Rugby Championship

All Blacks not basking in Rugby Championship success

New Zealand's 35-17 win over Argentina in Buenos Aires at the weekend ensured another southern hemisphere championship for the All Blacks but that will not lead to any slackening of against the Springboks in Pretoria says Perenara.

"We're so focused on the next job and winning games and being the best footy players that we can be that we don't often have time to reflect on what we've achieved," Perenara, who celebrated his 50th cap in Velez Sarsfield win, told New Zealand media.

All Blacks on verge of title

The All Blacks are averaging 6.8 tries and 46.3 points per game compared to 6.3 and 43.7 in 2016 and will wrap up a fifth Rugby Championship title if victorious against bottom-placed Argentina in Buenos Aires this weekend, irrespective of the result of the other match between South Africa and Australia in Bloemfontein.

Records forgotten when All Blacks-Springboks hit the field

A hardened lock very much in the mold of the generations of players who have occupied the Springboks second row, Etzebeth sees Saturday's Rugby Championship test at North Harbour Stadium as just 46 blokes going hammer and tongs on a patch of grass.

"Once you jog onto the field, any records, they disappear out of your head," the 25-year-old said on Friday about the fact South Africa had not won in New Zealand since 2009.

"You don't want to break records, you just want to win the test match. They want to win it, we want to win it. Records don't count for very much."

Springbok revival put to the test

The Springboks endured an awful 2016 as they suffered their first loss to Ireland at home and were thumped 41-13 and 57-15 by the All Blacks in their two Rugby Championship clashes.

They also lost all three of their end-of-season tests in Europe as they ended the year with just four wins from 12 matches and slumped as low as seventh in the world rankings by this March.

Stalemate between Wallabies and Springboks

Centre Jesse Kriel and hooker Malcolm Marx crossed for the Springboks, who dominated the breakdown and set piece but were unable to convert late pressure into a score that would have given them a sixth successive win.

Livewire centre Kurtley Beale and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau scored tries for the Wallabies, who showed plenty of attacking endeavour but remain winless in the competition after back-to-back losses to the All Blacks.

Boks aiming for momentum against Pumas

Springbok rugby was in crisis at the turn of the year after the side lost eight of their 12 tests in 2016, including historic defeats to Argentina, Italy and Ireland.

The South Africans are now hoping to build on a 3-0 clean-sweep of their June series against a depleted France.

Coach Allister Coetzee narrowly survived the axe, and promised the worst was over and that the side would be more competitive this season.

Williams appeals suspension for his red card

Williams was suspended for four weeks for a shoulder charge on Lions wing Anthony Watson - it was hoped he would be able to serve the ban before the Rugby Championship.

Yesterday World Rugby confirmed the suspension would run until August 19th, the day of the first Test against Australia in Sydney.

In a statement New Zealand Rugby said Sonny Bill Williams has appealed the World Rugby Judicial Committee's decision not to include the All Blacks match on 11 August in the four-week suspension.

Stamina the key in Pumas quest to beat All Blacks

 The Pumas took more points off the All Blacks than in any previous clash when they scored 22 and were equal to their opponents for nearly three quarters of their previous clash in Hamilton three weeks ago.

They were let down, however, by their failure to stay the pace for 80 minutes and lost 57-22, but hope to have learned some lessons as they look to end a run of 22 losses and a draw against the All Blacks.

"In the 60th minute I couldn't catch my breath anymore," loose forward Javier Ortega Desio said.

Savea joins brother as starting All Black

After five impressive bench appearances, dynamic flanker Ardie Savea is in the run-on side to face South Africa in Christchurch on Saturday, replacing the injured Sam Cane.

It is the only starting change from the side who roared away late to a 57-22 win over Argentina in Hamilton last week, extending the unbeaten All Blacks' lead in the Rugby Championship.

Openside flanker Cane suffered a hamstring injury which will sideline him for at least a month, opening the door for 22-year-old Savea to show his prowess from the opening whistle.

No sign of complacency from All Blacks

The All Blacks are three wins from three heading into Saturday's match, while South Africa have won just once against Argentina, before losing to the Pumas and a struggling Australia side.

But Kaino said Argentina had put enough pressure on New Zealand in last weekend's test in Hamilton to encourage any side, let alone one with the pedigree of the Springboks.