Boks Set To Begin Rugby Championship With A Bang

The Springboks head into the clash with the Wallabies in Johannesburg as overwhelming favourites, while the Vodacom Bulls and Fidelity ADT Lions are expected to bounce back in the Carling Currie Cup.

The Rugby Championship kicks off this weekend, with the Boks hosting the Wallabies in Johannesburg, and Argentina tackling the All Blacks in Cordoba.

The Boks are looking to defend their Rugby Championship title this season – and become the first South African team in history to do so.

While there’s a lot of rugby to be played over the next eight weeks, Rassie Erasmus’ charges will target a bonus-point win at Ellis Park this Saturday, and hope that the contest in Cordoba is tighter than predicted.

Those two outcomes will ensure that the Boks finish the first round of the tournament at the top of the Rugby Championship standings.

Currie Cup Battle Intensifies

Meanwhile, the battle for Currie Cup playoff places continues to intensify.

After three rounds, the Airlink Pumas, Toyota Cheetahs and Sanlam Boland Kavaliers have 11 log points apiece, while the Bulls, Lions and Suzuki Griquas have 10.

The clash between the Pumas and Lions in Mbombela this Saturday will be key, as will the battle between the Bulls and Boland in Wellington on Sunday afternoon.

Airlink Pumas v Fidelity ADT Lions

• Date: Saturday, 16 August
• Venue: Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela
• Time: 2pm (SA Time)
• TV: SuperSport

The Pumas made a statement last week when they thumped the Bulls 41-7 at Loftus Versfeld. Meanwhile, the Lions were handed a rugby lesson by a plucky Boland side in Wellington. The Pumas have been installed as favourites ahead of the clash on Saturday, but don’t be surprised if the Lions roar back to win a close match.

Springboks v Australia

• Date: Saturday, 16 August
• Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
• Time: 5:10pm (SA Time)
• TV: SuperSport

The Boks have won their last eight games, while the Wallabies are coming off a morale-boosting victory against the British & Irish Lions in Sydney. The Boks dominated the most recent match-ups on the highveld – winning 43-12 and 35-17 in 2023 and 2019 respectively – and haven’t lost to the Wallabies at Ellis Park since 1963. Unsurprisingly, Erasmus’ charges start as 1.11 favourites, and the only point of interest from a betting perspective is whether the Wallabies will do enough to finish within the handicap of +19 (1.90).

Argentina v New Zealand

• Date: Saturday, 16 August
• Venue: Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba
• Time: 11:10pm (SA Time)
• TV: SuperSport

The All Blacks are coming off a 3-0 series victory against a weakened France, and will start this game as 1.40 favourites. Argentina made a statement by beating the Lions in Dublin in June, only to lose momentum in the subsequent 2-0 series defeat to England at home. While the Pumas have claimed some big scalps over the past few seasons, they have been wildly inconsistent, even when playing in Argentina. Brave bettors may like the 3.40 odds on a Pumas victory, but it may be wiser to explore the hosts’ +8 handicap (1.95).

Sanlam Boland Kavaliers v Vodacom Bulls

• Date: Sunday, 17 August
• Venue: Sanlam Boland Stadium, Wellington
• Time: 3pm (SA Time)
• TV: SuperSport

The Currie Cup Premier Division newcomers have been more than competitive in the initial rounds, winning two out of three matches, including last week’s clash against the Lions. Visiting teams have struggled to adapt to the conditions in Wellington, and the Bulls will have to adjust if they are going to come away from Sunday’s contest with at least four log points. While the Kavaliers have made a mockery of most predictions thus far, they may battle to live with a Bulls side that has a point to prove after a recent loss to the Pumas.

Bet On The Rugby Championship At SuperSportBet

Place your bets now at SuperSportBet and back the Boks or your favourite Currie Cup team to win big this weekend!