International Rugby

New Zealand will be looking to extend their 17-match winning streak to break their own record this weekend against Australia.

That 18th win has eluded the All Blacks before, but it almost seems set in stone that they can complete a Bledisloe Cup whitewash over the Wallabies this year.

Eden Park, the venue for his weekend's Test, is a black-clad fortress. The Wallabies have not won there since 1986. Thirty years later and the odds are not in their favor. According to website AustralianGambling, Australia is priced at $9.00 to claim what would be a monumental victory.

The one thing Australia have in their corner is that they were the last team to beat the All Blacks before the current winning streak began. After a disjointed Rugby Championship, the Wallabies will have to improve their game drastically if they are to have any hope of breaking the Eden Park curse.

New Zealand, however, head into this match with everything on the field looking rosy. Priced at $1.06, they can be confident of breaking their own winning streak record.

Off the field, though, the All Blacks and NZ Rugby have been under the microscope for all the wrong reasons. Scrum half Aaron Smith will take no part of this fixture after his indiscretions in a public bathroom.

With New Zealand looking unbeatable from the outside, it appears their biggest threat may well be their own players undermining them from within.

A big win for New Zealand currently stands as the favorite with the addition of a margin to the winner. A victory of 13+ points for the All Blacks is priced at $1.27 in contrast to a narrow win of 1-12 points at $4.50.

A Wallabies win with the correct winning margin could make many people happy on one side of the Tasman Sea. A 13+ point win for Australia is priced at $41.00 and a 1-12 point victory at $11.00.

Australia are up against it this weekend when they face the All Blacks. Sport, however, is full of miraculous tales of underdog victors. The Wallabies will have to put everything on to the field if they hope to get anywhere near New Zealand. With a wealth of talent, the All Blacks will look to make history.

Ahead of the Four Nations tournament in England later this month, Australia and New Zealand will meet for a historic Test in Perth.

Western Australia will get its first glimpse of this enthralling sporting rivalry with the Kiwis looking to bounce back from a demoralizing 16-0 loss the last time they faced the Kangaroos. For Australia, that victory ended a run of three straight defeats to their trans-Tasman rivals.

According to website AustralianGambling.com.au, Australia is the favorite for this match at $1.40. The Kangaroos need a win here to set them up as they look to reclaim the Four Nations title from New Zealand.

A victory here would certainly put them in a great position before traveling to the UK. Head coach Mal Meninga is still searching for his best blend of youth and experience in the starting lineup.

Despite having lost to Australia in this year's Anzac Day Test, the Kiwis can head into this match with confidence, having won three out of the last four fixtures against the Kangaroos. Australia's domination in this fixture is a distant memory, and New Zealand will look to overturn a price of $3.00.

With a wealth of NRL talent, the Kiwis continue to get stronger every year.

Although New Zealand should provide a stern test for Australia, the punters are backing a big win for the Kangaroos. A 13-plus point victory stands as the favorite at $2.50, while a win of between one and 12 points is at $3.00. Meanwhile, for a New Zealand win by 13-plus points the price is $7.50, with a close-fought Kiwi win of one to 12 points at $4.25.

With England and Scotland awaiting both sides before the end of October, this one-off Test holds all the more importance. Momentum will be key heading into the Four Nations, as Australia and New Zealand both aim to be the best league nation in the world. Expect a huge clash in Perth this weekend when these two sides collide.

Argentina will host the first-ever Rugby Championship match in Europe as they face Australia at Twickenham in London on October 9. Both sides head into this fixture on the back of a loss, as the Pumas were defeated by New Zealand in Argentina, while the Wallabies were unable to beat the Springboks in South Africa.

With the travel miles clocking up at a steady rate for both teams, this game could come down to who has the best conditioning program.

The last two times these sides met, Australia were the victors, including the Rugby World Cup semi-final on the same ground as they will play this weekend. Accordingly, the Wallabies are heavy favorites at $1.38 (AUD), according to AustralianGambling.

Despite injury worries in the back row, Australia will head to the neutral venue with plenty of confidence, hoping that the large expat community in London comes out in force to cheer them on.

The Pumas have won only one game this year in the Rugby Championship—against the Springboks on home soil. Their away form has been an area of contention as they have struggled without the advantage of a home crowd. While moving this game to London may make sense commercially, it may not do so for their hopes of winning.

According to AustralianGambling, Argentina stand at $3.05, but they have shown glimpses in recent weeks that they do have the quality to beat the Wallabies.

