Seven players to watch in the second round of the Rugby Championship

Ahead of the second round of the Rugby Championship that sees games take place in Auckland and Sydney, we pick out seven players to watch on Saturday.

The round’s action begins at Mount Smart Stadium, where the All Blacks host the Springboks before it is off to the CommBank Stadium for the clash between the Wallabies and Los Pumas.

Before the action kicks off, here is our selection of the players to keep a close eye on this weekend as the truncated version of the Rugby Championship continues.

Mark Telea

The Blues flyer will be raring to go after missing out on the All Blacks’ tournament opener against Argentina due to a calf injury. Telea has only won two Test caps, since making his All Blacks debut against Scotland during last season’s Autumn Nations Series, but has been in a rich vein of form since then.

The 26-year-old was crowned as the Blues’ Player of the Year as well as Players’ Player of the Year at the Auckland-based franchise’s annual awards ceremony last month after shining in Super Rugby Pacific, where he was amongst the leading attackers in the competition. He will be determined to continue with that excellent form against the Boks this weekend.

Damian Willemse

There will be plenty of pressure on the Stormers’ utility back as he is set to line up at fly-half against the All Blacks, and although he hasn’t played in that position for his club in a while, Willemse has performed admirably in the number 10 jersey for the Springboks in last year’s Rugby Championship and the Autumn Nations Series.

The fleet-footed Bok playmaker is a brilliant attacker who knows that a clash against the All Blacks on their home soil is arguably the toughest assignment in the game for any player. That means he will have to be at his best from the kick-off and try to unleash the Boks’ exciting backline while also controlling proceedings with excellent game management.

Fraser McReight

With Wallabies co-captain Michael Hooper sidelined for their encounter against Argentina with a calf injury, McReight will get a rare opportunity to start on the openside flank. Although the Reds had an indifferent season in Super Rugby Pacific, the 24-year-old was one of their better players, and he regularly caught the eye with fine all-round performances in that competition.

From the likes of George Smith, David Pocock and Hooper, the Wallabies have always had top-class openside flankers, and McReight is no different. Like the aforementioned trio, he is brilliant at the breakdowns and on defence – and he will be eager to make a good impression in those areas while also trying to put his side on the front foot with some strong carries.

Rodrigo Isgro

The former Argentina Sevens star is set to make his Test debut when Los Pumas face the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday and comes into the starting line-up at the expense of Sebastian Cancelliere, who made little impact with ball in hand in the defeat to New Zealand in Mendoza last weekend.

Pure power and determination 💪

Rodrigo Isgro would NOT be denied! Happy Birthday to the @lospumas7arg star 🥳 pic.twitter.com/PDt7WGnGSx

— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) March 24, 2022

Like most Sevens players, Isgro possesses plenty of pace, power and agility while he is also an excellent finisher, who will be hoping for some try-scoring opportunities from his inside backs. He will have to hit the ground running on attack and defence as he faces a baptism of fire against his direct opponent Marika Koroibete, who was one of the Wallabies’ better players in Pretoria against the Boks.

Codie Taylor

The competition for the starting hooker berth in the All Blacks side is tough as both Samisoni Taukei’aho and Dane Coles would also impress if given the chance in their country’s number two jersey, but Ian Foster has opted for Taylor, who will be keen to repay the faith shown in him by his head coach.

A solid scrummager, Taylor will have a crucial role to play for the home side in that area against the Boks, who are usually strong in that department. He will also have to be at his best with his throw-ins at the lineouts – which is a skill he hasn’t always mastered. Apart from that, he is a genuine threat with ball in hand and also strong on defence.

Kwagga Smith

Although the versatile back-row has not been a regular starter for the Boks over the years, he never lets them down, and this weekend presents another opportunity for him to show that he deserves his spot in the run-on side. The 30-year-old comes in as a replacement for injured Siya Kolisi but is very different in his approach compared to the regular Bok captain.

A former Springbok Sevens specialist, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Smith’s stint in the shortened version of the game has stood him in good stead in the Test arena. He is brilliant at the breakdowns and thrives in the wider channels but is also adept n defence and will be hoping to put in some big hits in that department.

Samu Kerevi

Another player who is on the comeback trail from injury, Kerevi saw some action in the second half of the Wallabies’ drubbing against the Boks in Pretoria last weekend, but he hardly made an impact in that encounter. This week he is in the starting line-up against Los Pumas in Sydney and will be determined to justify his selection with a strong attacking display.

The 29-year-old is renowned for his superb line breaks and will be expected to give his side much-needed momentum with ball in hand against Argentina. After an excellent start in Pretoria, the Wallabies offered little on attack in their opener against the Boks, and Kerevi’s partnership with fly-half Quade Cooper will also be in the spotlight as they try to break down the South Americans’ defence.

READ MORE: Winners and losers from the All Blacks team to tackle the Springboks