Rugby Championship teams: Etzebeth moves into all-time top 10, Barrett returns for All Blacks, while O’Connor back after three-year hiatus
Springbok forward Eben Etzebeth, Wallaby James O'Connor, Los Pumas forward Pablo Matera and Wallabies fly-half James O'Connor.
Ahead of the opening round of the 2025 Rugby Championship, here are the weekend teams.
Round One of the tournament sees the defending champion Springboks host Australia at the iconic Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The later kick-off sees perennial tournament winners face off against Los Pumas at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Cordoba, Argentina.
Rugby Championship team news
The opener in Johannesburg will see South African second-row Eben Etzebeth play his 134th Test for the Springboks and move to joint 10th in the list of most-capped men’s players alongside Gethin Jenkins.
Etzebeth is one of 18 Rugby World Cup winners named in the match-day 23, with only three players have less than five test caps to their name.
Meanwhile, veteran James O’Connor is the only change to Australia’s starting line-up from the 22-12 victory over the British and Irish Lions in Sydney a fortnight ago. It is O’Connor’s first Test for three years since he started against Argentina in The Rugby Championship, and the first time he faces the Springboks since September 2013.
As for Argentina, Gonzalo García and Tomás Albornoz will combine in the half-backs after missing the July internationals with England and Uruguay. The duo were standout performers in Los Pumas’ historic victory over the British and Irish Lions prior to the July Tests.
All Blacks boss Scott Robertson has welcomed back captain Scott Barrett to the second row after he missed the second and third Tests against France last month with a calf injury. He will play his 82nd international for the All Blacks alongside Fabian Holland, who impressed during his debut series against France.
Here are the weekend Rugby Championship lineups.
World Rugby rankings: All Blacks can end four-year wait as Springboks’ top spot under threat
Springboks v Wallabies
South Africa: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Siya Kolisi (c), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Canan Moodie, 23 Damian Willemse
Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 James O’Connor, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Andrew Kellaway
Date: Saturday, August 16
Venue: Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17:10 local (16:10 BST, 15:10 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR)
Assistant referees: James Doleman (NZR), Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
TMO: Tual Trainini (FFR)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZR)
Los Pumas v All Blacks
Argentina: 15 Juan Cruz Mallía, 14 Rodrigo Isgró, 13 Lucio Cinti, 12 Santiago Chocobares, 11 Bautista Delguy, 10 Tomás Albornoz, 9 Gonzalo García, 8 Joaquín Oviedo, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Pedro Rubiolo, 4 Franco Molina, 3 Pedro Delgado, 2 Julián Montoya (c), 1 Mayco Vivas
Replacements: 16 Ignacio Ruiz, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Juan Martín González, 21 Simón Benítez Cruz, 22 Santiago Carreras, 23 Justo Piccardo
New Zealand: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Sevu Reece, 13 Billy Proctor, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cortez Ratima, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Tupou Vaa’i, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Scott Barrett (c), 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot
Replacements: 16 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Anton Lienert-Brown, 23 Damian McKenzie
Date: Saturday, August 16
Venue: Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba
Kick-off: 18:10 local (09:10 NZST Sunday, 22:10 BST, 21:10 GMT)
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
Assistant referees: Nic Berry (RA), Morné Ferreira (SARU)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU)
FPRO: Damon Murphy (RA)