Both teams possess limitless talent throughout their back lines and pose a threat from anywhere on the field. For the first tryscorer to be one of the men in the backs wearing number 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15, it's $1.70, while any other number/penalty try/tryless match stands at $2.10.

Australia demonstrated last week against the Springboks that their big men up front have the skills to get across the line just as well as the backs.

While New Zealand may have dominated the competition, it is essential for both Australia and Argentina that they continue to look to improve. Performances will be scrutinized, but victory is essential.

The Wallabies gained a confidence boost after breaking a six-game losing streak, but coach Michael Cheika will be warning against complacency in this weekend's match against Argentina in Perth.

Australia came back from an 11-point deficit midway through the first half to beat South Africa 23-17 in the Rugby Championship on Saturday to end its longest losing streak in 11 years.

Sportsbooks now expect the Wallabies to beat the Pumas in Perth this Saturday, paying $1.25 for an Australian win, with $3.80 for Argentina to take the victory, according to website AustralianGambling.com.au.

An Australian win of up to 12 points will pay $2.80, with $5 for Argentina.

The Pumas will pay $14 if they get up by more than 12 points against just $2.10 for the Wallabies to win by the same margin.

With the Australian team yet to be named, the Sydney Morning Herald reported "Cheika hinted that the Wallabies could field another two debutants this week, with prop Tom Robertson and second-rower Lopeti Timani in the frame to be selected for the Argentina match." Seven players have made Test debuts for Australia in six games this year.

Allan Alaalatoa is ruled out of Saturday's Test with a knee injury, while Robertson and Rebels forward Toby Smith have been called into the squad.

The Pumas have proved themselves to be a legitimate competitor in this year's Rugby Championship, downing South Africa 26-24 in the second round before impressing in a loss to world champion New Zealand last week.

The speedy and innovative Argentina tested the All Blacks for much of the game; the 57-22 scoreline did not do them justice.

Wallabies scrum coach Mario Ledesma, a former Argentine international, has been credited with transforming the Wallabies scrum since joining the team, and with improvements in the lineouts evident in the South Africa win, Australia is confident of matching the traditionally bruising Argentine pack.

Australia and Argentina's fourth-round Rugby Championship match kicks off Saturday at 8:05 p.m. AEST.

Asking kids to tackle Meaalofa Te'o is unfair.

The Australian rugby sensation was filmed stiff-arming and trucking any opponent who dared get in his way. He made every defender look like the New Orleans Saints trying to take down former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch in their 2011 playoff matchup.

It's probably time to move him up to a higher division.

[USA Sevens Rugby]

Australia's set pieces will be put under pressure as the Wallabies look to avoid a seventh straight Test loss when they take on South Africa in Brisbane, Australia, in the Rugby Championship on Saturday.

New Zealand exposed severe deficiencies in the Wallabies in its two Bledisloe Cup wins last month as the All Blacks consistently stole the ball from the throw in.

Australia has now won just 69 percent of the ball from their own throws after two rounds of the Rugby Championship, compared with Argentina (91.67 percent), South Africa (91.3 percent) and the All Blacks, who haven't lost a throw.

Despite their problems, Michael Cheika's Wallabies are still tipped as favorites to claim the win in Brisbane.

According to website AustralianGambling, the Australians are $1.60 for the win, while the visiting Springboks are $2.35.

Cheika named four uncapped players in his 33-man squad, with centre Kyle Godwin, prop Tom Robertson, back-rower Lopeti Timani and winger Sefa Naivalu joining returning Rio Games sevens star Henry Speight.

Also in the squad is France-based veteran Drew Mitchell, who defended Australia's ability to bounce back from its Bledisloe disappointment.

"It's important for us to shelve that to the side and show these young guys it's what's happening at training and within the walls of our meetings that are important," Mitchell told reporters.

Australia's defense has also been a concern in recent Tests, with the back line often struggling to reach its defensive positions in broken play.

The Springboks are also coming off a Test disappointment after suffering just their second-ever defeat to Argentina in their last match at Salta two weeks ago.

The venue of Saturday's test is also a tough one for South Africa, which has won just one of its last 10 tests against Australia in Brisbane.

A Wallabies victory by 1-12 points is the most favored margin play at $2.55, with the Springboks $3.40 to win by the same margin.

A blowout result is considered unlikely with the Wallabies $3.30 to win by 13 points or more, while a big win by the Springboks (over 12.5) is an $8.20 chance.

