Round four of the Rugby Championship was ‘bounce back day’ with New Zealand and South Africa both overturning their defeats to Argentina and Australia the previous week in emphatic style.
Having lost to Argentina for the first time on New Zealand soil seven days earlier, the All Blacks ruthlessly dispatched Los Pumas in the return match in Hamilton on Saturday, winning 53-3.
Ethan de Groot, Caleb Clarke, and Rieko Ioane scored first-half tries for the home side, who piled on the points in the final quarter with tries from Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea, Brodie Retallick and Beauden Barrett. Richie Mo’unga kicked four penalties and Jordie Barrett two.
Emiliano Boffelli, the Rugby Championship 2022 top points-scorer, kicked a 33rd-minute penalty for the well-beaten Los Pumas.
South Africa, meanwhile, ended their nine-year wait for a win against the Wallabies in Australia with a 24-8 victory in Sydney.
Tries from Damian de Allende, Canan Moodie, Franco Mostert and Makazole Mapimpi to one in reply from Pete Samu saw the Springboks bag the bonus point.
Both results not only had a sizeable impact on the Rugby Championship table, with Los Pumas losing top spot to the All Blacks and dropping to the bottom, but also in the World Rugby Men’s Rankings powered by Capgemini.
New Zealand have climbed up to fourth, at England’s expense, while South Africa stay in third place but with 1.42 points added to their overall score. The Springboks are now on 87.89 points with a 1.48-point cushion over the All Blacks.
The margin of defeat for Australia was enough to send them down to a new record low of eighth. Australia are now just a quarter of a point ahead of Wales, the side directly below them.
Argentina, even in defeat, and Scotland have both improved their positions, moving up to sixth and seventh, as a result of the Wallabies’ two-place fall.