Luckless Wallabies wing Drew Mitchell faces a possible 12-month spell on the sideline after rupturing an ankle tendon during his side’s loss to the All Blacks in Auckland last Saturday night.

The All Blacks are now preparing themselves for the sizable and physical challenge up front when they take on Argentina and South Africa in the next instalment of their Rugby Championship campaign.

The Wallabies are carrying on from where the under-performing Australian team left off at the recent Olympic Games in London.

Stephen Moore will start at hooker instead of Tatafu Polota-Nau for tomorrow night’s Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks in Auckland.

The Wallabies have restored Quade Cooper at first five for their must-win match against the All Blacks at Eden Park this Saturday night.
 

Continuity seems to be the theme for the All Blacks.

Liam Messam is the comeback kid of the All Blacks. He owes his recall to the Chiefs and the better balance he has in his playing approach. BY LEE STACE

The Wallabies have lost another front-line player to injury, with prop Sekope Kepu the latest to go down.

Springbok management are monitoring the condition of wing Bryan Habana and lock Andries Bekker after the pair rolled their ankles during last Saturday’s victory against Argentina.

The Wallabies’ chances of keeping their Bledisloe Cup hopes alive have taken a punishing hit, with skipper David Pocock set to miss this Saturday’s return match against the All Blacks in Auckland due to a knee injury.

All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw has warned his teammates not to get complacent following last Saturday’s 27-19 victory over the Wallabies.

The Wallabies’ chances of keeping their Bledisloe Cup hopes alive have suffered further, with skipper David Pocock in doubt for the return match at Eden Park with a knee injury.

The All Blacks took full advantage of the Wallabies’ mistakes as they recorded a closer-than-expected 27-19 victory in their Rugby Championship opener in Sydney last night.

Ma’a Nonu feels he has big shoes to fill in the absence of Conrad Smith, particularly on defence.

The All Blacks' forwards are not impressed with claims made by their Australian counterparts that their pack has developed a renewed ruthlessness, says coach Steve Hansen.

Is the Argentine scrum a reality or a thing of the past?

Liam Messam has been retained at blindside, while lock Luke Romano has been handed a surprise start in the All Blacks team to play Australia in Sydney on Saturday night.

Second five Frans Steyn will play his 50th test for South Africa when it opens its Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina in Cape Town on Saturday.

First five Juan Martin Hernandez will play his first test in three years when Argentina opens its Rugby Championship campaign against South Africa in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Springboks’ already depleted loose forward stocks have taken another hit, with No 8 Pierre Spies ruled out of the Rugby Championship with a broken finger.