The 2021 Rugby Championship: Round 1 Predictions

There’s no let up after the end of the Lions Tour, and we’re straight into the Rugby Championship, which could be one of the most competitive for a while.

On Superbru, we have two games for you to join ahead of the tournament starting tomorrow - the Rugby Championship Predictor and a Rugby Championship Fantasy game.

Here are my Rugby Championship predictions for Round 1.

New Zealand v Australia

Last week’s test was closer than many expected, and but for an off day for Noah Lolesio’s boot, it could have been a different result. The All Blacks usually heed a warning like that and come out stronger the following week, so I think this will be more one-sided. Prediction: New Zealand by 21

South Africa v Argentina

The Springboks deserve plenty of credit for grinding out a series win over the Lions, having barely played since 2019, and confidence will be high going into the Rugby Championship. There are 12 changes from the side that played the Lions last weekend, however, and this first fixture is a potential banana skin, given that it hasn’t been a focus until this week. It could be a game where they need to soak up the pressure, then dig deep and find a way to win. Prediction: South Africa by 7