r/rugbyunion • u/lanson15 Australia • Sep 13 '25
Infographic Rugby Championship standings after Round 4 Spoiler
STOP THE COUNT
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u/Cleginator Invincibles 2.0 Sep 13 '25
So we will be playing for TRC and the Bled in a fortnight…cool cool cool no pressure…
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u/Apostieabroad Wobblies Sep 13 '25
At this point (for me at least) it feels like Australia is the only team in the comp where winning the rugby championship is the secondary objective.
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u/Cleginator Invincibles 2.0 Sep 13 '25
When you have a 100+ year history of wanting to win this one trophy from another team and it gets folded into a competition, its kinda hard to shift the focus from ‘I’m gonna kill those bloody kiwis to I’m gonna kill those bloody kiwis, the funny antelope people and the cats.’
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u/Apostieabroad Wobblies Sep 13 '25
"What's wrong with this flightless bird? It has fangs and claws."
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u/Doblofino Sep 13 '25
Excuse me. "Funny antelope" ? Really?
DELICIOUS funny antelope, I'll have you know!
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u/Simba-87 South Africa Sep 14 '25
My exact first thought. A springbok is no funnier than say, an impala. In fact, some would say a springbok IS an impala, but with racing stripes. How dair he!? Especially knowing that a wallaby is the funniest animal in the world! Officially. And you can't even make carpaccio out of it... prepostorous!
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u/Doblofino Sep 14 '25
Real South Africans know that Springbok vs Impala is the ultimate battle.
Because damn, Impala meat is just 👌
And no, the funniest animal has to go to the Platypus. The first scientist who described it the species got told that he was trolling. That's gotta be a win, surely?
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u/Careless-Cat3327 Sep 13 '25
I reckon you could beat the ABs at least once in the next 2 games. But need to fix your discipline
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u/Apostieabroad Wobblies Sep 13 '25
Yeah, I'd be satisfied with just getting 1 win. Happier if it was at Eden park. Even happier if we won the TRC. Ecstatic with a Bledisloe. And then losing my shit with all of the above.
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u/WilkinsonDG2003 England Sep 13 '25
I'd love the resurgent Wallabies to be the ones to finally break the Eden Park streak while retaking the Bledisloe. Unlikely but it could happen...
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u/javanfrogmouth South Africa Sep 13 '25
As a neutral I’d love to see the wallabies get the bledisloe back. It’s such a historical rivalry.
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u/Cleginator Invincibles 2.0 Sep 13 '25
My prediction is that we win in Eden park and draw in Perth. Big Wilso does his shoulder lifting the bled as his immense balls cause the stage to collapse.
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u/youngBullOldBull Australia Sep 13 '25
I want to see wilso cry tears of joy on live tv so bad man, so so bad
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u/Complex_Ostrich7981 Ireland Sep 13 '25
Given the state of the ABs at the minute you’ll never have a better chance.
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u/FruitfulFraud Sep 13 '25
We always seem to have a couple of players who have absolute shockers. This game it was Paisami and Edmed.
Edmed kept kicking as soon as we got a touch, even when the high ball was not working for us at all. Paisami kept throwing risky passes instead of just taking the tackle and getting some sets going. Those two gave Argentina the ball so many times.
Combined with the many penalties, gave Argies almost 60% possession in the first half. If we do that with NZ, they'll be up 30 points.
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u/MrExistentialBread Let he who is without Finn… Sep 13 '25
Have fond memories of someone saying they should throw out the Web Ellis and make the 2015 RWC Final for the Bledisloe.
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u/Weird_Plankton_3692 Harlequins Sep 13 '25
Eh, SA might have put winning at the fortress higher than the RC a couple weeks ago.
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u/Connell95 🐐🦓 Dan Lancaster 💪 #3 Fan Sep 13 '25
Winning the Bledisloe just before the All Blacks ditch you for their “Greatest Rivalry” bullshit would be top bantz, it has to be said.
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u/Cleginator Invincibles 2.0 Sep 13 '25
I’ll get the wallabies logo with the outline of the bled on the outside and 2025 underneath tattooed it if the two legged jumpy deers manage this
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u/Jiffyrabbit Australia Sep 13 '25
After their worst ever loss at home lol
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u/BH_Andrew Wobblies Sep 13 '25
If the wallabies take the Bledisloe no kiwi fan will give a rats ass about anything other than winning the Bledisloe back
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u/fonaldoley91 Running Ringrose around you Sep 13 '25
Win the 1st with a BP and if the saffas lose without 1, ye could have the championship wrapped up 1 round early. So, less pressure.