Springboks centre Juan de Jongh says the week-long break between rounds in the Rugby Championship has given his side the chance to figure out where they need to improve.

"Whatever happened in Argentina is behind us now," De Jongh, who was part of the bronze-medal-winning South African sevens team at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, told the media. But he said playing Australia in Australia was not an easy task.

"When you come to Australia, it is never an easy match."

While bettors in North America are starting to focus on the start of the NFL season, with Week 1 betting lines now posted at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark, down in the Southern Hemisphere it's rugby action that is getting a large amount of attention.

As was to be expected this year's Rugby Championship began with a bang, as New Zealand demolished Australia in a six try to one victory while South Africa left it late to claim a narrow seven-point win over a luckless Argentina.

The second round sees the same matchups albeit with the home venues reversed as Wellington and Salta host the action.

New Zealand will return home brimming with confidence after their performance in Sydney. Despite numerous injury worries they still outplayed and outclassed their opponents on the field. They will undoubtedly be confident of another win on home soil and the odds are in their favour at $1.07, according to website AustralianGambling.

Australia's failings extend back to a dismal June series against England. With injuries depleting their already suffering squad, it is hard to see them being able to overturn significant odds of $8.50.

Australia needs to win this match to have any hope of winning the competition within a competition that sees New Zealand and Australia battle it out for the historic Bledisloe Cup.

Argentina has continued to improve ever since their introduction to The Rugby Championship but have failed to truly leave their mark on the scoreboard, which is where it counts the most. Close losses like the one to South Africa can only spur Argentina on to secure those much-needed wins.

Argentina will start this match as an underdog priced at $2.25 with the South Africans favorites at $1.65. South Africa is currently in a transition phase following the Rugby World Cup and those narrow victories will be vital for the new coach, although supporters will begin to demand better performances than the one witnessed in the first round.

The beginning of The Rugby Championship often starts with New Zealand as the favorite to win the tournament, with this year being no exception as the No. 1-ranked rugby team in the world continues to dominate all set before them.

An upset win for Australia would throw the whole tournament wide open but at present it appears South Africa may be the only ones capable of challenging the All Blacks.

From a British perspective, the past couple of days have seen the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games explode into action. Team GB have been busy winning golds—four in total now—to drag themselves up the medals table, and the action has been coming thick and fast.

On Thursday, the track cycling got under way, heightening British interest as Team GB secured the men's team sprint gold at the expense of New Zealand.

If that race left viewers out of breath, they didn't have long to get their lungs back to functioning properly before it all went off again, this time with the rugby sevens final moments later.

Team GB were taking on favourites Fiji, and despite an emphatic 43-7 win for the South Pacific nation, Britain's place in the final spoke volumes for the success of the tournament.

Simon Amor's team was only put together shortly before the Olympics. They traveled to Brazil having barely played together. That mattered little, however, as the four nations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland came together under the Team GB banner to great effect.

Had the unions not joined forces, it would have meant Britain missing out on a silver medal; it would have meant Britain missing out on what has been a pulsating exhibition of rugby of the highest order in Brazil.

The sevens tournament—men's and women's—has been a massive highlight of these Games. We've been treated to everything the sport is about. There have been big hits, expansive rugby and some thrilling, high-scoring encounters. It really has captured the imagination.

It's on the Olympic roster for Tokyo 2020, but beyond that, the future of rugby sevens at the Olympics isn't clear, and in the coming weeks, World Rugby will meet with the IOC to put forward a case to securing its long-term inclusion.

On this evidence, the decision should already be made, as the Olympic Games will be poorer for not including the sport.

On this evidence, the four individual football associations of Britain should put aside their political differences and enter a Team GB football team at every Olympics.

When we look at how British rugby has benefited so much by coming together for this event, it shows the power that Great Britain can produce collectively.

That doesn't mean England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be surrendering their sovereignty when it comes to World Cups and European Championships any time soon. It's more a realisation that they can adapt to modern times and work together for events that require Britain to compete as one.

Facing the might of New Zealand and South Africa en route to the sevens final, Team GB did it the hard way in Rio. Eventually meeting Fiji in the final, it proved a step too far, and they were outclassed.

That shouldn't shame them, however. Getting so far in the competition is a great advert for rugby in Britain, and taking a silver medal at the first time of asking is a major boost for everything the British Olympic Association is attempting to achieve.

Rugby sevens has captured the public's imagination because of the way the four unions have combined as one. The performances of the men and women has helped breed a sense of national pride, watching Team GB come close to securing the ultimate success of a gold medal.

