23 July, 2019

The Rugby Championship 2019 – Round 2

World Rugby Rankings stats:

• New Zealand have been number one since 16 November, 2009 • England and South Africa are the only other teams to occupy top spot • Australia’s lowest ever ranking is seventh – they could drop to 10th this weekend

NEW ZEALAND (1) 92.54 v SOUTH AFRICA (5) 85.30

New Zealand win by 15 points or less – New Zealand 92.54, South Africa 85.30 (no change) New Zealand win by more than 15 points – New Zealand 92.54, South Africa 85.30 (no change) Draw – New Zealand 91.54, South Africa 86.30 South Africa win by 15 points or less – New Zealand 90.54, South Africa 87.30 South Africa win by more than 15 points – New Zealand 89.54, South Africa 88.30

Head to head: Played 97 – New Zealand leads 58-36 with three draws Points for: New Zealand 2,011 / South Africa 1,548 Average score: New Zealand 20-15 South Africa

First met: 31 August, 1921 – New Zealand 13-5 South Africa – Carisbrook Last met: 6 October, 2018 – New Zealand 32-30 South Africa – Pretoria

• The sides will meet again at 2019 on 21 September • New Zealand will surrender top spot to Wales if lose by more than 15 points • New Zealand cannot improve their rating with victory over the Springboks • The All Blacks need six points to be the first to score 16,000 points in test rugby • South Africa won the last meeting on New Zealand soil, 36-34 last September – their first since a 32-29 success in Hamilton in 2009 • South Africa will climb above England into fourth place with draw or victory • They cannot fall from fifth even if lose heavily and Australia win by similar margin

AUSTRALIA (6) 81.68 v (10) 77.05

Australia win by 15 points or less – Australia 81.91, Argentina 76.81 Australia win by 15 points or more – Australia 82.03, Argentina 76.69 Draw – Australia 80.91, Argentina 77.81 Argentina win by 15 points or less – Australia 79.91, Argentina 78.81 Argentina win by more than 15 points – Australia 79.03, Argentina 79.69

Head to head: Played 31 – Australia leads 24-6 with one draw Points for: Australia 888 / Argentina 525 Average score: Australia 28-16 Argentina

First met: 30 October, 1976 – New Zealand 21-9 Argentina – (non-cap match for New Zealand) Most recent meeting: 29 September, 2018 – New Zealand 35-17 Argentina – Buenos Aires

• Australia cannot improve position with win but will drop below Scotland with loss

• If they lose by more than 15 points and Fiji beat Japan by the same margin, the Wallabies will drop to 10th and be ranked below Fiji for the first time • Argentina have lost their last six tests since beating Australia 23-19 in Robina last year • Los Pumas will climb one place if they win and Fiji lose their Pacific Nations Cup encounter with Japan in Kamaishi • Argentina could climb as high as seventh – a position they last held in August 2017