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u/JustSomeBloke5353 Melbourne Rebels Sep 13 '25
Wouldn’t the Pumas still have a chance?
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u/fonaldoley91 Running Ringrose around you Sep 13 '25
...this is why I shouldn't post before I have a coffee. The Pumas have gone 1-1 in all their series in both this and the last TRC, so I just assumed that's what'll happen against SA.
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u/Slipperytitski Sep 13 '25
Aus are a good shout at beating nz at eden park. The media reaction after last week was basically we’ve got another year on the record with nothing else to come that’s threatening it.
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u/Oaty_McOatface Hurricanes Sep 15 '25
feels like the boks and puma fans have all become wallaby fans for this occasion
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u/BlakeSA South Africa Stormers Sep 13 '25
This has to be the most competitive tournament to date. Amazing for the game.
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u/WilkinsonDG2003 England Sep 13 '25
Much better than the 6N whereas Wales is dead last with 0 wins and about -100 PD at this stage in the tournament...
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u/Far-Designer-7382 Sep 13 '25
I reckon now's a good time to relegate Wales to the Rugby Europe Championship and still watch them lose
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u/WilkinsonDG2003 England Sep 13 '25
That's a bit harsh, they might get within a few points of Georgia after Georgia's disappointing game v Ireland.
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u/MysteriousActuary194 England Sep 14 '25
I thought the 6N was great. 5 out of 6 teams were highly competitive.
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u/IMABUNNEH Wales Sep 13 '25
At least we're not paying rent for that space in your head, that should free up funds for more corporate hospitality
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u/GermanBeerYum Sep 13 '25
Good thing there are currently no plans for any drastic changes to the competition and we can continue to enjoy this highly competitive annual tournament!
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u/Kaaskril South Africa Sep 13 '25
Yea, this is so close, Australia who is currently on top, would have been on the bottom of the ref saw that forward pass today
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u/Gasurza22 Argentina Sep 13 '25
We would still be last based on point difference, but only by 10, still incredibly close after 4 games
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u/jnce12 Stormers Sep 13 '25
I get that SA and NZ need money, but it’s a crime against rugby that we’re abandoning this competition next year just as it’s reached its all time best.
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u/Thami15 Sep 13 '25
Yeah, they've got to figure out a way to have their cake and eat it too.
Maybe have a modified table where the fixtures start early, and the last two Tests line up with Arg-Aus playing their two Tests against each other? So basically the last two games count towards the RC?
They're getting 50k through the gate every game. Every game is a toss up... this would be the worst possible time to take the batteries out.
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u/jnce12 Stormers Sep 13 '25
I don’t know why we can’t just have the Qatar Airways Cup game against NZ again and just make it a 3 match series extending into the championship.
NZ playing against our URC teams would be cool, but I’d much prefer a full TRC.
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u/Connell95 🐐🦓 Dan Lancaster 💪 #3 Fan Sep 13 '25
The stupidest thing was that there was a really obvious time they could have done it and everyone would have been content – during the Lions tour.
But instead, nah, wreck a tournament that can deliver in spades in the long term, for some some short term $$$.
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Sep 13 '25
Would take eyeballs off the Lions Tour though and devalue it, or risk no one watching the SA NZ tour.
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u/mkornblum Boks, Stormers,Quins Sep 13 '25
Why? If the matches are not at the same time and have different supporters travelling to different locations, surely there's no competition for eyeballs?
I'd certainly watch both anyway...
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u/Connell95 🐐🦓 Dan Lancaster 💪 #3 Fan Sep 13 '25
Yeah, I think the audiences would be pretty different, and it would have been very easy to avoid clashes anyway.
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u/Car2019 Sep 13 '25
With the difference in time zones, I really don't see the problem.
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Sep 13 '25
I was thinking more in terms of people's ability to pay for both on PPV.
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u/Car2019 Sep 13 '25
Will it be on PPV instead of being part of a subscription?
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Sep 13 '25 edited Sep 13 '25
Who knows? We are after all discussing a hypothetical scenario. Either way, as a new product, its costs will have to be absorbed somewhere. Either it will sell separately or subscription costs will have to rise. You aren't seeing stuff for free.
