Boks must beat All Blacks in NZ to win 2023 Rugby Championship

BUSINESS NEWS - The 2023 Rugby Championship promises to be one to remember, with each of the teams looking to lift the trophy after a tight battle in 2022.

Here is the guide to South Africa’s 2023 campaign.

New Zealand is the reigning champions but they were not invincible last season. The All Blacks fell to two defeats last year, with bottom sides Australia and Argentina both beating them.

For the Aussies, the competition will herald the return of Eddie Jones as coach. He arrives after parting ways with England, and he will want ensure his first foray into competition with Australia upon his return is a positive one, while Argentina will be hoping to build on a decent showing in 2022.

For South Africa, this is all about taking that final step forward. In 2022, they missed out on top spot by a single point, with the All Blacks lifting the trophy due to the one losing bonus point they picked up across the campaign.

The Springboks started 2022 with a stunning 26-10 win over New Zealand in Mbombela in a win to remember. This was then followed by a crushing 35-23 loss to the same opponents in Johannesburg to see honours even as the All Blacks travelled home.

They were then subjected to a damaging 25-17 loss to Australia in Adelaide before they bounced back to crush their opponents 24-8 in Sydney.

South Africa then rounded off their Rugby Championship campaign by beating Argentina 36-20 and 38-21. While this was not enough to see South Africa win the title, they came within a hair of lifting the trophy, and it gives them something to build on this year. In hindsight, they will look at their loss to Australia in their first clash, which saw the Springboks pick up no points, as the match that cost them the title.

They will want to start the competition with a win, and they can do that in their opening match in 2023 in which they are being tipped as favourites with bookmakers against Australia in Pretoria on July 8.

They then face their toughest test as they travel to Auckland to face New Zealand on July 15. They then complete their campaign when they play Argentina on July 29.

With the competition cut down to just three games each, there is no time for any side to slowly build into the competition. South Africa face a real unknown quantity in their opening game as they play Eddie Jones’ Australia, before then travelling to New Zealand.

Regardless of whether they beat Australia or not, their clash with New Zealand is a must win if they want to lift the trophy. Victory in their first two would set them up perfectly to host Argentina in their final game. The fact they play two home games this year works in their favour. The odds suggest they have the Rugby Championship trophy in their sights.