All Blacks begin peculiar Rugby Championship in 'hardcore rugby territory'

It’s a peculiar Rugby Championship for the All Blacks in 2023, playing in Mendoza for the first time in 32 years before hosting the Springboks at Mt Smart in Auckland because Eden Park is reserved for Fifa World Cup duties. Most bizarre of all, losing the Championship in World Cup years has historically been a good omen for the team.

New Zealand’s dominance in the tournament has seen them win every year since 2010 – except the World Cup years. Victors in 2010, the All Blacks split their series with both the Wallabies and South Africa in 2011, leading to a second-place finish as the Wallabies lifted the Tri-Nations trophy.

Three more years of southern hemisphere dominance were again ended in 2015, also by Australia. The All Blacks went on to win the Rugby World Cup both times.

South Africa bucked the trend in 2019, lifting both The Rugby Championship and the Rugby World Cup.

“I think that’s the key, the World Cup,” Commentator Tony Johnson told Rugby Nation. “That puts it in a slightly different context.

“I always thought perhaps The Rugby Championship winner in a World Cup year should have an asterisk beside the name because it very rarely equates to World Cup success. It’s only happened once – the last time, South Africa in 2019 won The Rugby Championship and went on to win the World Cup. That’s the only time that’s ever happened.

“I think what’s more important for the All Blacks will be retaining the Bledisloe Cup, they would hate to lose that, particularly in a World Cup year.

“Eddie Jones knows as well as anybody, that if they win the Bledisloe Cup, it’s a huge, huge boost for Australia, but it’s also a massive, massive downer for the All Blacks.”

Los Pumas’ growth over the years has been immense and Michael Cheika’s men have recorded historic victories over the All Blacks in two of the past three international seasons. The team will look to bring that taste of victory to home soil in what promises to be a hostile Estadio Malvinas crowd.

“Argentina in Mendoza, not Buenos Aires,” Johnson added. “They’re playing up country, that’s new.

“It’s tricky for sure because you’re right up in the foothills of the Andes, you’re a long way from the coast. It’s really hardcore rugby territory up in Mendoza.

“Michael Cheika, they’ll be lying in wait. There are always going to be some question marks over the Pumas, particularly their first game of the year, how they come together because they scatter far and wide.”