Rugby Championship: 10 things you need to know

This year’s Rugby Championship will be a single round tournament due to the Rugby World Cup in France later in 2023.

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South Africa and Australia will play two matches at home and one away, while New Zealand and Argentina will play one home match and will be on the road for their other two fixtures.

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Below, 10 facts you should know ahead of kick-off.

1. The Rugby Championship as we know it today started in 2012 when Argentina joined the three Tri-Nations teams South Africa, Australia and New Zealand

2. The All Blacks have won every Rugby Championship title to date apart from in Rugby World Cup years – 2015 and 2019

3. New Zealand flyhalf Dan Carter is the leading Rugby Championship points scorer with 554 points

4. Morne Steyn is the all-time highest Springbok points-scorer in the Rugby Championship with 390 points

5. Springbok wing Bryan Habana is the leading overall Rugby Championship try-scorer with 21 tries

6. In 2020 the ‘Rugby Championship’ reverted to the Tri-Nations when South Africa did not compete due to Covid-19 travel restrictions

7. Argentina have finished last in every Rugby Championship to date apart from in 2015 when the Springboks finished as wooden spoonists

8. The Springboks and All Blacks compete for the Freedom Cup during the Rugby Championship

9. The Springboks and Wallabies compete for the Mandela Challenge Plate during the Rugby Championship

10. The Springboks will play Australia at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria (8 July), New Zealand at the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland (15 July) and Argentina at Ellis Park in Johannesburg (29 July) in this year’s Rugby Championship

RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2023

ROUND 1 – Saturday 8 July
South Africa v Australia, Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria – 17:05
Argentina v New Zealand, Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza – 16:10

ROUND 2 – Saturday 15 July
New Zealand v South Africa, Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland – 19:05
Australia v Argentina, Comm Bank Stadium, Sydney – 19:45

ROUND 3 – Saturday 29 July
Australia v New Zealand, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne – 19:45 (Bledisloe Cup 1)
South Africa v Argentina, Ellis Park, Johannesburg, 17:05

Additional Fixtures – Saturday 5 August
New Zealand v Australia, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin – 14:35 (Bledisloe Cup 2)
Argentina v South Africa, Estadion Velez Sarsfield, Buenos Aires – 19:10

*All times and dates are local

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