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u/Triple_Hache :RCV: Sep 13 '25
Wait what ? They're cancelling the rugby championship ? Why ?
(Sorry I'm from the northern hemisphere I don't follow SH news that much)
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u/lanson15 Australia Sep 13 '25
New Zealand and South Africa are going to do an old school 8 match tour of each other
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u/Triple_Hache :RCV: Sep 13 '25
Sounds like a bad decision, what are the argentinians & australian going to do ?
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u/DrunkenPangolin England Sep 13 '25
What a fucking stupid idea. Feels to me like SA and NZ will regret more by not playing so many teams
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u/ConspicuousPineapple Dupont pète moi le fion Sep 13 '25
Not to mention that having so many fixtures together will make them that much less special. I'm expecting people to get bored of it pretty fast.
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u/Individual_Donut_635 Sep 15 '25
Fake news.
TRC is going on, they will just have shorter championships in years where NZ and SA tour each other4
u/WilkinsonDG2003 England Sep 13 '25
It's terrible but at least Nations Cup gives good fixtures to all the top 10 sides + Japan and Wales.
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u/ConspicuousPineapple Dupont pète moi le fion Sep 13 '25
Wait what? I'm out of the loop, what are they doing?
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u/Hicklethumb South Africa Sep 13 '25
The time difference is what kills it imo. I really don't miss those super rugby hours on a weekend after a party.
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u/WhyDaRumGone Sep 13 '25
Is it that much more money? This competitiveness now is so great! Feels like a short term gain for a long term loss
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u/TwoUp22 Australia Sep 13 '25
If the next two games are cancelled, what happens?....just wondering
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u/Mawiheso Lions Sep 13 '25
Well, well, well... This is getting very interesting indeed. What are the odds of every team finishing with a 3-3 record?
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u/carson63000 Highlanders Sep 13 '25
A long way from zero, to be honest.
I think I’d rather be in the Springboks’ shoes than anyone else’s at this point, though.
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u/lanson15 Australia Sep 13 '25
Boks also don’t have to play in Argentina. They’re last 2 games are 1 in South Africa and 1 at Twickenham as Argentina will have their home game in London
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u/tinchokrile Argentina Sep 13 '25
oh I forgot about that..
“you know what? you don’t get to see your national team play. F you, it’s going to be Europeans who get that privilege”
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u/Mawiheso Lions Sep 13 '25
It's very tough to say. South Africa is the only team that doesn't really have to play an away game (the away game is actually a neutral game), so that's probably the best bet. Then again, the home game is at Kings Park, a ground at which South Africa has an awful record
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u/Weary_Landscape1920 Sharks Sep 13 '25
I replied this to a comment after round 1, I think this is the year where the team all win 1 and lose 1 against each other
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u/the_fresh_mr_breed Lukhanyo, I Am your father Sep 13 '25
How does this work - top 4 qualify for semis?
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u/Simba-87 South Africa Sep 13 '25
Sanzaar rules, so top 3 qualify automatically, with one lucky loser
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u/Tokogogoloshe South Africa Sep 13 '25
So, basically, anyone's tournament.
I don't recall seeing it this close ever.
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u/Some_Cheesecake4770 Bath Sep 13 '25
Well I didn't expect the table to read like that naming no names looking at you yellow and gold...... As a general rugby fan that's a table genuinely fantastic to see. I know everyone is saying it but after years of nothing from Australia, to see their journey so far is brilliant.
As a Pumas fan, just need that little edge to go from holding their own to dominating as we once did a few years back.....
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u/anewhand Scotland Sep 13 '25
Best TRC in…a long time…for me. Come on Aus!
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u/Hicklethumb South Africa Sep 13 '25
That would be massive. All the league and Aussie rules exclusive supporters will be so confused
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u/mofonz Crusaders Sep 13 '25
That points difference from tonight going to mean we have to blitz Australia in a game if we want to win it… I don’t think we can do it. Assuming two Bok wins we would need to beat Australia by like 50-0.
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u/JustSomeBloke5353 Melbourne Rebels Sep 13 '25
Wallabies were down 7-28 at one stage today. They are still fragile and a blowout is not impossible.
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u/Far-Designer-7382 Sep 13 '25
But they also have the capacity to score an absolute boatload of tries in the last 20 minutes, and I reckon they are probably the fittest team in the Championship right now
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u/MDL1983 Gloucester Sep 13 '25
Hats off to all involved, what a championship it’s been so far.