Throw football into the equation, and the impact will be amplified tenfold. Nothing unites Britain the way football can; it's the national obsession, and it's about time Team GB was represented at the Olympic Games.

Yes, there are obstacles to overcome in the four-year cycle of each Games. There are the countless issues of managing qualification and the politics of getting the best players into each team. When we see the impact it can have, as with rugby sevens, surely that's all worth it, though.

Indeed, even the hockey teams put individual national pride aside in the name of coming together for British interests.

The problem with British football is that it's played a lead role in segregating itself from the world for over a century now. From England not entering the early World Cups, to Britain not having a football team in Rio, the attitudes that shape the game have been damaging. It's about time things changed.

Rugby sevens is winning right now, and that means Britain is, too. And if Team GB can come together for rugby, there's no reason football shouldn't be joining the party.

France tied up their two-match Test series against Argentina on Saturday, beating Los Pumas 27-0 in a dominant performance.

Hugo Bonneval broke the match open with a try just before half-time, and Remi Lamerat and Loann Goujon added scores after the break. Baptiste Serin was perfect with his conversions and added two penalties as well. Argentina never threatened Les Bleus, as their usual, fluent passing movements didn't come to fruition in difficult weather conditions.

France came into this match looking for revenge after their loss in the first test, and the visitors changed their approach compared to the previous match, placing more of an emphasis on the kicking game and slowing down Argentina's passing.

The tactic worked to perfection―early on, the Pumas found little success whenever they ventured close to France's 22, and the threat of the counter attack was ever present.

Serin missed an early chance to put his team ahead with a long penalty, firing his effort wide, but the team kept forcing errors from the hosts, and it quickly became clear there would be more chances. Les Bleus dominated at the scrum in particular, a stark contrast compared to the first test.

Gael Fickou missed another penalty after 10 minutes, won after a good lineout, before a wild scrum led to some handbags in the centre of the pitch.

A prolonged spell of Argentinian pressure had the French defence on its heels, but Les Bleus stood their ground, and Serin opened the score with a penalty shortly after, as Tomas Lavanini was penalised for offside.

Paul Tait of Americas Rugby News liked what he saw from the visitors:

More kicking and a superb recovery at the breakdown from Los Pumas saw the pace of the match increase significantly, but the hosts refused to take too many risks, eyeing the tactical battle and looking to match France's set-piece play.

Les Bleus won a lineout against throw in promising position, however, and a fantastic move at pace saw them score the first try just before half-time. Serin fired a superb pass into the path of Bonneval, who made no mistakes in scoring the try. Serin added the conversion as well, and the score was 10-0 at the break.

Per Tait, the rough playing conditions had Argentina looking for answers in the first half:

It took Les Bleus just four minutes to add to their lead in the second half, as Los Pumas were blown up in the scrum, and Serin kicked the penalty from close range.

Argentina now pushed forward and found touch just ahead of the 22 metre line, but in their attempt to get on the board, they forgot to cover their rear. Les Bleus spotted the mistake and sent a huge kick down the pitch, with Bonneval giving chase, and the visitors eventually earned the scrum on the five-metre line.

Lamerat eventually punched the ball over the try line after a wonderful pass from Francois Trinh-Duc, and with the added conversion, the score was 18-0, and France appeared to be on their way to the win.

The score seemed to kill any hope Argentina had of winning, and the floodgates opened. Lamerat kept doing damage with some excellent footwork, and after yet another good scrum, a quick restart saw Goujon cross the try line once more.

Things got even worse for the hosts with 18 minutes left to play, as Lavanini was handed a yellow card for dangerous play. France decided to take their foot off the gas slightly from that point forward, playing out the match in simple fashion.

Argentina made a few late pushes in search of a consolation score and forced a handful of penalties, but none of those were within range.

It's a much-needed win for Les Bleus, who were looking for some positives after their dreadful Six Nations campaign and the loss in the first Test. France have struggled in recent years, but a good win over an emerging squad like Argentina may just be what the doctor ordered.  

Hosts South Africa claimed a 19-13 win over Ireland in the third match of their Test series on Saturday, taking the series 2-1 after losing the opener.

JP Pietersen gave the hosts the lead late in the first half with a smart try after Ireland had dominated large spells of the first 40 minutes.

Luke Marshall had given the visitors the lead and Paddy Jackson found success with his conversion and a penalty, but Elton Jantjies held up his end of the bargain, increasing his team's lead with a couple of kicks in the second half.

