The Rugby Championship, competitia etalon a Emisferei de Sud a continuat cu partidele din etapa a III-a, Noua Zeelanda reusind sa invinga Argentina dupa ce pumele au condus la pauza si in primele minute ale partii secunde, in timp ce la Perth, Australia si Africa de Sud au terminat la egalitate.
Pe Yarrow Stadium din New Plymouth, Noua Zeelanda a inceput in stiul obisnuit impotriva Argentinei, doua eseuri marcate in minutele 8, respectiv 18, lasand impresia ca All Blacks vor obtine un succes lejer. Los Pumas insa au revenit in joc si Nicolas Sanchez a marcat din toate procedeele posibile astfel ca la pauza avantajul a fost de partea elevilor lui Daniel Hourcade.
Dupa reluare, Emiliano Boffelli a marit avantajul Argentinei care in minutul 52 conducea cu 22-20, dar All Blacks au fortat apoi cu Damian McKenzie si Beauden Barrett trecand de apararea sud-americanilor pentru o victorie cu punct bonus ofensiv. Noua Zeelanda a acumulat trei victorii in tot atatea partide disputate si se afla in fruntea clasamentului.
La Perth, Africa de Sud a deschis scorul si a condus pana in minutul 25 pentru ca la pauza avantajul sa treaca de partea Australiei care s-a desprins apoi la un ecart de zece puncte. In partea secunda Springboks au intors rezultatul ,dar nu au reusit sa-l mentina pana la final, lovitura de pedeapsa concretizata de Bernard Foley readucand egalitatea.
In urmatoarea etapa Noua Zeelanda va intalni pe teren propriu Africa de Sud , in timp ce Australia va primi replica Argentinei, la Canberra.
The Rugby Championship, etapa a III-a:
Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth: Noua Zeelanda-Argentina 39-22(15-16)
Au marcat: Lienert-Brown-e, Milner-Skudder-e, Dagg-e, Fifita-e, McKenzie-e, Barrett-e, Sopoaga-3tr,lp respectiv Sanchez-e, tr,2lp, dg, Boffelli-2lp
Cartonas galben: Barrett
Noua Zeelanda: 15 Damian McKenzie, 14 Israel Dagg, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Joe Moody
Rezerve: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 19 Scott Barrett, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 22 Lima Sopoaga, 23 Ngani Laumape
Argentina: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Santiago Cordero, 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Benjamin Macome, 7 Javier Ortega Desio, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 1 Lucas Noguera Paz
Rezerve: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Santiago Garcia Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto Heilan, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, 23 Matias Orlando
Nib Stadium, Perth: Australia-Africa de Sud 23-23(13-10)
Au marcat: Beale-e, Polota-Nau-e, Foley-2tr,3lp respectiv Kriel-e,Marx-e, Jantjies-2tr,3lp
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Reece Hodge, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Sean McMahon, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Scott Sio
Rezerve: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Tom Robertson, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Jack Dempsey, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Samu Kerevi, 23 Curtis Rona
Africa de Sud: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Jaco Kriel, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth (c), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira
Rezerve: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Handré Pollard, 23 Damian de Allende
Clasament:
1.Noua Zeelanda-14p
2.Africa de Sud-11p
3.Australia-3p
4.Argentina-0p