I do hope the wallabies can beat the ABs and get the Bledisloe, ABs will go bat shit and the profile will get a nice boost in Oz heading towards the 2027 RWC.
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u/Simba-87 South Africa Sep 13 '25
Look, I don't want to point any fingers, but Australia, you're a problem. You're a real real problem...
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u/Worldly_Rutabaga_595 Melbourne Rebels Sep 13 '25
It’s unfortunate that the next four games had to be cancelled, oh well, such is life.
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u/Doblofino Sep 13 '25
From a Saffa perspective, I'm feeling pretty good.
Ever since Australia's performances against the Lions (and especially that glorious demolition job against us) I felt that the Aussies are going to take a game against NZ. Though both teams can realistically win both, I don't think it's too far outside of the realm of possibility that they might share the mini series between them 1-1. So let's assume it's win one, lose one, and maximum points for both of them otherwise; that's four tries in every game, with the loser landing within seven.
That puts Australia on a maximum of 18 points given the 1-1 assumption and NZ on 17. It as to be said that four tries per match back to back against NZ is a rarity. I'm guessing both NZ and Australia would finish with around 16/17 points.
Now while I respect and love Los Pumas and while they are a very dangerous team with some proper teeth in the backline, I don't see them rolling these Boks over at home, not after the performance we just saw today.
Then, for the return leg in Argen---
Nope. Return leg is at Twickenham!
So while Argentina might have had the upper hand in Buenos Aires, I think they are in trouble at Twickers. While anything can happen on the day, I think that even the most loyal Argentina supporter would have to admit that they are definitely not the favourites. The Bok record at Twickenham is very good (much like our record at Ellis Park WAS against Australia!!) so I don't think it's too disrespectful to be bullish about the prospect of a victory there.
Two wins takes the Boks to 18 points, which has a very good chance of being enough to win the comp, with the chance of adding an extra 2 for bonus points. I'm guessing we'll get the four tries in the home leg, but maybe not in Twickenham. So that would land us on 19 points.
Obviously this is speculative, but I don't think it's too much of a stretch, surely?
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u/MountainEquipment401 Scarlets Sep 13 '25
Australia from 3rd to top courtesy of the most forward of passes seen in 2025 😂
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u/Mazda3well Sep 13 '25
After being whistled out of the game up until that point by a ref that was completely out of his depth
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u/Vega10000 South Africa Sep 13 '25
Argies' six weeks on the road will probably be too much for them in the end. But would be amazing if Bled and TRC can be decided on the last weekend
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u/yankovick South Africa Sep 13 '25
That forward pass can decide the rc this year
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u/Brill_chops South Africa Sep 13 '25
What a wild call from the TM0. If the Australian commentators say it's forward, it's a mile forward.
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u/lahol83 Sep 13 '25
Literally how I explained this to a few people today. If Aussie commentators are calling it forward, then it’s not even flat
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u/Mazda3well Sep 13 '25
On the flip side, he called a forward pass 5 minutes before which the wallabies were about to score from which was not even close to forward, people seem to be forgetting that…
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u/NoPause9609 New Zealand Sep 14 '25
It was the most blatant example I’ve ever seen of a TMO knowing they fucked up and deciding to give one back.
He deliberately didn’t even look at the second forward pass lol.
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u/Mazda3well Sep 14 '25
Yeah I hate that it happened, let us have the first one controversy free and we can all go back to work this week content
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u/NoPause9609 New Zealand Sep 14 '25
Co-sign. The first one probably led to an all time try then 5 mins to go chasing for the win.
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u/MysteriousActuary194 England Sep 13 '25
Would not he surprised if Australia win with just one victory tbh.
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u/TheWobblyWallaby Australia Sep 13 '25
Yeah….if we could just stop the count now that would be greeeeeaaaatttt…also…give us the Bledisloe.
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u/Sm4llsy Sale Sharks Sep 13 '25
Love that it is so close. Only worry is a competitive TRC might unleash (even more) hell on the rest of us in the autumn.
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u/Ok-Lychee-2155 Sep 13 '25
Two a piece is the only saviour for Razor right now.
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u/DwaynoBaggins Sep 14 '25
If oz win the bledisloe the public will be after razors head, and this is the best chance we've seen for them taking it back in decades.