Despite late pressure, the Springboks held on, ensuring Ireland didn't become the first home nation to win a series in South Africa.

Former England international Jeff Probyn liked Ireland's chances of taking the series, via William Hill Betting:

The Springboks made two changes to their side, introducing Ruan Combrinck and Warren Whiteley in favour of Lwazi Mvovo and Duane Vermeulen, who missed out due to injury. For Ireland, Jared Payne was also absent with a knock, handing Tiernan O'Halloran his first-ever start for his country.

Per BBC Sport's Aimee Lewis, coach Joe Schmidt was very confident his team could take the series from the hosts ahead of the match, as he said: "I'm utterly confident they'll make me and themselves proud."

Ireland pressed forward early, working the ball around at pace in the South African half until a fumble from O'Halloran. The spill would prove costly, as the hosts scored on their first venture forward, with Jantjies kicking a huge penalty.

Ireland continued to have the better play, but needless errors broke down every attack they launched. Jantjies had the chance to double his team's lead after another spill, but this time, the wind took his kick past the posts.

The visitors' strong spell in possession didn't last long, as the Springboks took control of the ball and prepared for a prolonged stretch of pressure.

But just as Ireland appeared to be in trouble, Willie le Roux took out O'Halloran as he was jumping for the ball, earning himself a trip to the sin-bin. O'Halloran was knocked out for a brief moment and left the pitch in clear pain, and Le Roux was lucky not to run into a red card.

The42.ie's Murray Kinsella was disappointed with the decision:

The numerical advantage did provide Ireland with a unique opportunity, however, and Schmidt's troops took advantage soon after. A handful of strong carries from Iain Henderson and Devin Toner opened up the South Africa defence, and it was Marshall who found the gap near the posts.

The Rugby Pod liked what it saw:

Jackson easily added the conversion, giving Ireland a 7-3 lead. The outside-half had the chance to push the lead to seven points shortly after, as the hosts failed to roll away from the tackle, but he hooked his effort.

He made up for his miss just past the halfway point of the half, however, while O'Halloran appeared to shake off the knock and continued.

The errors continued for both teams, with knock-ons and frequent scrums stopping play, but shortly before half-time, Jack McGrath came into the scrum on an angle to hand the Springboks another penalty, which Jantjies converted.

South Africa tried to up the pace as half-time drew near, but the official's whistle killed any momentum the hosts built.

Not every fan and pundit was happy with the man in charge, including the Star's Kevin McCallum:

Marshall should have done better when Ireland had the chance to break, but his pass missed the mark, and the Springboks countered quickly. Jantjies fired a fantastic kick into the path of Pietersen, who gathered and touched down before any Irish defender could get close.

Former rugby star Kobus Wiese was impressed:

Jantjies added the tricky conversion as well, and the hosts led 13-10 heading into half-time.

The Springboks came out firing again in the second half, but a smart clearance from Jackson gave the Irish excellent position. The distributor fumbled inside their 22, however, wasting a good chance to reclaim the lead.

Jackson tried to reach Jordi Murphy with an ambitious kick, but neither he nor Peterson could claim possession, while on the other side of the pitch, some staunch defending kept the Springboks from gaining too much ground after a successful scrum.

A strong Irish lineout pushed inside the 22, setting up Jackson with some space, but Faf de Klerk saw the danger and stuck his hands up to block his pass and a likely try, to the delight of Wiese:

Ireland dominated possession, but their passing game was far too slow, and the hosts easily organised their defence. The Springboks didn't produce much danger of their own, but on their first venture forward in minutes, the hosts earned a penalty, which Combrinck converted.

The Springboks were happy to cede possession once again, as Ireland's lack of creativity or speed near the 22 meant defending was easy. With 10 minutes left to play, Schmidt's troops started to grow desperate.

Ireland also visibly tired, and South Africa took advantage. Another Jantjies penalty pushed the lead to nine points, but Jackson replied almost immediately. The pressure continued, but as shared by SportsJOE.ie, substitute Rhys Ruddock cost his team after the ball had been worked into a great position:

A late lineout gave the visitors a final chance to find a try and win the series, and they came within five metres of the try line but ultimately fell short.

Ireland missed a unique chance to make history, but Schmidt's men can still look back on the series as a success. The home nations never seem to do well in the southern hemisphere, and the win in the first Test was Ireland's first-ever against the Springboks in South Africa.

Saturday's loss will sting, but overall, the series was a reasonable success, and the result bodes well for the future of Irish rugby.