Desio replacing Juan Manuel Leguizamon on the flank.
In brief
- The All Blacks have now won the Rugby Championship/Tri Nations 14 times in the 21 editions since the tournament began in 1996. This is their fourth title in the last five years
- One more try and New Zealand will hold the standalone record for most tries (25) in a Rugby Championship/Tri Nations campaign
- The All Blacks have won their last 15 test matches, one more win would equal their third longest winning run, with the longest ever winning run by a tier one team standing at 17 games (New Zealand 1965-69 and 2013-14, South Africa 1997-98)
- Each of Argentina’s last six games on home soil have been won by the team leading at half-time, three of which have gone in favour of Los Pumas
- New Zealand have the best tackle success rate (90 per cent), lineout success rate (93 per cent) and scrum success rate (90 per cent) in this year’s competition
- Nicolas Sanchez has scored 48 points so far this tournament, the most of any player who is yet cross for a try and second most overall
- Top point scorer Beauden Barrett (54) has also provided more try assists (four) than any other player in this year's competition
- Just two players have made over 250 metres with the ball in hand in the 2016 Rugby Championship, Ben Smith (257) and Facundo Isa (251)
- Agustin Creevy has won more turnovers (seven) than any other player in this tournament
Ranking predictor
It is impossible for New Zealand to increase their 6.81-point lead at the top of the rankings even if they win emphatically in Buenos Aires, a consequence of the 12.37 points between the sides after the weighting of home advantage is applied for Argentina. A first ever win for Argentina over the All Blacks would come with a two-point reward though, and a rise of two places to fifth, taking them above Wales and Ireland. Fourth is within their grasp if a win is combined with a heavy loss for South Africa at home to the Wallabies.
The World Rugby Rankings update every Monday at 12:00 UK time.