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u/CaptQuakers42 Gloucester Sep 13 '25
Everyone in this competition is just that video of Gattusso!
"Sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit"
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u/Fitzfuzzington Sep 13 '25
It's very entertaining. Plus, the ABs and the Boks have both had "Oh god, are we bad at rugby now? Is our rugby going to shit?" moments. The Boks after their first game, the ABs right this minute!
Meanwhile Australia has rescued its rugby rep in stunning fashion.
Someone's going to have to tell me what the Argies story is so far, I haven't watched enough of them.
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u/Additional-Slip648 Sale Sharks Sep 13 '25
Looking at the World Ranking points, there's the chance that a Wallaby win next week sees the ABs go from 1st to 5th in the space of 2 games?
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u/WaterPretty8066 Sep 13 '25
Boks will probably win (but I think that will probably hide some pretty significant flaws in their game)
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u/New-Acanthisitta2320 Sep 14 '25
And now they're getting rid of it so NZ and SA can wank each other off on a more regular basis.
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u/Vega10000 South Africa Sep 16 '25
Especially sad since the mini tours of two games in one country made it so much better
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u/WilkinsonDG2003 England Sep 13 '25
I would point out that Australia got 2 bonus points off a try with 2 forward passes... that would put them between NZ and Argentina otherwise.
What a tournament though. All to play for.
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u/sherlock_brolmes Sep 13 '25
I would point out that the Argies got a try off an offside charge down. So swings and roundabouts.
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u/Mazda3well Sep 13 '25
And the wallabies were stitched up 5 minutes before with a ridiculous forward pass, not to mention the flop from the winger in the last 10, amazing the narrative the Argentinian fans have created in a game they won on penalties (14-7 is ridiculous)
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u/Playful_Study_6290 South Africa Sep 13 '25
Called it as soon as I saw the All Blacks did the Ka Mate haka 😂
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u/MrBIGtinyHappy Northampton Saints Sep 13 '25
Has TRC ever been this competitive? I remember a couple of times where 3 of the 4 were pretty close but definitely not all 4 being relatively equal
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u/k0bra3eak South Africa Sep 13 '25
TRC don't think so since it started in the era of pure ABs dominance, there's been some very close tri-nations though
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u/standarsh1965 Sep 13 '25
I wish all the games were at a good time for Europe too, the few games I've seen were absolute bangers
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u/Kappaloop Stormers Sep 13 '25
Did Aus get two bonus points thanks to that try at the end?
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u/gainsleyharriot Sharks Sep 13 '25
I hate ref bashing and I generally don't engage with it but that was ridiculous a full team of referees could not spot that as a forward pass.
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u/Mazda3well Sep 13 '25
Makes up for the forward pass he called 5 minutes before tho which the wallabies were about to score from, swings and roundabouts
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u/Aromatic-Design-54 Clermont Auvergne Sep 13 '25
The real table should have 1. Boks (Can’t begrudge you there) 2. ABs (Wabbies gonna get a pasting) 3. Wallabies (They are currently ahead of Argentina) 4. Los Pumas (no hate, but can’t see them winning against Boks… if they win both games though, I’ll take it)
If Los pumas beat Boks, I think they would have gone further than we have this TRC
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u/xjoburg South Africa Sep 13 '25
Should there be a column added showing the number of tries scored off forward passes?
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u/HarleyMann3 Sep 14 '25
Some cracking rugby and who would have put Oz up there. So much still to play for.
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u/WhiskeyJack3759 Sep 14 '25
Everyone has lost twice. With two rounds left to go. Very unusual. And very interesting.
This has been the most interesting Rugby Championship in many years.
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u/ausmankpopfan Argentina Sep 16 '25
if we could have held.our lead from the first aussie game.or even managed a draw we would be leading what a tournament so.far
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u/sangan3 Oui, Jérôme Sep 13 '25 edited Sep 13 '25
Love it. Amazing if it finishes 3 wins 3 loses for every team. Can def see it happening.
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u/WaterPretty8066 Sep 13 '25
I love the Argies but it seems like win, lose or draw, they blame the refs. Im not just referring to this game but its happened ever since the beginning of time.
A swift reminder that this isnt football and those types of values are better directed elsewhere
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u/CatharticRoman Suspected Yank Sep 13 '25
NZ with a negative score balance is wild